There is a lot of cycling how-to that may seem a little mysterious. Women, in particular, tend to ask questions concerning nether regions. For example, should you wear underwear under bike shorts? (No.) Is it normal to feel saddle pain? (No.) Chamois cream or no chamois cream? (It depends.)
One such inquiry that often comes up when groups of women of mixed experience levels ride together is about periods and how to keep riding through them.
This umbrella topic usually contains a bunch of micro-questions, like: Is it safe to ride on my period? Can cycling actually help period symptoms? What kind of period products should I use while riding during my cycle? What do I need to do differently while exercising on my period?
There’s a lot of ground to cover about this topic, and it’s not surprising that newer riders can have questions about how to navigate riding bikes during a menstrual cycle. Let’s unpack the answers.
How to Manage Your Period During Bike Rides
→Keep Exercising When You Can
Period pain can definitely make it harder to get motivated to ride, but the good news is that getting on your bike and heading out may be one of the best things you can do to alleviate annoying period symptoms.
“Aerobic exercise, like cycling, isn’t just great for your fitness—it can also ease painful period cramps,” Karla Robinson, M.D., board-certified family physician and cofounder of Urban Housecall Health Media Group tells Bicycling.
Hopping on your bike for even a quick spin may be more likely to ease period symptoms compared to popping an ibuprofen. A meta-analysis published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies in 2019 revealed that exercise had the best effect on managing cramps and pain, compared to other go-to home remedies of heat and over-the-counter pain relievers, as well as acupressure.
“When cycling, your body releases endorphins and endocannabinoids, which act as your body’s natural painkillers and mood lifters,” Robinson explains.
The benefits may have a compound effect too, meaning that the more you exercise consistently, the more you’ll experience the positive effects on symptoms like cramps.
“One small study suggests that maintaining a well-balanced fitness routine that includes both aerobic exercises and stretching can make a big difference in reducing symptoms, like low mood and menstrual cramps over time,” Robinson says.
→Track Your Cycle and Try Cycle-Syncing
One of the best ways to become more connected to your body’s monthly rhythms and plan for rides accordingly is to track your cycle, either with one of the many period apps available or with a good ol’ pen and paper in a period tracking journal.
“Tracking your cycle is a great way to better understand how hormone fluctuations impact your energy levels and overall mood,” Robinson says.
This can be really helpful if you’re trying to structure your training, stick to a consistent workout schedule, and plan longer rides. Seeing trends over time illustrating what your energy levels are like during the different times of your cycle can help you plan the intensity and distance of your rides or cross-training workouts to match your body’s natural rhythm.
For example, if you notice that you regularly feel like you have lower energy reserves in the days leading up to your period, you might plan a mellower ride during that time rather than going out for two hours with your fastest riding friends.
You can take this a step further and experiment with cycle-synching your rides and workouts, a concept introduced by nutritionist Alisa Vitti in her book Woman Code, in which you adjust your training schedule and the intensity of your efforts according to where you are in your cycle.
For example, researchers have observed that athletic performance in both aerobic and strength capacity may decrease for women during the luteal phase, which starts around day 15 of a cycle that’s 28 days in length. And these differences in performance aren’t just physical, but also mental: Athlete’s perceived performance may also decline during the luteal phase.
“If you find that working out is extra challenging or you’re feeling unmotivated for certain workouts during some weeks, you can try cycle-syncing to see if it works better for your body,” Robinson advises.
→Always Listen to Your Body
Period discomfort, like cramps and a heavy flow, sometimes kept Rudesia Sutton, NASM-CPT, certified personal trainer and triathlete, off her bike when she was new to cycling, but she’s learned to manage symptoms by paying closer attention to her body and giving herself a break if discomfort becomes too intense.
“This was more so in the beginning phase of consistent riding,” she tells Bicycling. “I’ve learned to push through or stop if I feel like it’s becoming too hard. But getting on the bike felt like a win when mentally I didn’t want to.”
Sutton recommends using your body as a guide when deciding how long and how hard to ride while on your period, based on your pain tolerance and how you’re feeling.
“If you aren’t experiencing severe symptoms, like intense cramping or extreme fatigue, there’s no issue with continuing your normal fitness routine during your period,” Robinson says, and points out that some people notice a big difference in endurance levels while on their period—and that this is normal.
It may seem counterintuitive, but our periods might actually be the prime time for harder, more intense efforts. During week one of your menstrual cycle—known as the early follicular phase—your body is physiologically primed to take on physical stress and heavier training loads. This means that this phase of your cycle could be ideal for HIIT workouts, intervals, or higher intensity rides.
“If you struggle with period cramps or fatigue during your period, you may not feel up for a high-intensity workout. So listen to your body. If this is the case, opting for a low-intensity workout, where your heart rate remains moderate, can actually help alleviate period cramps,” Robinson advises.
However, she also stresses that there are some signs to watch out for that may indicate it’s time to make an appointment with your doctor or gynecologist. These signs include losing more than 5 tablespoons of blood and/or frequently changing soaked pads or tampons, or having a period that lasts longer than a week. If that’s the case for you, pause your workout routine and chat with a healthcare professional to see if something else is going on.
