Assos really that good?

[tch]

I know, I know, on the old forum we went around on this one. And, I know that short preferences are only behind seat preferences in individuality. But I can't find any real reviews here on this new, "improved" forum... Are Assos shorts -- the F13 in particular -- REALLY that much better than anything else? And in what way: fit, comfort, etc. or longevity? I don't really ride that far -- usu. 75 is my upper limit and I'm more of a 30-45 mile guy. $220 (I know, there are some small bargains) is a LOT of cash -- at least twice what PI, Castelli, others are. So, please enlighten me: are the Assos really that much better?

[Bruce K]

They are the most comfortable pair of shorts I have in my cabinet, especially for longer rides.

Interestingly, my Volers are a close second for about 1/4 the price.

I like the Verge shorts (Paul Levine and another kit)for rides under 50.

I am not a big fan of VOMax (our club's short).

[Chief]

Voler for my money. :bike:

[Bill Bove]

Years and years, miles and miles in Voler bibs. never a complaint. Currently using Hincapie bibs, they are very good too. Only time will tell if they are as good as the Voler's but I think so so far. Hincapie's jerseys are better than Voler's.

[Elefantino]

I have never tried Assos, quite likely because I value staying married. I have tried Castelli, and they were not three times better than the Volers I currently use.

I also like Performance Elite, too. I just can't see spending more than $60 or so for a pair of bib shorts when that much gets me a pair that I never even have to think about.

PS: It's about the chamois cream, too.

[sfscott]

comfy, wear well, fit well.

Wish I had more

[Cranky]

I just got my first pair of Assos Mille shorts with the extra thick pad. Very nice for the long rides 50+. Butt, for most of the rides that I take which are in the 30-50 range, I prefer my Voler bibs over PI, Santini, and particulary Castelli which I dont find to be very comforatble, and they are expensive.

[larryp2]

definitely worth it, and with two pair for a year I'm paying $1 a day for total comfort with the cost dropping daily....ljp

[dnovo]

Yes. Very expensive. Worth every cent. Dave N.

[BigMac]

If you are looking specifically at the F13, the short answer is absolutely NOT, imo. :no: :no: :no: Now if you can find the previous Campionisimo model, they are indeed worth every cent, no matter the cost...they retailed for $140 USD in their day.

The biggest problem i have with the F13 is the new chamois, its too damn thick like most every modern chamois. If I wanted or needed a diaper, i'd wear one one dammit! :crap: It is also my understanding that Assos changed vendors, at least for the bibs, when they updated bib lineup 2 years ago. While the lycra material remains top-notch, the stitching quality and consistency appears to have slipped considerably with the new vendor. :crap:

If you like the thick chamois, there are many options available to you, in fact most bibs/shorts use similar style thick chamois. If like me you prefer a much thinner, firmer, traditional chamois, your options are more limited. My fave is the discontinued Championisimo bib, the similarly discontinued Assos Evo bib shared same Championisimo chamois but a slimmer cut through thigh and backside which smaller riders often preferred. The current production Etxe Ondo Power Bib uses a chamois nearly identical to Championisimo but in a trimmer Evo-style cut and a less luxurious lycra with lesser stitching quality, still a wonderful bib at a reasonable $100-120 price. The best current production short imo is from Boure. I prefer the Pro Bib, it uses a chamois sourced from Italy, in fact the same vendor that produced the Championisimo chamois. It's thin, firm and supportive like all great chamois. The slightly pricier Elite Bib is much thicker chamois, very much like the topline Castelli chamois if that's your favor. The stitch quality is equal to older Assos, considerably better than current Assos, Exte Ondo and basically anything else I've seen -- I have not tried or even seen the Hincapie bibs which have been product of heavy marketing push this year. The Boure lycra is not quite as luxurious as F13 Assos but the suspender/bib section is a much lighter and more breathable material. For a bargain $120 you get custom tailored bibs with a terrific chamois and great workmanship from a local Colorado firm run by Drew with a little design help from Ned Overend, hands down the best customer service/support in the business. It does not get better than that.

Ride on! :banana: :banana: :banana:

[Johny]

Thanks Big Mac. This is the best review about the bibshorts.

[Elefantino]

Yes, but too many bananas this early in the morning. :D

[Too Tall]

Can you say too much about Boure'? Think not. For trash-em-up commuter shorts I just got a set of the Colorado Cyclist brand...good lycra, decent chamois, excellent stitching, very nice waist band, but OMG the logo of the chamois is downright rude!

[Roy E. Munson]

I think the Assos stuff is ridiculously overpriced, except for the chamois cream which is one of the best products on the market. I've had great luck with the Louis Garneau bibs.
Smear a load of chamois cream on almost any pair of half decent bibs and the difference is immense.

[Elefantino]

Judging from the shape of the container, I think Assos chamois cream is what Armstrong used in the first episode of "The Lance Chronicles." I think the reason he wouldn't say what it was is because Assos isn't a Lance Official Sponsor.

I guess that's a pretty good endorsement.

[Roy E. Munson]

I think he actually uses a custom cream made by his trainer, probably just as Assos container

[bostondrunk]

Yes, it was Assos ass smear that lance was using.

My vote goes to Voler. Have two pairs of bib shorts from them, they're great.

[Kevan]

when they stapled in a piece of leather in the crotch of some stretchy fabric and called them done. What happened to those, huh? Now we gotz these space-age pillers shoved in there promising to cradle the priv’s in some supreme hypo-allergenic filled (Or is it certified buckwheat hull?) comfort. Well, it ain’t workin’ for this kid, I’m telling ya! Instead, I feel like I’m being pillow-smothered like some poor sap in a Columbo murder mystery.

