Winter By Assos

[jpw]

A few new bits and pieces for the coming chill;
https://www.assos.com/men/winter?cur=GBP&lang=en

This looks interesting;
https://www.assos.com/ASSOSOIRES-EQUIPE-RS-Winter-LS-Mid-Layer?gender=M&color=113

Have a friendly chat with your money manager.

[FlashUNC]

Nobody does winter gear like Assos. If you're committing to ride in the cold stuff, it really does merit throwing down the cash for their kit. I have an unhealthy love for my Airblock 851.

[jpw]

Nobody does winter gear like Assos. If you're committing to ride in the cold stuff, it really does merit throwing down the cash for their kit. I have an unhealthy love for my Airblock 851.

I agree. They've finally brought back a winter tight without an insert pad. Makes laundry duty less tedious.


I'm thinking about the virus and whether going out in really low air temps this winter is a wise move if it increases the chances of throat and chest problems, something I can get. I wouldn't want one of those and then contract the virus. I'm hoping for a mild British winter.

[fignon's barber]

I bought a pair of Mille GT bib tights last winter, which is their lower priced model. They are much better than the top versions of other high end brands.

[berserk87]

I think cold weather gear effectiveness depends on your winters, and in some cases, the piece of gear itself. I have the Assos Bonka bib tights and they are not the answer for me in cold below 30F.

They fit better than any other tight I have ever owned and are very comfortable. They're the most versatile bib tight I have and I enjoy wearing them. They fit like a second skin and are my clear favorite, but for rides below 30F I have to go with other options.

For really cold weather, I'm finding that the Pearl Izumi tights with AmFib fabric are better. They are much warmer than my Assos stuff. A big con with the PI gear is that the fit is poor (for me anyway). Lots of bagginess where I don't need it. They feel more restrictive when pedaling. But I've found them for under $90 on sale, so there's a trade-off - cost versus fit quality. I don't love wearing them but they are what works if I have the itch to ride when it's well below freezing.

My Rapha Deep Winter tights were somewhere in between the two. They have a bit more range to them in terms of cold, and fit more nicely that the PI tights. I've worn them into the mid-20's and they work ok. Not as nicely cut as the Assos in my opinion. The fit is tight and they feel a bit like a suit of armor when pedaling (not as bad as the PI). Not as pricey either (for what I paid).

I have the Assos Early Winter base layer and it's also nicely cut. Fits like a glove. This layer is kinda the inverse of the Bonka issue - it's too warm to wear with most of my other cold weather gear. I've worn it in extreme cold (0 F) and it works but we don't see that kind of weather often, nor am I ever inclined to ride in that again.

I'd like to try more Assos cold weather stuff but budget is a thing, and I have a ton of cold weather gear that works right now. And I'm curious about the EQUIPE RS WINTER BIB TIGHTS. I have to wait until I wear some tights out and these go on sale.

[Johnnysmooth]

Nobody does winter gear like Assos. If you're committing to ride in the cold stuff, it really does merit throwing down the cash for their kit. I have an unhealthy love for my Airblock 851.

Best winter jacket by far - loved my first one, which after 15yrs I passed on to a friend. Replaced with size smaller, unfortunately not best fit. Tried a couple of other brands - top-of-line Castelli and Giordana, just not the same.

[harblhat]

Interesting that the upcoming Equipe RS winter jacket wasn't listed yet. It's up on some Euro retailers: https://fr.shopforcycling.com/de/jacken-und-westen/6155-assos-equipe-rs-winter-jacket-black-series-113036918.html

650 EUR!

[pottshead]

In California having one pair of leggings and a couple long sleeved jerseys almost feels like overkill. More often than not a light jacket or vest is about all that’s justified. Especially if the rides involve climbing.

[Hilltopwalters]

Sweet christmas, my wallet is in pain just looking at this stuff. That being said. I might grab one or two pieces if I can. I missed out on too much winter riding last year, really missed it.

[Hellgate]

What's this "winter" you speak of?

