Cycling while on period

jwhite said:

SO,  Long story short I'm going on a teen bike trip from the 29th of June to the 14th of July. I planned the trip around my period and of course my period, which has been regular for some months now, decided to switch it up.  Last month it fell on the 10th- which would be terrible, it would be maybe two days of biking w/ it since the last 2 days are biking-free. However, lets say my period falls during my trip for 5 days....What do I do? The trip is 250 miles of the course of 2 weeks, about 25 miles a day.  I was told not to wear padded bike shorts w/ underwear which makes it difficult to wear a pad.  I hate tampons.   Any ideas? What should I do?

I suggest you ask your doctor those questions, especially questions re: tampons vs. pads. While I'm not a girl and it is true that generally you shouldn't wear underwear under bike shorts, I would think that a pad betwixt your parts and the chamois in the shorts should not be a problem. My daughter seems to think it would be okay.

Hi jwhite, My daughter faced a similar problem recently, coupled with troublesome, heavy periods. We went to the dr, she was fantastic. We sat and chatted at some length about the problem and, long story short, my daughter has just completed the first month of the contraceptive pill- a light, hormone-specific one prescribed especially to eleviate bad period pain. She is currently on the weeks break and on a much lighter, hormonally calm, far more painless period. Furthermore, it is safe for my daughter to run the next two packs end to end so as to completely skip next months period. I would suggest you approach your dr. But ensure that you receive plenty of information before making your decision, everyone is different and what is good for my daughter may not be good for you. Good luck, I hope you manage to find a happy solution for yourself.

I ride with padded bike shorts and panties and a pad every month. I never have a problem. One piece of advice is just make sure they are not too tight. You want to avoid chaffing and rubbing. Good luck!

There's nothing wrong riding during your period. It's the issue in comfort and type of cyclist are you. I chose not to ride during my period, as I know that I won't be at my best when I do so. I have a road bike and a bit competitive. plus also, I wear cycling shorts with pads (without underwear) that's just my choice base of comfort and sanitation. 🙂

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by jwhite
SO,
Long story short I'm going on a teen bike trip from the 29th of June to the 14th of July.
I planned the trip around my period and of course my period, which has been regular for some months now, decided to switch it up. Last month it fell on the 10th- which would be terrible, it would be maybe two days of biking w/ it since the last 2 days are biking-free.

However, lets say my period falls during my trip for 5 days....What do I do?
The trip is 250 miles of the course of 2 weeks, about 25 miles a day. I was told not to wear padded bike shorts w/ underwear which makes it difficult to wear a pad. I hate tampons.

Any ideas? What should I do?

So how did the trip go? I hope you had fun and got lots of bike riding in.

Like with most things on the bike, what suits one person, doesn't suit another. The "general rule" is that you don't wear underwear with padded shorts but that doesn't mean you can't give it a go. The 'general rule' tends to gravitate to all things male as it's a predominantly male sport.

At some point in time there were no padded short and still people rode bikes. What constituted padded shorts in 84 when I started riding is way way different to what is out there now - think a thin piece of real chamois leather and not much padding at all. If you didn't wash in natural soap and/or you didn't rub chamois cream in it you basically rode on a sandpaper pad until it got damp with sweat. Times have changed. At some point in the future it may be the common rule to wear some fancy 'under armor' briefs/panties while riding. Who knows.

Whatever works best for you is what you should do.

If you dig pads rather than tampons and those pads require underwear, wear underwear and see how you feel about it. Plan a short ride and if all feels good then keep on riding. If it feels like s*%t then you'll be close to home and you'll have piece of mind that riding with panties sucks and it won't be open for debate. If it did suck, if you have a different pair of shorts, try, on a 'rest day', another easy ride and see how that fairs with the panty/pad combo. If it sucked again then consider a different solution. Maybe tampons on heavy days are the answer...

... whatever lets you ride whenever you want to ride is the answer. Don't be afraid to try something new.

I know this is a super late response, but let's be real, I think we've all had a similar problem. When I would bike while on my period, the pads would always rip and I'd have to change them. I figure that wearing some extra padding would make the pads last longer. I suggest you do whatever you need to in order to feel comfortable. Let's be real, comfort is way more important! Good luck!

I think that you got a lot of advice from members above, I as a cycling teenager think that it's perfectly fine to cycle during your period using tampons or pads ( I find tampons way more comfortable during cycling though, but it depends on the individual really), if you go through painful periods then take a pain killer to ease your pain.

The best thing to do is not cycle on the first two days and then continue with their lives. It is really uncomfortable on the first two days. Then on, it can be quite okay.

The best thing to do is not cycle on the first two days and then continue with their lives. It is really uncomfortable on the first two days. Then on, it can be quite okay.

The best thing to do is not cycle on the first two days and then continue with their lives. It is really uncomfortable on the first two days. Then on, it can be quite okay.

HAving a period makes everything different and the normal rules don't apply, the only thing I can suggest is you experiment and see what feels most comfortable for you. It is a personal choice that nobody else can make for you.

Just for anyone else in this position given that the original post was back in 2013...

The best thing to do is to talk to your GP and get some tablets that delay your period whilst you take them. It's what I did when it was an issue.
You start taking them about 5 days before your period is due and take them for as long as you need to delay your period, up to 2 weeks I think it was. Problem solved.

As for someone cycling on their period, I have always found that exercise helps, but I may be slightly 'under the weather' energy wise and need to take that into account - a little less energy for getting up hill, a touch slower and at the end of the day, a touch more tired. For the course, I use tampons and have had no issues whilst on tour for over 12 months and don't both about it, but knowing that there is the option of tablets available to delay your period is sometimes useful!

I have worn padded shorts and a pad many times on distance rides. I find that it is always advisable to purchase extra long pads in case they slip. I recommend stopping as frequently as possible to check and make sure that no accidents have happened. Another idea to to buy an extra absorbency overnight pad. These pads tend to be thicker and more absorbent and you might have less issues with the pad tearing or slipping during your ride.

It's really nobody else's business what you wear under your outer garment. Whatever works for your body is what works for you. I commute every day and to dance on Saturday no matter what. I have never used a tampon in my life. Yes it is less comfortable on those days, but nothing you can't get used to. Just experiment a little on your own ahead of time. You might want to try more than one brand and size of pad to find the one that fits you best on your bike since you are going to be riding a lot.

That's an issue that I hadn't considered yet. I'm pretty sure I know what's going to work for me, I just really hope I get it right the first time

That's an issue that I hadn't considered yet. I'm pretty sure I know what's going to work for me, I just really hope I get it right the first time

I believe it is okay to cycle as long as ou do not have cramps. I believe one should be careful and tiotally grateful of not trying out naything stupid.

I wouldn't worry about anything. Just go with the flow. Literally. You will find that the exercise will help you with your circulation, which in turn will help remove any cramps that you might experience. If it happens to be a strong and heavy period, you might want to take some extra bottles of water along your trip for any possible inconveniences. Enjoy the ride! 🙂

I generally wear longer overnight pads with wings cause they last longer and can take abuse and if they slip it's not an issue. That and I found that activity makes the flow heavier hence overnight. >.>; I change more often too just to keep things fresh.