Wayfarer Bike Short: Pockets & Colors!

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

Spring term teaching got the better of me and I’m behind on my pocket shorts reviews project, but I’m back to talk about one of my favorites that I’ve been looking forward to writing about: The Wayfarer Bike Short (I have the 11″ inseam, but it also comes in a 7″ inseam).

Pockets on both sides + that buttery feeling + color options = the Wayfarer Bike Short.

They remind me a bit of the feel and functionality of the Cargo Bike Short, but with only two pockets total (one per side) instead of the Cargo’s two stacked pockets on each side. The smaller number of pockets makes the Wayfarer feel a little less bulky on my legs than the Cargo Shorts, so much so that I have even worn them under pants.

The Wayfarer really scratched my itch for color options besides black. I have a blue azurite pair that goes with everything, but I also want the emerald green and the garnet colors, too. (Maroon is one of my university’s colors, so the garnet would be very “Santa Clara Univ.” school spirit.) It looks like the garnet is on sale right now – I’ll be buying a pair today in a Small for bike commuting to Claradise (our nickname for SCU).

Here is my more analytical take on these shorts, which I do truly love for shorter, non-training rides.

Feel: Do you have a favorite pair of yoga pants that feel like butter when you pull them on? That’s what these feel like. Stretchy cloth butter. These shorts do NOT have the compression feel of Bella Primas, Bella Maxes, or Holster Primas. They just glide on. There is a high, comfortable waist band that comes up just over my belly button. I think they feel dreamy. The leg bands are a little over an inch wide and they do not have an adhesive, they are just doubled over fabric extended from the short. They do not pinch, they stay in place, and they still feel divine even after many washes and wears.

Look: I think they look goooooood. Terry, thank you for the colors. I want all of the colors besides black, these include azurite blue, emerald green, and garnet red (more of a maroon the way I see it on my monitor, which is old – apologies). I definitely do not need or want another black chamois. (All of my training chamois shorts are black.) The leg bands being wider than an inch with no grippers look and feel great and don’t pinch my skin.

Function: These shorts (in the photos) have an 11-inch inseam, which is a long-length for the shorts I use the most. (My Bella Primas are 8.5″, and my Bella Maxes are 10″.) The longer inseam makes them comfortable for me to wear on campus without longer shorts over them. The leg bands stay in place well, even without a gripper on the inside. (Note: I have not tried to wear them over leg warmers or knee warmers, so I can’t comment on the overlap between the cuff and the leg warmer.) Unlike the Cargo shorts, there is no reflective detail on the back, so if you want more visibility wear other bright, reflective gear and use my favorite safety gadget ever, the Garmin Varia radar tail light.

Pockets: Hallelujah, there is one easy-access deep pocket on both sides! I prefer to snack or grab things with my left hand, so the left-side pocket is especially appreciated. The pockets are almost 9-inches deep and go all the way down to the cuff of the short. They are plenty long and wide enough for a phone, gloves, snacks, a Houdini jacket and Buff, etc. These are not “racy” pockets, which I like. The outer pocket is made out of the same stretchy, buttery material as the short itself. I find them very easy to slip my hands into and out of–it’s slightly clunkier with gloves on, but isn’t everything? To compare, the Bella Max‘s and the Holster Primas have what I consider “racy” pockets where the outer material of the pocket is mesh-ier and not the same fabric as the bike short. If you have more to carry in your pockets, check out the Cargo Bike Shorts!

Chamois: These shorts have a Fleet Air chamois. Here is the technical description from Terry’s website: “Seamless chamois with 4-way stretch Elastic Interface Technology and multi-level foam padding, perforated for ventilation and breathability. Light, smooth microfiber fabric and Terry’s signature soft-wing construction reduces bulk at inner thigh to avoid chafing. Made in Italy.” Here you can compare it to all of the other chamois selections. For me, this is a shorter-ride chamois, and it does great for me on around-town rides. I personally prefer shorts with a Flex Air Carbon or Flex Air Max chamois for longer or more performance-ish riding. Everyone’s anatomy is different.

Size: They are true to your measured size, in my experience. I am at the top end of Terry’s measurements for size small bottoms (waist 28, and hips 36.5-37) and I am very happy with a size small. I think they fit perfectly and I want every color.