Thanks, Bike Shop Girl, for posting such a quick and informative article.

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!

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

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

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.