Why would I want to pee while standing?

• There are times when you have no access to a clean bathroom.
  Have you ever had to go in a nasty, well used porta-potty? With an FUD, you can go without having to sit on suspiciously dirty toilet seats.
• There are times when there is no bathroom around at all.
  There is nothing good about having to squat. Squatting means you have to get undressed. Squatting puts your shoes at risk. Squatting means you risk having poison oak, ticks, and other bad things close to your nether-regions. When outdoors, undressing and squatting are simply unreasonable, when there is a better alternative.

Is it sanitary?
It is in fact, a VERY sanitary way to go, and certainly more sanitary than sitting on a dirty toilet seat.

When would I want to use this?
Whenever there isn’t a clean bathroom around.

Does it take a lot of practice to get used to it?
Not really. Although each brand has a little bit different way of holding the FUD, it’s very easy to get used to. If you have ANY doubts it at first I recommend practicing in the shower at first; you’ll quickly see how easy it is to use.

Why do you recommend this for Road Cyclists, in particular?

• Because there are times when all you have available are porta-potties, or gas station bathrooms.
• If you like to wear bibs, this is the only way to go, without removing all of your clothing.

Why do you recommend it for Mountain Bikers, in particular?
Because mtb girls often have to go in the woods. FUDs are a great way to keep clean, and quickly go without having to remove clothing, and/or squat. It’s simply much easier.

What different types of FUDs are available?
There are three types that I’ve tried and liked: the Freshette, which is plastic, the P-mate which is coated paper, and the GoGirl which is medical grade, highly flexible silicone.

Why do you choose to sell the GoGirl?
I found it to be the easiest one to carry, and had the best impact environmentally. The P-mate can bend out of shape while carrying, making it harder to use. You also throw it away after one use, which is (to me) environmentally unsound. On the other hand the Freshette is made of hard plastic, making it uncomfortable to stow in a back pocket. It’s also hard to clean the tube. The GoGirl is very flexible, and can be cleaned and re-used over and over. It’s also very easy to clean.

How do I use the GoGirl?
Instructions come with each FUD on exactly how to use it.

Yes, you CAN now write your name in the snow!

Buy a GoGirl

Dear Girl,

I returned to road biking this year after many years of mountain biking and I have been suffering a slew of issues including a very painful bartholin’s cyst and urethritis. I underwent surgery and several uncomfortable procedures and I am now starting to suffer urinary problems again. I never had a single problem in all the years I was mountain biking. Are there any fit issues that are more related to road riding that I may not be aware of? (I am planning to get a bike fitting with a physical therapist in town who specializes in biking issues)

Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.
A.H.

The problems that you are suffering can be from a number of different contributors, probably a bit of each:

1. Your position on the bike

2. Type of saddle

3. Type of chamios (or lack of)

The short answer is, yes, women who ride road suffer more from saddle issues because of the very different position on a road bike. You are probably leaning much more on your clitoris/urethra causing compression and friction. These two factors will cause pain and irritation and can eventually lead to UTIs, saddle sores, Urethral Symdrome (Here’s a link, if you are not sure of the symptoms of Urethral Syndrome), and (as you know) a slew of other issues. The solution then, is getting the pressure off of the clitoris and urethra.

1. Your position on the bike

It is important to understand the difference between mtb and road position. When you’re on a road bike, your position and weight distribution is very different than a on mountain bike. Much more weight is put on the front end, because this creates stability on the road. Typically, 55% of your weight is on the rear end, 45% is on the front end. This is in comparison to 70%/30% split for MTB. That means that your weight is tilted further forward on the saddle, so unless you have a saddle and chamois that keep the majority of your rear weight on the sit bones, you’re likely to suffer from compression.

I hope it is obvious that exactly where your saddle is positioned on your bike means EVERYTHING. So, when you set up your saddle, try the first “neutral position” for women, which is 0-5mm forward from neutral, and the saddle nearly level, with the nose pointed down “one click” (typically 1-3 degrees).

