October 29th in Bike Shop Girl, Ride, Tips by Bike Shop Girl .
Riding with Your Menstrual Cycle : Guys Beware
How do I ride during my menstrual cycling?
A tough question, that only seems to be asked by women with very tough skin or no shame. It is something that all women go through, and daily riders can’t take the few days off to deal with their monthly “friend.”
Here are some of the best suggestions I can give :
Increase exercise the days before your cycle starts. Exercise seems to relax those muscles and make the cycle go faster (for me.)- Plug it, and have a pair of shorts for those extra strong days.
- Keep a couple extra tampons in a ziplock, air-tight, bag in our saddle bag.
- Plan longer rides around stopping points were you can change out your tampon.
- Avoid binging on trashy food and make yourself feel good with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Suggestions that I have received from friends or on forums :
- Add calcium to your diet – Machka
- “Three separate investigations have demonstrated that the dysphoria, anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms of PMS all respond favorably to either increased dietary calcium intake or daily calcium supplementation (10, 11). Increased calcium intake proved to benefit significantly all four major categories of PMS symptoms (negative affective symptoms, water retention symptoms, food cravings, and pain symptoms). A small randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 33 women and a larger, multicenter trial involving 497 women both demonstrated a reduction in symptoms by calcium supplementation (9, 10). Furthermore, when compared with asymptomatic women, women with PMS were shown to have exaggerated fluctuations of the calcium-regulating hormones across the menstrual cycle with evidence of vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism (12, 13).” – Endojournals.org
- Intercourse reduces cramps
- Lots of exercise
10/29/2009
i actually usually take the second day off if possible because that is my worst day. but the other days i use a combination of “instead” (which is like the keeper/mooncup) and a panty liner. instead is good because you don’t have to remove for 12 hours, and would come in handy for longer rides.
i also agree with avoiding bad food, even if you crave it. i find the cramps aren’t as bad if i eat better around that time.
10/29/2009
skip the tampax and get a diva cup. you really don’t have to worry about leaks etc. I know it sounds a little freaky if you’re not used to the idea but I might seriously fight someone if they tried to force me to go back to the old way. Sometimes I forget I even have my period.
http://www.divacup.com/
Besides that I actually usually feel a little more tired when I’m riding but generally getting some real exercise decreases my pain so the ride is more of a cure for my issues than something to work around.
10/29/2009
I would also recommend using a “DivaCup’ which doesn’t allow leakage and you only have to change it once every 4+ hours. Plus its good for the environment and last 10 years!
11/01/2009
JB & Vertigo
I’m checking out the DivaCup now..
10/30/2009
Have to say I find this kind of thing childish. If very young female cyclists are reading this, it might take you a while to get used to periods, but nothing should stop you exercising and having fun, sometimes it just takes a little thought and a tiny bit of planning. Ladies in their 20s, 30s, 40s, have you not already overcome this?
11/01/2009
Kate – There are many things that one person might thing is common sense, why the next person might be clueless.
11/01/2009
Wow, I was waiting for this article. I know we all think about it, just dont talk about it. I ride with a group of guys, so I was alone on this topic. I just dont ride when its that time…my body just wants to rest during that time. My group of guys just “knows” why
I find that walking helps with any cramps or back pain. Living in NYC i can walk anywhere. I can wait the 4 or 5 days before i can ride again, no big deal.
Thanks for posting this topic though, good one.
11/02/2009
Clearly. Won’t bother posting again.
11/11/2009
I third the Diva Cup! BEST THING EVER. So so so so so so much better than tampons.
01/03/2010
For the minority of the population who cannot use tampons (I’m referring specifically to those among the generation of women for whom toxic shock was a real problem), I recommend taking a day or two off the bike, then using a thin super pad and applying Aqua-phor ointment or similar to irritated areas. There’s no shame in taking public transit now and then!
I heartily agree with Randie that walking is a great way to alleviate the worst of the cramping and get outside without causing undue stress to the body.
01/19/2010
This is an important topic! Not childish at all. Yes, young girls need to know the world doesn’t stop every 25ish days. But the “How” of the “tiny bit of planning” can either be learned through incredibly painful/embarrassing/discouraging trial and error, or openly discussed in a mature manner, which Bike Shop Girl has done here.
If these things aren’t discussed, and discussions of them are derided as “childish,” then young girls either won’t try, will try and have varying degrees of success, or will give up after a disaster or two. Is talking about whether or not to wear panties under your bike shorts any different?
I’m really shocked and I have to say, offended, that anyone would call this discussion anything but brilliant and long over-due. Some people don’t regularly use tampons, or as Beth H pointed out, fear TSS. Or maybe they have very heavy periods, or very long periods. Or ride with a pack of guys. Or have white bike shorts (which is probably a whole different discussion…).