I think I’ll go over to the window now, open it, and stick my head out and scream so the whole world can hear, “Bring back the chamois! Bring back the Chamois!….Dammit, my boys can’t take it anymore!”

Sorry... this is something I'm a bit passionate about. :butt:

[Andreu]

I find them too variable to rely on as an "every-season-purchase" - but I do dabble with them when the fancy takes me and I have cash burning holes in my pockets. I have bought the top of the range Assoss shorts and they are uncomfy in the wet.
We get Etxe Onde here which tends to be more consistent in fit and less open wallet surgery.
A

[Andreu]

I guess I´d better answer the original question....Answer..yes for hundred or so quid ($150+??) I can just about live with buying Assoss shorts (but only just).
I don´t go out in the wet wearing Assos shorts.
A

[Climb01742]

bigmac--anymore info on that custom bib maker you mentioned? name? phone? website? thanks. ;)

[Oaklandhills]

Where can one purchase Voler shorts (not bib-shorts)? Also - how do they run - normal? Say for a 34in waist - mediums?

[bostondrunk]

www.velowear.com
Great service, and fast.
Yes, you would use a medium. Yes I know from experience. No, I'm not proud of the fact that I'm still a 33/34....too much beer.....

[djg]

Very well made, to be sure, but my one pair of Campionissimo Evos is not my favorite set of bibs--just too much chamois there for my taste and on longer rides it can bunch a little. I prefer Castelli--the Progettos by far over the fusos or any of the cheaper ones--and they're often available, new in the bag, on e-bay, in the 80-90 buck range.

[zap]

I've been wearing Assos for 14 years or so and quality does vary from short to short. Currently I only have 1 F1-13 bib which I typically reserve for 60+ mile rides. Still worried about the stitching though. So far they fit and feel the best. I didn't and won't pay over US$180 for them.

I just purchased bibs by deMarchi which us the same stretchy top material as the FI shorts. They don't fit me quite as well as the Assos. Don't know how comfortable they are on long rides yet.

[PaulE]

This is the co that does custom that Big Mac was referring to:

Bouré Bicycle Clothing - 10% off for RBR roadies!
All shorts, tights, knee/leg warmers. Type "RBR10%
bottom" in the "Comments" of your order at www.boure.com

[Indy Fab]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think the F13s are vastly overpriced for what you get. Plus, every time I put them on, it feels like they're burrowing up my tush. My current fave is Hincapie shorts, which I consider as perfect as any pair of shorts I've ever tried. Their jerseys are absolutely the best, too.

[jeffg]

... but this is largely personal preference. I love Castelli Y2K bibs. If it works for 8-16 hours in the saddle, don't mess with it. Plus, the sizing on Castelli is more in line with my body than Assos. I would like to try the Boure bibs; however, for $20 more I am sticking with Castelli for now.

[Brian]

I received some Assos Mille Bibs for FREE – along with a jar of the Assos Chamois Cream. My first impression was that they were of good quality, fit wonderfully and were comfortable for both short and long rides. That being said, I would never pay $200 for them. I have other shorts in the $80 range that are as good. So, will you be disappointed with the performance of an Assos short/bib? No. You may, however, feel short-changed in the value department.

Now… The Assos Chamois Cream is amazing stuff! The product Lance was using was the Assos cream (I could tell be the color and consistency). I’ve never used chamois cream before, but since I got the stuff for free I figured I’d give it a shot. It definitely makes the chamois more supple and forgiving and has noticeably increased my comfort. Highly recommended!

[MallyG]

Let's face it - Assos is the Prada of cycling. I wouldn't be seen in anything else.

[MartyE]

Another nod towards Etxe-Ondo. I've got the Power bibs, the lycra is a bit
better than the other model (marke?). Chamois feels more like good old
round, chamois and it isn't heavily padded. They can be had for good prices at www.bicyclinghub.com .

Marty

[woolly]

I don't personally know if they are or they aren't, but I'm not willing to shell out that kind of cash to find out. Not when my needs are being met at a much lower price-point.

I started out w/ top-end Pearl Izumi & Castelli, but now pretty much stick w/ the Performance Elite shorts. I didn't like the chamois that they used several years ago, but I find that the ones they've used in the last couple of years serve me just as well as the more expensive "brand name" models. I've found that the combination of the Performance Elite shorts & a Fizik Pave saddle work well for me.

I usually wait until Performance puts the shorts on sale (usually for $30 or less), and then stock up. Not trying to be ultra-cheap, I'd just rather spend the money on other bike-related toys. The labels are not as cool, but for the tremendous price difference, I can deal with the lack of coolness.

FWIW, I do the same thing w/ the Pearl Izumi Pittards gloves - they seem to run a good sale on these about once a year too, and I stock up.

But as far as the original question goes, I guess that the Assos shorts WOULD be worth it if you couldn't find something less expensive that provides ample comfort. In that case, I'd deem them worth every single penny. Let the pain come from the effort you put forth, not from the fit of your bike, saddle, shorts, etc.

As always, YMMV.

[csb]

HELL NO!

well made ? _ yes, but for christsakes you can buy 4 pair
of VERGE bibshorts for 1 assos.

Verge crap lasts a couple of seasons, you would not
wanna wear any companys togs longer than that!

take roys advice _ assos cream makes the world go'round.

[bulliedawg]

I've been using Performance shorts for years, and never had a problem. I recently bought their shorts that have the stretching chamios, and I think they're the best shorts they've ever produced. As for the cream, I use a thin layer of daiper rash ointment, and I like it better then the Assos cream that I used to use.

To each his own, but I won't spend $220 on a suit; I sure as hell ain't spending it on cycling shorts.