2. Type of Saddle

The saddle that you used on your mountain bike may have worked beautifully on your more upright position. But on your road bike, you need to lean down more (to get into the drops for example) on the front end. The single biggest advancement for these women’s issues has got to be the split saddle. If position properly, it will let the girly bits have a space to to breathe, preventing compression, heat build up, and excess moisture (remember that we are talking about a part of the body that is lubricious). Since switching to a properly fitted split saddle, gone are the UTIs suffered through twenty years ago. It is however, extremely important to get a saddle that fits your sit bones; for a few years I had a split saddle that was way too wide for my sit bones and this caused me to inch up on the saddle, putting the cut out where it wasn’t doing any good. The wide nose also caused thigh rub, which led to saddle sores in the bikini line. So it is important to have your sit bones measured, and to try out the saddle (many saddle brands now have demo programs, through local bike shops), so that you make sure it fits you properly.

3. Type of Chamois

So humble, this piece of technical equipment, that people often take it for granted. But not wearing chamois, or the wrong type of chamois can cause irritation by improper placement of stitching, and build up of moisture again causing problems. So what’s the right chamois, for road riders? Of course it depends upon the individual, but the chamois that I’ve had the most success with has been a split chamois, or one that has the mirror image profile of the split saddle. This is why I like Etxe Ondo clothing so much. They use a split chamois made by an italian company called Dolomiti, and it is simply the best for me. It is, however, expensive (Etxe Ondo) and you may not ride long enough distances to merit the cost vs. benefits. But there are many chamois brands that have a split, and it is a matter of determining which chamois works best for you, and you’re riding circumstance. Other women have had much success with chamois that has air holes, which increases air circulation through the area and thus reduces moisture build up ( an example is Louis Garneau). This combined with a split saddle, may solve issues for many. Generally, the more time you spend in the saddle, the more you should invest in the quality of your chamois. For serious road riding (over an hour or two), I always recommend some type of chamois, preferably with some chamois cream.

By the way, so far, the results from the “saddle problems” survey for women are as follows:

Women, are you happy with your saddle/ chamois combination?

	Yes, I am happy. I hardly ever have soreness, even after a long ride.		30%
	I have problems, because I’m leaning on my clitoris, causing swelling, irritation, and soreness		23%
	I have problems, because I get UTIs or Urethral Syndrome		11%
	I get saddle sores on my bikini line, even though I wear chamois, and lubrication		10%
	My sitbones are constantly sore		10%
	I have problems, because I experience chaffing, and or rubbing		8%
	My thighs rub the sides of my saddle, causing sores and/or chaffing		4%
	I have saddle problems (as a woman) not mentioned here		4%

What kind of Saddle and Chamois combination do you ride?

	I ride a saddle and chamois WITHOUT a split down the middle		50%
	I ride a split saddle, but chamois has no split down the middle		33%
	I ride my bike WITHOUT chamois		13%
	I ride a saddle without a split down the middle, but chamois WITH a split		2%
	BOTH saddle and chamois have a split down the middle		2%

83% of the women who have problems do not ride a split saddle.

94% of those who have problems, do not have split chamois.

(Results are still early, but the trend suggests that the advice above is is pretty solid).

Say What?!

I know, some of you girls are saying to yourself, “Please, I KNOW how to shop for clothes. I don’t need any help in that department.” But times have changed in the cycling industry; new technology has developed in fabrics, stitching, and construction. Seriously folks, it’s a whole new ballgame. So unless you’re a “clothing technology fanatic” like me, you don’t spend much time reading and testing. Let’s face it; testing can be fun, but constantly reading about tech stuff is not everyone’s cup of tea. Fortunately for you, I’ve read all the dry technical stuff with all the details, and I’ll be constructing a regularly featured column of things you’ll need to know about cycling clothing, plus stuff you’ll want to know (like when you can get a good bang for your buck, and what looks and feels fabulous). Plus for those who want to, you can remain lycra-free.

Here are a few hints about how to shop for bike clothing, for girls shopping around in a store or bike shop:

• Is the fabric soft?

A lot of us don’t think about this, but it’s true; women have softer skin, so we need softer fabrics. Plus we don’t have an extra layer of protection in the form of hair all over our bodies, the way that men do (generally speaking). So the bottom line is that we need softer fabrics, and even closures should be softer (I avoid scratchy Velcro).

