Improved Donning and Doffing for Women’s Bib Shorts

Jamie Zipper, Cindy Cordoba, Darin Gillenwater, Jeyeon Jo, and Youngsook Kim
FSAD 6900 – Understanding Functional Aspects of Clothing and Design, Cornell University

Abstract
Female cyclists often face challenges with donning and doffing bib shorts due to anatomical and physiological differences compared to their male counterparts. This project, aimed at enhancing the comfort and functionality of women’s bib shorts, involved comparing two prototypes that emerged from an in-depth design and market research process. We assessed each prototype’s performance in three conditions: (C1) Subject-owned product, (C2) Prototype 1 (with zipper), and (C3) Prototype 2 (with Velcro). Testing included moisture transfer evaluation through the British Standards Institution protocol, combining elasticity and water permeability to enhance comfort and moisture management. This project addresses a key need for women cyclists, offering an improved solution for nature breaks.