Never heard of toilet-friendly cycling shorts? Well, it’s time you got familiar

Oh dear, nature’s calling again. Did I have one coffee too many before setting off? Or have I sweated out too little of my isotonic drink? When it’s cold outside and you’ve layered up accordingly for your Sunday gravel ride, needing to pee is pretty darn inconvenient – especially if there are no toilet facilities close by.

Well, it is if you’re a woman.

For men, this kind of pit stop is usually pretty straightforward. They just nip behind a tree, pull down the front of their shorts, whip out their equipment and do their business. Just like that, they can hop back in the saddle and easily get back on track. I, on the other hand, have to squat down and expose my butt.

It takes time, and it’s a nuisance.

Take my top off too? No thanks!

Wearing bib shorts makes the whole endeavour even fiddlier. Since you wear your bike jersey over the bibs, you need to take off your top layer in order to get to them. But who wants to strip off their jersey, jacket and any rain protection when they head off into the bushes?

Fortunately, some clothing manufacturers have twigged that this is an issue. In response, they’ve created shorts with a cut-out at the back. This way, the shorts can be pulled down under the buttocks without having to take your bibs off your shoulders. The million-dollar question is: does it make stripping off your top layer unnecessary? Yes, it really does!

Pull ’em down! But not too far...

I got myself a pair of GV500 Reiver bib shorts from Scottish outfitter Endura so I could give their DropSeat technology a whirl. This consists of two split, very elastic layers of fabric you can pull apart and downwards while squatting. Of course, you can’t get them down to your ankles. The material’s not that stretchy. Only as stretchy enough to get the job done, so to speak.

With a conventional elastic waistband, you wouldn’t get the shorts over your butt without taking down your bibs. On the GV500 Reiver shorts, however, the bibs are attached to the sides, underneath your ribs. As a result, they don’t get in the way as you’re peeling the Lycra off your butt.

Alternative solutions to the pee break problem

Endura’s DropSeat system’s now also available with a stretchy zipper instead of a fabric fold. Sure, that might be handy to use. But what if it opens and you end up showing everyone your builder’s bum as you cycle past? After all, it’s not like you wear anything under your cycling shorts.

Other manufacturers make shorts with straps that can be unhooked and re-hooked. These include bisiClick from Assos and Rapha Detachable, which have magnetic buckles on the buttocks and in the small of the back respectively. At first, it’s a bit of a fiddle to get them closed again, but with a bit of practice it’s like doing up your bra in the dark.

Regardless of whether your shorts are kitted out with a zipper or buckles, the goal’s the same: to allow you to drop your pants without having to expose your upper body.

Bonus tip: Do you prefer cycling shorts without bibs? If so, you’re best off buying them one size smaller. Since they lose their elasticity over time, doing this will prevent the shorts from slipping. If you’re wearing three-quarter length or long (winter) bottoms, I’d advise you to go for a bib variety. The design can be as ergonomic as you want, but the tension created at the knee when pedalling often pulls a little at the fabric and disrupts the position of the seat cushion.