How to Wear a Race Bib Without Safety Pins
Quick answer: To wear a race bib without safety pins, use a race belt (bib belt), bib magnets, bib clips or clothing with built-in bib cords, as long as your race allows it. Check the race guide first: many races want the bib on the front of your body and visible the whole time, and some bibs carry a timing chip that you must not damage. The LECAMO 50K Kangaroo Trail Shorts have two waist cords that match the two holes of a race bib, so you thread the bib on and run without pins.
Check what your race allows
Before you buy anything, find the placement instruction in the current runner guide. Look for three things: where the bib must sit, whether a belt or other attachment is allowed, and what to do when you put a jacket on. If the guide does not answer your question, ask the organizer.
A bib may contain a timing device. Follow the event's own handling instructions for it, and do not fold, cut or punch through that part of the bib. Our guide to wearing a race bib with a running vest covers placement when you also carry a pack.
Pin-free options compared
| Option | How it holds the bib | Things to check |
|---|---|---|
| Race belt (bib belt) | An elastic belt worn at the waist, with toggles or clips that go through the bib | Whether it rides up or twists under a loaded pack or full pockets |
| Bib magnets | Magnet pairs that clamp the bib to your shirt or shorts from both sides | Whether they stay put on thin or very stretchy fabric |
| Bib clips or snaps | Small clips or snap fasteners fixed to the garment | Whether they suit the garment you race in |
| Clothing with bib cords | Cords sewn into the garment that thread through the bib's holes | Whether the cords line up with the holes on your bib |
Each option keeps holes out of your shirt, and none needs pins on race morning. Which one works best depends on what you wear and whether your race accepts it.
How to hang a bib on the 50K shorts
- Lay the bib against the front of the shorts and line up its two holes with the two waist cords.
- Thread each cord through one hole.
- Secure the cords so the bib sits flat and does not slide.
- Check from the front that the number is visible and nothing covers it.
Because the bib hangs from the shorts, it stays on when you change your top or pull on a jacket. Check that the jacket hem does not cover the number if your race requires it to stay visible.
If your bib has no holes
Some bibs come with holes and some do not. Check the race guide before you make any holes, keep well clear of the timing chip, and place the holes so the number stays upright and readable once it is hung.
Test it before race day
Run a short loop with the bib attached and your pockets loaded the way you will race. Reach for your flask, gels and phone while the bib is on, and put a jacket on and take it off. If the bib catches on anything or hides a pocket, adjust it at home rather than at the start line.
Race bib without pins: quick questions
Can I wear my bib on my shorts?
Many races accept a bib on the front of your shorts, but the rule is set by each race. Read your runner guide before race day.
Is a race belt allowed in trail races?
Many trail races accept them, but not all do. Check the runner guide, and ask the organizer if the wording is unclear.
Do the 50K shorts need any extra accessory for the bib?
No. The two waist cords are part of the shorts and match the two holes of a race bib.
Where should the timing chip go?
Wherever the race says. Some bibs have the chip built in, so follow the event's handling instructions and do not punch holes through it.