→Try Different Period Products
Beyond figuring out how to adjust your ride length and intensity based on signals from your body, another piece of the puzzle is choosing period products that work best for you while you’re riding your bike. Many people who menstruate choose to go with either a menstrual cup or tampons.
“I use a cup when doing a flat simple ride and tampons when riding more elevation or off-road rides,” Sutton says. “The cup tends to shift and can become very uncomfortable on rides when I move around or if I’m out of the saddle a lot.”
Another method is to simply free flow, especially on lighter days, because the chamois in cycling shorts absorb moisture and will essentially function much like period underwear. It’s not uncommon for menstruating cyclists to opt for riding sans period products and free flowing instead.
“I’m fortunate enough to have always had a short and light period,” Ashley Weaver of LA Sweat pro cycling team tells Bicycling. “Because I find riding with a tampon or a cup uncomfortable, most of the time, especially a race/long event, I will just not use anything.”
“I used to use tampons but with a hormonal IUD, I barely bleed, so I just free flow in those situations,” says Molly Hurford, Bicycling contributor and author of Saddle Sore: Ride Comfortable, Ride Happy. “I make sure to wear black and rinse chamois asap [after a ride] and wash [my cycling shorts] inside out to make sure it gets cleaned.”
We’ll reiterate that you’re never, ever supposed to wear underwear under your cycling shorts. Bike shorts with a chamois are designed to be worn commando, with nothing in between your body and the chamois that could cause chafing, such as underwear or menstrual pads.
Nutrition Tips for Riding During Your Period
As cyclists, we know that fueling for our rides has a huge effect on how we feel and perform during our rides, and many of us adjust our food intake according to the lengths of our rides. This becomes an even higher priority during our periods.
“Nutrition plays an important role for women throughout their menstrual cycle, and can be particularly helpful in alleviating period symptoms during menstruation,” Robinson says. “Plus, nutrition is even more important if you’re exercising while menstruating, to make sure your body is fueled properly.”
That’s why these nutrition strategies aren’t yet another task to add to your preride checklist but rather habits to be developed over time with a focus on maintaining them consistently. Remember, the aim is progress, not perfection.
→Keep a Food Journal
No two people who menstruate are exactly alike and what foods may work for one person may not work well for someone else. Ultimately, it comes down to pinpointing what helps and what does the opposite.
When it comes to nutrition, observing trends over time can be extremely helpful. How does this or that food make you feel? Do you feel energized or sluggish after eating it? Are you getting enough nutrients like protein and iron? Do you crave certain foods during specific times in your cycle?
Tracking your nutrition around your period can make it easier to spot any nutritional imbalances or identify adjustments you can make to better support your body. One of Sutton’s personal strategies is keeping a journal to track foods and movement prior to and during her period.
“For me, this helped with boosting my energy and muscle fatigue,” she says. “I am very anemic and need to eat more iron-enriched foods in the days leading up to my period.”
→Focus on Anti-inflammatory Food
Anti-inflammatory foods are those rich in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamin C, and polyphenols, which can lower inflammation levels in the body, especially if these foods are a consistent part of your day-to-day diet.
“Research has shown that foods with anti-inflammatory properties like green leafy vegetables, olive oil, broccoli, and salmon, and high-fiber foods like berries, and bananas can help reduce the pain of period cramps,” Robinson explains.
Inflammatory foods to avoid include red meat, anything fried, breads, or pastas made with white flour, and anything that’s high in added sugar. Sweet treats can be temping during your period, but keep in mind that they can contribute to inflammation and may make you feel worse in the long run.
→Don’t Skip Hydration
Hydration is a major part of fueling for performance. According to Robinson, hydrating becomes even more important during our cycle in general and is especially vital when you’re riding or exercising.
“Period pain can feel more severe when you’re dehydrated, and it can cause cramping in other parts of your body during exercise,” she says. “So, if you’re going to be [going for] longer rides during your period, make sure you’re eating foods that will fight inflammation and be diligent about drinking water.”
A general recommendation when it comes to hydrating for rides of an hour or more is to consume at least 24 to 28 ounces of fluid per hour of riding, which works out to 6 to 7 ounces every 15 minutes of activity.
Another way to make sure you’re hydrating enough is to drink one standard size water bottle (28 ounces) per hour of riding. Do this by taking small sips regularly, as opposed to guzzling half a bottle of water at a stop light to avoid a sloshy stomach full of liquid.
There really is no reason your period has to keep you off your bike, interrupting your riding or training schedule—or your enjoyment of riding. In fact, going for a ride might be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Natascha Grief is Bicycling’s Health & Fitness Editor. She started out as a bike mechanic,earning a couple pro-mechanic certifications and her USA Cycling Race Mechanics license. Then, she became obsessed with framebuilding and landed an apprenticeship with framebuilder Brent Steelman in her hometown of Redwood City, California. After that, she spent several years working for both large and not-so-large cycling brands before switching gears to become a NASM certified personal trainer, specializing in corrective exercise and body positive personal training. She honed her skills as a trainer and coach for over a decade before launching Inner Shift Fitness. During 2020, she began contributing regularly to Runner’s World and Bicycling as a freelance writer. She joined the editorial staff of Bicycling in 2022.
