Review: Mixie Liners

This review is part of the “Bottoms Up” series of reviews of Terry biking bottoms in the commuter category.

About two years ago, when we moved into a house in downtown San Jose, I became a bike commuter. I started riding so often that I was running out of chamois shorts: I was mountain biking and road biking during the week as always, but also commuting to and from campus by bike almost every day. The washing machine never stopped. At the time I only owned and wore Terry Bella Prima shorts, which are performance- oriented and overkill for commuting. To put an end to the laundry madness and save my performance shorts for longer rides, I bought Terry’s Mixie Liner Shorts just to wear on my 4-mile ride to/from work. I now have 3-4 pairs of them and they are my standard bike commuting liners.

Specs from the website:
• 90% nylon/10% spandex
• 4-panel fit
• enclosed elastic leg band
• 5 inch inseam
• Urban Chamois “Compact size, seamless chamois with 4-way stretch Elastic Interface Technology and multi-density foam padding. Shorter front to back and less bulky, for riding in a more upright commuter position. Light microfiber fabric reduces bulk at inner thigh to avoid chafing. Made in Italy.” See Terry’s chamois guide for comparisons.

Here’s what I love about these shorts from the perspective of a bike commuter with a relatively short commute:

• Feel: Comfort-wise, they remind me of boy shorts. I think this is because of the waist band elastic style combined with the soft elasticity of the fabric (no compression at all) and the shortish 5-inch inseam. They feel very soft and very comfy! The legs do have an elastic band at the bottom to keep them in place, but it is not sticky. Rather, it’s sewn within the fabric and feels smooth. My quad/thigh size varies depending on how much I am riding and training, and the leg bands feel snug without being too tight. They can slide up, but most often don’t on my body.
• Chamois: The Urban chamois pad is enough padding for my sensitive undercarriage to ride to and from school and a bit more, if I need to run an errand or take a detour. I always wear chamois cream, even for commuting. However, I would not and have not worn this chamois on a day when I take the long way to/from work to squeeze in a training ride of 20+ miles. On those days I wear a more substantial chamois (read: it’s Bella time).
• Price: They are reasonably priced to buy/replace and don’t pinch my bank account as much as spending on performance bike shorts.
• Look: The designs (I have black with white polka dots) make them fun to wear and easy to pick out in a drawer that is otherwise full of black chamois shorts. (This is a me problem.) They are slim enough to fit comfortably beneath my commuter shorts and knickers, which are tighter than the baggies I trail ride in. I’m usually not trying to hide a chamois pad under my commuter shorts or pants, because I often change into a separate work outfit in my office, but the pad is not overly bulky anyway. When I have to ride a bike on campus and don’t have time to change, I wear a Cyclo Brief 2.0 Liner and just leave it on under my work outfit.

My main critique of this liner is that during the first few wears, the chamois pad felt a bit boxy and awkward to walk around in, especially in the rear. However, as my tush and the pad become one over time and with a few rides and washes, it softens and conforms more to my body when I’m off the bike. I’m saying there may be a short break-in period.

An important final point is that I would not recommend wearing these shorts alone to bike to work without something over them, unless you work at an underwear factory (and even then, I wouldn’t). They are liners, meant to line something worn over them like shorts, pants, or a skirt. Personally, I do not leave my office to walk to the bathroom in a Mixie liner if I’ve taken off whatever I wore over them. (Maybe you would, each to their own.) But the designs are cute enough that I would be fine to let them peek through a short wrap skirt or shorter shorts.

Sizing: True to your measured size. I am at the top end of Terry’s measurements for small bottoms (waist 28, and hips 36.5-37) and I have a size small. They are a very comfortable — not a compressed — feel for a small, as opposed to the Bella Prima’s small, which feels like a lot more compression and a much snugger feeling. (For reference, I generally consider my bottoms a medium in most brands, but in Terry my measurements and their sizing equate to a small for someone who likes form-fitting, snug biking bottoms.)