[jpw]

Interesting that the upcoming Equipe RS winter jacket wasn't listed yet. It's up on some Euro retailers: https://fr.shopforcycling.com/de/jacken-und-westen/6155-assos-equipe-rs-winter-jacket-black-series-113036918.html

650 EUR!

https://www.assos.com/EQUIPE-RS-Winter-Jacket

and this;
https://www.assos.com/EQUIPE-RS-Clima-Capsule


I foresee a long winter of social isolation riding. The lockdown is coming back.

[jpw]

What's this "winter" you speak of?


Hell... of the North weather.

[verticaldoug]

https://www.assos.com/EQUIPE-RS-Winter-Jacket

and this;
https://www.assos.com/EQUIPE-RS-Clima-Capsule


I foresee a long winter of social isolation riding. The lockdown is coming back.

The new RS stuff is nice. I have the Equipe RS Spring Fall which is probably the best kit I have owned.

The Winter Jacket at $775, is just too steep. I'm regretting not buying the old FUGU jacket when it was on the clearance rack.....

[jpw]

The new RS stuff is nice. I have the Equipe RS Spring Fall which is probably the best kit I have owned.

The Winter Jacket at $775, is just too steep. I'm regretting not buying the old FUGU jacket when it was on the clearance rack.....


Are you referring to the long sleeved black jersey with the yellow shoulder 'valves', and do they work as described? Down to what lower temperature would you comfortably wear it in, and does it fit true to nominal sizing?

Yes, this is new pricing territory even for Assos.

This private equity business is now involved at Assos;
https://www.tzpgroup.com
https://www.tzpgroup.com/portfolio/assos

Is there a causal relationship?

[happycampyer]

I think cold weather gear effectiveness depends on your winters, and in some cases, the piece of gear itself. I have the Assos Bonka bib tights and they are not the answer for me in cold below 30F.

They fit better than any other tight I have ever owned and are very comfortable. They're the most versatile bib tight I have and I enjoy wearing them. They fit like a second skin and are my clear favorite, but for rides below 30F I have to go with other options.

For really cold weather, I'm finding that the Pearl Izumi tights with AmFib fabric are better. They are much warmer than my Assos stuff. A big con with the PI gear is that the fit is poor (for me anyway). Lots of bagginess where I don't need it. They feel more restrictive when pedaling. But I've found them for under $90 on sale, so there's a trade-off - cost versus fit quality. I don't love wearing them but they are what works if I have the itch to ride when it's well below freezing.

My Rapha Deep Winter tights were somewhere in between the two. They have a bit more range to them in terms of cold, and fit more nicely that the PI tights. I've worn them into the mid-20's and they work ok. Not as nicely cut as the Assos in my opinion. The fit is tight and they feel a bit like a suit of armor when pedaling (not as bad as the PI). Not as pricey either (for what I paid).

I have the Assos Early Winter base layer and it's also nicely cut. Fits like a glove. This layer is kinda the inverse of the Bonka issue - it's too warm to wear with most of my other cold weather gear. I've worn it in extreme cold (0 F) and it works but we don't see that kind of weather often, nor am I ever inclined to ride in that again.

I'd like to try more Assos cold weather stuff but budget is a thing, and I have a ton of cold weather gear that works right now. And I'm curious about the EQUIPE RS WINTER BIB TIGHTS. I have to wait until I wear some tights out and these go on sale.

I don't understand why over the years Assos discontinued its warmest winter tights. For a while, Assos made tights with the same windblock fabric as the fuguJack, and they were/are incredibly warm and windproof. Then they made these for a while, too:

https://www.swissiconic.com/ll-fugu-no-insert/

Also really warm. The other advantage of these various tights is that they were made without inserts, so that you could vary the warmth even more, going from regular bibshorts to insulated bibshorts to knickers underneath depending on the temps.

Assos lost me with a lot of the latest gen stuff, with the exception of the bibshorts, which are outstanding. Many of the jerseys and jackets are all black, and when they do have nice high-viz colors, they tend to be on the front, which makes no sense to me. As a general observation about their winter tights, the older versions with stirrups were better than the newer ones, imo.

