During a long-term quest for an easier toilet break for female cyclists I have been testing the new dhb Halterneck Cycling Shorts.
There are some things that women cyclists need to deal with that men don’t. One problem is a speedy toilet break when wearing bibbed cycling shorts or tights. For men it’s an obvious pull down (front of shorts) and pull out thing (excuse the details!), while for women there is a great deal of peeling off of upper clothing before finally being able to go to the toilet.
In the summer months this is kind of bearable, but in winter it can be so off-putting that many women choose to wear (far less comfy shorts and tights) or simply hold on until they get home!
So the invention of zip backed/bottomed bib cycle shorts and tights in recent years has been greatly welcomed by many female cyclists. Check out previous reviews of:
Endura bibbed shorts with zip access
Gore Element Thermo bib tights
And also, a pair of my fave bibbed cycle shorts, the Gore XENON 2.0 LADY Bib short+
Now cycling brand dhb have brought out cycling shorts with a halter neck construction to allow women to pull down their shorts without having to remove their tops.
dhb halterneck women’s cycling shorts
The halterneck shorts, Aeron Race and Aeron Pro, are based on dhb’s tried-and-loved Women’s Aeron Race and Women’s Aeron Pro bib shorts.
I have been testing one of the first pairs of dhb halterneck shorts. At first, I wasn’t sure about the design. There is a helterneck section that is super stretchy so that you can pull them down at the back during a toilet break.
I thought the halterneck might be annoying and rub the back of my neck. But this hasn’t happened because when riding in a bent-over position the halterneck is actually very comfortable. The shorts fit really well (size small for a UK10) and the halterneck stops them from riding down.
And when you need a quick pee break all you need to do is pull down the back of the shorts. The stretchy halterneck strap allows for easy access. Then, simply pull up again. It’s almost as easy as being a guy!
The dhb system works surprisingly well and is less hassle than zipping up back zips.
My only concern is that after wearing many times the stretch of the halterneck will cause the shorts to become too loose so that they ride down when you are cycling. This hasn’t happened yet, though, and I have been wearing them for months.
I think the halterneck is a brilliant solution for an age-old comfort break problem.
The dhb Women’s Aeron Race and Race Pro shorts also offer a specific design for women with a great fit and really good padding. I now rate these shorts in my top two favourites to wear, with the Gore Xenons.
Wiggle will be selling the dhb Women’s Aeron Race Halterneck Bib Short for a reasonable £49.99 and the dhb Women’s Aeron Pro Halterneck Bib Short for £64.99.