IN BRIEF
Van Rysel, Decathlon’s cycling brand, is launching a pair of period shorts and a second ultra-endurance short, two women’s models in its EDR range. The first builds period protection straight into the garment, with an absorption capacity of 12 millilitres measured by the independent laboratory SGS, for €39.99. The second, an EDR Ultra bib short sold at €119.99, targets very long distances with a Back Ease system that lets you use the toilet without taking everything off. Both models were developed and tested with women cyclists, at every stage of their cycle.
| EDR period short (waist, no bibs) | 39,99 € |
| EDR Ultra bib short | 119,99 € |
| Absorption capacity (period short) | 12 ml — equivalent to a super-plus tampon (SGS test) |
| Sizes | XS to XL |
| Chamois pad (EDR Ultra) | Elastic Interface Corsa, over 7 h of comfort claimed |
| Brand | Van Rysel (Decathlon), Lille |
A pair of black cycling shorts, a cargo pocket on the thigh, and inside, period protection sewn straight into the fabric. Van Rysel, Decathlon’s performance brand based in Lille, is selling these period shorts for €39.99 — a price that stands out in a market where specialist models usually go for between €100 and €300.
Period shorts rated at 12 millilitres in the laboratory
The principle is the same as period underwear: an absorbent layer is built directly into the EDR short, with no separate liner to slip over the top. According to the brand, this layer holds fluids while managing moisture and breathability during exercise.
The figure put forward by Van Rysel was measured by the independent laboratory SGS: a retention of 12 millilitres, the equivalent of a super-plus tampon or an overnight pad. The brand claims up to three hours of use with no additional protection — enough to cover a commute, a Sunday ride or a medium-distance training session.
This model does without bibs and has a close, second-skin fit. Decathlon offers it in five sizes, from XS to XL.
A second short cut out for very long rides
The second product in this endurance range, the EDR Ultra bib short, is aimed at ultra-distance riding. Sold at €119.99, it gets an Elastic Interface Corsa chamois pad, claimed to deliver more than seven hours of comfort in the saddle. Like the period short, it is a cargo short with pockets you can reach while riding.
On materials, Van Rysel highlights a main fabric of Italian origin and a clean finish at the legs, with no elastic gripper or silicone.
Using the toilet without taking your jersey off
What sets the EDR Ultra apart is its Back Ease construction, an in-house design. It lets you use the toilet without removing your jersey or the bib straps — a trivial detail on paper, but one that makes a real difference on a ride lasting several hours, especially for women, whom conventional bib shorts force to partly undress.
Both shorts were developed with women cyclists and field-tested at every stage of their cycle. Enough to make almost ordinary a piece of kit long confined to a handful of niche brands, at far higher prices.