As a noob (<2yrs cycling), ANY information I can get my hands on, I cherish. From helmets to toe-clips. Guys glibly discuss chamois butter and scrotal-rash-avoidance, but somehow talking about feminine-product-choices-compatible-with-hours-on-a-saddle is a problem? I'm missing something. I'm 37 and sure I've 'gotten the hang' of this over the last 25ish years, but I've not been passionately biking (or bike commuting) for those 25ish years…why would anyone assume I (or anyone else) would automatically know all the ins and outs of getting my old body adapted to this new routine? If people didn't post articles about how to layer for winter biking, I'd still be suffering…and I've been dressing for winter for a lot longer than I've been shopping for pads and tampons. It's not about common sense…what works when you are in yoga class does NOT work when you have a piece of leather wedged between your labia for 3 hours on a metric century. We can debate about saddles that relieve the pressure on "soft tissue" of the female anatomy all day long, but somehow talking about the impact of menstrual products on that same "soft tissue" under new conditions should just be common knowledge? Really?
Personally, when I started seriously cycling, I came up against this question and searched high and low looking for advice. OH Bike Shop Girl, why couldn't you have posted this like a year earlier and saved me the chaffing of my life!?!?! Let me just say, "driweave" is like sandpaper under the right conditions.
BSG – Please talk about these things. Few other experts are..and it's important! If you save even a couple of those "young girls" (or old hags like me) the trial and error of adapting their old routine to the new cycle lifestyle, then more power to you. It's part of life, just like nutrition! Would a discussion of bowel movements be childish, but the opposite end of the digestive system, hunger/energy, (power bars, etc), would be acceptable?
Maybe if more women openly discuss such things, more women will get on the bike! More power to you, BSG. Ignore the dissenters.
<3
01/19/2010
Thanks DW!
01/28/2010
I was actually wondering what other women did about this topic. The real aspect of it I have been inquiring to know, but I haven’t got the nerve to ask, is how women deal with this on a long bike tour. I just can’t imagine having to deal with a cycle while on a tour with camping involved. I suppose a lot of bags are used to dispose of the used items. However, I suppose a Diva Cup would eliminate any problems. I honestly would love to know so I’m prepared for when I go on my next tour.
01/30/2010
I salute all women who are willing and able to discuss this important topic – Congratulations! I believe that we do need to unite, discuss, and brainstorm ways on how to empower, take the best care, and respect ourselves.
In my personal experience (I commute daily as well as ride the roads, mountains and tour), I <3 the Diva Cup (there are different brand names/same idea). This option not only allows me to feel comfortable but also keeps my clothes well protected. It does take some practice!
About 12 years ago, I decided to use all natural cotton tampons made by women (instead of the commercialized tampons that uses fiber glass in their products) and then 8 years ago, I made the 'big' switch to using the Diva Cup and Glad Rags. Not only has this switch physically felt significantly better in my body and against my skin (Glad Rags are 100% organic cotton) but this switch is also better for the world by reducing tons of waste (think packaging as well as the used product). The switch also saves me loads of money.
On another level, this switch has empowered me by inviting me to become more connected with my body and menstruation blood. By using these products, I gain the opportunity (if so desired) to touch, smell and to see what my blood looks like, and to see how much blood I am releasing when I empty the cup and when I wash my rags. At first, it was very awkward – as I never had done anything like that. Now, it is very rewarding, informative and even sacred/ritual. My plants and trees benefit from the iron in my menstrual blood.
I know this may be hard for a lot of women to read because we have been taught by society, our doctors, our mothers even, that menstruation is a 'curse' and it is 'dirty' and that we don't need to talk about it. We have been taught to 'cover up' our 'secret' with language, clothing, scents, etc. I strongly encourage all of you to become curious about your own ways of talking about and perceiving menstruation.
On a practical level – again every body is different – I personally do not go on rides during the first three days of my cycle. I DO still ride my commuter that allows me to sit up and be very comfortable in order to get work. Although, during my menses I dedicate my time to restoring my body and emotions through rest and relaxation. I eat well, practice yoga postures for menstruation and journal. I still usually lift free weights for my upper body. When on tour, I take the first day of my cycle off from riding (as that is the most painful day for me) and try to enjoy camping. On tour, I mostly use the Diva Cup. I bring a little pocket shovel to dig a hole in the ground to dispose of my blood and rinse the cup off with water (if I have enough water, all natural unscented soap is used too). At night, I may use the Glad Rags and I store the used ones in a little bag that Glad Rags specifically designs to hold in any smells – works great! – until I wash them). Riding with the Glad Rags is not very comfortable for me.
Again, I understand that every body is different and we all have our different views. This is just my perspective and hope that it can be informative to someone. Safe and Happy Riding!
Please check out the following sites:
http://www.gladrags.com
http://www.divacup.com
http://www.keeper.com
02/22/2010
I totally support going with a diva cup and use the Party In My Pants washable panty liners.
The cup took a little getting used to at first, but I find it wayyyy more comfy when riding my bike and I haven’t had a leak yet (not even on my heaviest day)!
I’m 24 and wish I would’ve known about these alternatives from the first day I got my flow.
So for any doubters out there…don’t knock it till you try it!