• Turn the garment inside out. How is the stitching?

Be careful for overlock stitching in sensitive places. The longer the trip, the more important stitching becomes. A three-point junction of stitching shouldn’t feel like an annoying knob.

• How is it constructed? If it is a technical garment, is it constructed in 3-dimensional “bike position”?

While the garment is still inside out, lay it down on a flat surface. Is it hard to figure out how you’d fold this thing? That’s 3D clothing. While commuter clothing can have a two dimensional construction (it lays flat), road, track, and some mountain biking clothes (rule of thumb, anything with chamois), is better off with a 3D cut.

• Try on the garment, but don’t just try on the one garment. Take the time to pick out the full outfit: top, bottom, and jacket).

Trying on a full outfit will give you the true feeling of how it will ride. Don’t look in the mirror first. Rather, sit down, or squat down into bike position. If you mountain bike, shift around a lot, and feel for seams that rub you. Roadies should imitate “the drops position”; the garment should fit best in this position and it should not ride up.

• OK, now look in the mirror

Seriously, cool, silly, pretty; whatever you feel comfortable with, own it. C’mon now, we’re still women. If we don’t feel great about the clothes we’re wearing, chances are we won’t wear them. So pick out “the look” for you but pay attention, to the fabric, stitching and construction first, so that you can get girlie in front of the mirror. And have fun with it; it’s shopping, after all!

2. If you have clipless pedals, practice clipping in and out. Practice each foot separately, (clip in right, clip out right. Repeat for five minutes. Switch to left for five minutes). Just like anything else in sports, your body needs time to adjust to muscle memory, in this case of clipping in (i.e., your body instead of your mind remembers where the cleat is located in relationship to the ball of your foot), or clipping out (i.e., instinctively knowing the angle where your “clip mechanism” disengages). At first you’ll have to think about what you’re doing, but after a while, it will become second nature to you.

3. Right is Rear brake, and Rear derailleur. Remember “double R”, Right is Rear (unless you’re British).In braking, a good habit to get into, is to squeeze the (right) rear brake first, then simultaneously, gently squeeze the front brake (left). Also, learn how to “feather” your brakes. 70% of your braking power is in your Front brake, so please use it wisely.

4. If you fall, don’t stick out your hand; instead, learn how to tuck and roll. People just instinctively do this, particularly on slow speed falls, and it’s how people break their wrists. The very best thing that you can do is hold onto the bike, take the impact with your side, and roll with it.

5. I can’t emphasize enough how important these three elements are:

1. A properly fitted bike.
2. The right clothes, gloves, shoes, and helmut.
3. The right saddle.
If you have all of this dialed, then your body becomes completely carefree and pain-free. All you’re left with is pure enjoyment on the bike. But I’ve talked with far too many people who’ve had unnecessary friction burns from ill-fitting clothing, or had pain in their contact points (hands, feet and crotch) from the wrong shoes, gloves or saddle (and boy, I’ve had my share of blunders, too). If your bike fits you properly, there should be no pain in the body; not in the neck, shoulders, back, or knees, nor in any joint. Pain in any of these places indicates that something about the position of your bike needs adjustment.

6. Know how to fix a flat. And be fully prepared at all times.That means carrying extra tubes, patches, tire levers, and pump (or CO2 cartridges), and knowing how to use them. You WILL need them someday.

7. Check your bike and your gear (your stuff) each time you go out, without exception. Know how to check these things on your bike- tires, quick release skewers, brakes, headset, and drivetrain. Check you gear – make sure you have your helmut, gloves, water, food, your flat kit (see #6), and a multi-tool, if you know how to use one.If the list is too long to remember, type one up and print it out. Look at the list each time you’re about to go out. After a while this will become second nature as well, and will only take a few minutes. You risk having an accident, and that accident having disastrous results, by not doing these simple checks. Please, please do them.

8. Know how to shift gears, if you have them. At this point, many manufacturers have different subtleties of how they shift. Learn about yours, and how to shift smoothly with them. This will make things more comfortable for you as a rider, and will make the drivetrain last longer.

9. Your bike is your friend, your baby. Love it, take care of it, and you can have many blissful years together. :)