The growth of the women’s cycling apparel market is great news – and now some brands are addressing the problem of bib shorts and undressing! Consider this scenario for a moment: You have chosen to buy bibbed cycle shorts because they are amazingly comfortable. You are enjoying a great ride but then you stop for a café break and head to the bathroom. Before you can use the toilet you need to strip off all your outer layers – and today being a chillier day means you have a baselayer, jersey and a cycling jacket over the top if your cycle shorts. It’s not a huge problem, you think, but then you need to replace the layers, too, and they are a bit damp due to perspiration. Yuk! And imagine all this if you were in a hurry to use the loo!

Bibbed cycling shorts versus waist high shorts

While waist-high cycling shorts can be comfortable many women find that once they wear bibbed cycle shorts they do not look back. Perhaps you are fine with the waist line of your cycle shorts, however, with bibbed shorts, there is no line and the comfort factor of wearing shorts that come up and over your hips and waist is wonderful. Bibbed shorts will also keep your back out of the wind and rain, even if your top layers or jacket ride up. And the shorts stay in place. Waist high shorts can ride down and create discomfort between your lower regions and the bike seat but thanks to the bib and shoulder straps, bibbed cycle shorts stay neatly in place. If you don’t believe me, maybe you should try a pair of bibbed cycle shorts just to see how comfortable they are. But there has been a problem with traditional bibbed shorts. Bibbed shorts have been mostly worn by men and they do not inhibit a guy taking a loo break. But for women, the all-enclosed bib and straps system does prevent ease of using the bathroom. To be frank, it’s the difference between standing up and sitting down for a pee. Now, thank goodness, a few cycle clothing brands have come up with a range of solutions for female bibbed cycle shorts, including zips and halternecks.

3 great bib cycle shorts for women

Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Bibshort These are constructed from a supportive stretch fabric with durable exterior and fast wicking inner. The shorts also boast a drop-seat zipped system at the back to allow for “comfort breaks on the move”. In addition, the light-weight mesh upper bibs have a high-cut back and straps that fit along the side of the torso to fit the female form (and avoid irritating rubs in the chest area!). Buy at Edin Bike Gore XENON 2.0 LADY Bibtights short+ These are beautifully constructed and lightweight road cycling bibshorts with compression fabrics, an ergonomic seat insert and shifted seams for long and demanding rides. For comfort breaks, Gore has a “patented hinge and zipper solution”. This is a two zip design that sits on the lower back. It works really well (the best I have tested) and doesn’t irritate or rub at all. The shoulder straps are also nicely deigned to fit the female physique. See Gore Bike Wear Also check out the POWER 2.0 LADY Bibtights short+ for a cheaper style but still with the zippers at the back. dhb Halterneck Cycling Shorts Dhb's brand new cycling shorts have a halter neck construction to allow women to pull down their shorts without having to remove their tops. The halterneck version is based on dhb’s tried-and-loved Women's Aeron Race and Women's Aeron Pro bib short. I have been trialling one of the first pairs of dhb halterneck shorts. At first I wasn’t sure about the design. There is a helterneck section that is super stretchy so that you can  pull them down at the back during a toilet break. At first, I thought it might be annoying and rub the back of my neck. However, this hasn’t proved to be the case at all. Because you ride in a bent over position the halterneck is very comfortable. The shorts fit really well and the halterneck stops them from riding down. This halterneck strap is made of a stretchy fabric so that when you stop for a “comfort” break you simply pull the back down.  It works surprisingly well and is less hassle than zipping up back zips. My only concern is that after wearing many times the stretch of the halterneck will allow the shorts to become too loose so that they ride down when you are cycling. This hasn’t happened yet, though. I think the halterneck is an innovative solution for an age-old comfort break problem. Wiggle will be selling the dhb Women's Aeron Race Halterneck Bib Short for a very reasonable £49.99 and the dhb Women's Aeron Pro Halterneck Bib Short for £64.99.