Tested: Bibs that simplify the ‘nature break’
What do you do when you've gotta go but your bib straps won't allow it?
While those with a penis are blessed with the quickest mid-ride pee method (pull over, face away from the group and whip it out over your bibs) many cyclists aren’t as lucky. Bib straps can be majorly inconvenient, particularly in the fall months when you have to peel off the layers to even access and take off your straps. Just getting to a point where you’re physically able to pull down your bib shorts can be a hassle, especially if you’re on the side of the road and have to find somewhere you can discreetly get practically naked.
RELATED: Why you should wear bib shorts and what to look for when buying them
Kit designers have become aware of the bib strap dilemma in recent years. Some companies have come up with surprisingly simple solutions, while others have overcomplicated the issue. Here’s a breakdown of a few bib designs we tested that won’t leave you dancing for five minutes while you strip down in a bush.
Small design changes: Reggie Classy Pink Dropper Bibs
When I first saw these very normal looking bibs I feared I would have to email Reggie asking how, exactly, they were “pee-friendly”. As I tired to figure out how to phrase that question, I took them out for a local spin. They were comfortable, the legs stayed in place, the shammy was a good thickness and the straps fit snugly.
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I still had no idea how I was supposed to pee with them, but when I got home I kept all of my kit on and, as a last resort, simply tried pulling them down like regular pants. To my surprise, somehow the Classy Pink Dropper Bibs just allow you to do that? The bib straps didn’t feel stretched but the shorts pulled down as if they weren’t attached to the straps. I was super impressed with these bibs. They don’t have any big design differences, extra zippers or clips—they offer a clean, direct solution to an annoying issue.
Clips: MEC Rouleur Bib Shorts
These entry-level bibs are surprisingly comfortable trainer bibs and the small strip of blue on the bottom is nice, simple design touch. MEC’s solution to nature breaks is a clip in the back connecting the straps to the rear/lower back area of the shorts.
The idea is good in principal but doesn’t work very well in practice. Anyone familiar with the annoyance of closing a bra will know that doing anything up behind your back, particularly a clip that’s moved up somewhere under your jersey, isn’t easy. The convenience of undoing the back is outweighed by the struggle of doing it back up.
Lose the straps altogether: Reggie Classy Pink Namaste No-bib Shorts
Here is a controversial opinion: If you have hips, and the shorts are well designed, you don’t need bib straps. My first expensive pair of bike shorts (Assos H.laalalai s7 shorts) had no straps—to this day I count them as one of the comfiest pairs of bibs I own. Anecdotally, as someone with hips, I’ve never had an issue with strapless bike shorts falling down.
The important factor for comfort is that the top ‘band’ doesn’t dig into your stomach as you bend over. With straps, the tension is redistributed over your shoulders but without straps the band has to be thick and stretchy so that it you feel comfortable in a cycling position for long periods of time.
The Reggie Classy Pink Namaste No-bib Shorts borrow the waistband style from high-waisted yoga pants and the short design from the company’s dropper shorts. The result is a pair of bike shorts that stay up and don’t squeeze your stomach without the need for bib straps.
What to avoid
The single-strap design trend is not ideal for anyone with medium to large sized breasts. In photos the uni-bib strap, designed for quick removal, sits nicely flush to the body of the model (who is wearing a regular bra). Sports bras, on the other hand, (the bras normally worn for cycling), squeeze everything together tightly. In reality the uni-strap may sit awkwardly on top of the sports bra and creating an unflattering silhouette under the jersey.
Another pee-friendly design to consider is halter-neck bib straps, made to leave the back side of the bibs free of attachments. These can be very good for nature breaks but it’s important to try them on to test if they putt too much tension or discomfort on the back of your neck.
