Review: Bella Max Shorts

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

The Bella Max shorts are “max” because they are the longer sibling of the “regular” Bellas, they have slightly more padding, and they also have a pocket. Those are really the only differences, but they’re functional differences worth diving into.

Bella Max Shorts	Bella “Regular” Shorts
10″ inseam	8.5″ inseam
1 pocket, right thigh	no pockets
Flex Air Max Chamois (adds 2 more foam layers in key places)	Flex Air Chamois

Otherwise, the Bella Maxes and the regular Bellas are pretty much the same. They have these features in common:

• flat waistband that I really like. It does not “muffin” me, and I do proudly have a bakery.
• silky texture. I can’t get over how much I love the silky texture of the Bellas and the Maxes. I wish the Bella Primas also had this texture. I wonder if the silky texture would force the Primas to sacrifice what I feel like is more compression.
• comfortable compression that tucks me in without squeezing at all. The feel is a slight compression geared for comfort (depending on what size you order – I order true to my size on the sizing chart, I am at the upper end of size small, leaning toward medium, and I like the size small). The Bella Primas have slightly more compression, imo.
• silicone ribbon leg grippers. As in the Bellas, I have to move the grippers into place on my thigh after I put them on, but then they’re good. They are firm but not too tight, I find — but I bet this varies by individual legs.
• chamois pad texture. The Flex Air chamois has the same look and feel as the Flex Air Max, except the Max has a bit more padding. For me, it did not feel too bulky – I quite like it. See the Terry chamois comparison chart for more details.
• I like the black-on-black color option in all of these shorts. There are other color options for the seams of the Bellas.
• sizing: I am at the upper end of the small on the Terry sizing chart, and I am happy with the small in both Bellas and Maxes.

The functional differences do have some nuances.

10″ legs: I didn’t know I liked longer 10″ inseams until I tried the Maxes. Cooler fall temps have arrived in the Bay area and when it’s 45-50 degrees in the parking lot to start a ride, I’m very happy to have slightly more skin coverage above the knee, especially with silky fabric. The longer inseam overlaps nicely with my knee pads (Fox) as well as pulling them on over leg warmers or knee warmers.

Flex Air Max chamois: The Max chamois has 2 extra layers of padding, according to the website description: “New for 2023, the Flex Air Max was developed to provide an extra level comfort by adding two additional foam layers in key positions on the chamois surface. This multi-density approach is combined with Terry’s innovative shaping and soft wing technology. Seamless chamois with 4-way stretch Elastic Interface Technology provides freedom of movement on the saddle; multi-density foam padding is perforated for increased breathability; light, channeled microfiber fabric in Terry pink is antimicrobial and enhances moisture transfer; soft wing construction reduces bulk at inner thigh to avoid chafing. Made in Italy.” I was worried it would feel bulky and create discomfort, but after wearing these for several longer outings, I can report that the bulk isn’t a problem and they are very comfortable on their own or under mtb shorts. The pad looks just like the Bella pad. You have to feel them to notice the slightly more padded Max. I feel it especially under my sit bones.

The pocket: I have always wanted chamois shorts with pockets to put extra gels in – I tend to take a lot of gel and snack calories (carbs! caffeine!) with me on rides, so I’m always cramming gels and chews and bars into every available cranny in my clothes or bike bag. The Maxes have one mesh pocket on the right thigh that is about 8″ deep and 4″ wide when I measured it lying flat. The pocket size is probably just the right size. In it with the shorts on, I can fit at most 6 Gu’s, 2 Clif Bloks, and a small bar. I have also used it for stuffing away a spare set of gloves and a Buff I took off as I got warm. It also fits my iPhone nicely and smoothly, but I’m one of those who thinks it’s a bad idea to ride with an iPhone (or keys) in a pocket because crashes happen when you least expect them to.

The main crux of the chamois is this: for me, the pocket is on the wrong side — I reach for gels with my left hand and leave my right on the bars. It’s also somewhat tight mesh and therefore hard to selectively pull things out of it with gloves on while pedaling, especially on dirt or gravel, which is where I prefer to be. Good luck pulling out the exact gel you want quickly or without losing one or all of the others that are in there. So, if I’m pedaling, I use the pocket as a gel pocket sparingly, but mostly as a wrapper trash pocket or for other soft things that I won’t need to selectively pull out on the fly. It is nice to have another option for a dedicated trash pocket! It would be better if the pockets were on both sides and were easier to access with gloves on — maybe more slippery material or just slightly more give.

All in all, I really like the Maxes. I wore them yesterday, just for comfort, under mtb shorts for a < 2 hour ride and they were awesome as always. Happy to have them in my drawer despite my questions about the pocket.