The price of the new jacket is insane, and of course, it's all black.

[verticaldoug]

Are you referring to the long sleeved black jersey with the yellow shoulder 'valves', and do they work as described? Down to what lower temperature would you comfortably wear it in, and does it fit true to nominal sizing?

Yes, this is new pricing territory even for Assos.

This private equity business is now involved at Assos;
https://www.tzpgroup.com
https://www.tzpgroup.com/portfolio/assos

Is there a causal relationship?

How cold? That's subjective, because you can vary baselayers and pair it with a gilet and go quite cold.

I use the new craft base layers which are really good. You can go quite cold with active extreme. I probably just use base layer and jersey to close to 40. Below that, add a gilet and go to 35. I don't want to ride there long because I usually start early morning so is warms first couple hours.

It really fits like a snug jersey in the racecut. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with this piece.

As for private equity buying it. It was needed. The brand was stale and dying. In 2015 when Phil Duff became CEO something needed to be done.

I think Phil did a good job with Black Diamond so expect the same here.

[FlashUNC]

The new RS stuff is nice. I have the Equipe RS Spring Fall which is probably the best kit I have owned.

The Winter Jacket at $775, is just too steep. I'm regretting not buying the old FUGU jacket when it was on the clearance rack.....

The Equipe RS Spring Fall stuff is the best shoulder season kit out there. It's amazing.

[skijoring]

They need to discontinue the 'Golden Gate' feature.

[jpw]

The other advantage of these various tights is that they were made without inserts, so that you could vary the warmth even more, going from regular bibshorts to insulated bibshorts to knickers underneath depending on the temps.

Assos lost me with a lot of the latest gen stuff, with the exception of the bibshorts, which are outstanding. Many of the jerseys and jackets are all black, and when they do have nice high-viz colors, they tend to be on the front, which makes no sense to me. As a general observation about their winter tights, the older versions with stirrups were better than the newer ones, imo.

The price of the new jacket is insane, and of course, it's all black.

Agreed.

What do I associate with black? Death. The 'profBlack' range was/ is dumb.
I always bring along an SV.emergency gilet outside of the summer season. That was a good idea, but now discontinued, 'of course'.

The new Ultraz jacket has bright colour options, but the lower back panel is still...black. My FalkenZahn gilet has a big white rear centre pocket. Assos slips up with these simple but crucial design errors a little bit too often. Something needs to change in the thinking.

[verticaldoug]

Agreed.

What do I associate with black? Death. The 'profBlack' range was/ is dumb.
I always bring along an SV.emergency gilet outside of the summer season. That was a good idea, but now discontinued, 'of course'.

The new Ultraz jacket has bright colour options, but the lower back panel is still...black. My FalkenZahn gilet has a big white rear centre pocket. Assos slips up with these simple but crucial design errors a little bit too often. Something needs to change in the thinking.

Honestly, I ride in wet and pitch black conditions all winter in London when/if I go back. HiViz is overrated. You need flashing lights and reflective tape. I find it doesn't matter the color of the clothing, you always see the flashing light first, the reflective tape second and until you are quite close, can determine color.

Because of this, I wear a proViz gilet which makes me look like a disco ball in the pitch black.

[jpw]

Honestly, I ride in wet and pitch black conditions all winter in London when/if I go back. HiViz is overrated. You need flashing lights and reflective tape. I find it doesn't matter the color of the clothing, you always see the flashing light first, the reflective tape second and until you are quite close, can determine color.

Because of this, I wear a proViz gilet which makes me look like a disco ball in the pitch black.

It's a personal decision we each make. Lights are a legal requirement. I wear the SV.emergency if my top is not bright. Black on its own is asking for trouble, and I expect a driver would use it as mitigation against a cyclist in any subsequent legal action.

[FlashUNC]

Honestly, I ride in wet and pitch black conditions all winter in London when/if I go back. HiViz is overrated. You need flashing lights and reflective tape. I find it doesn't matter the color of the clothing, you always see the flashing light first, the reflective tape second and until you are quite close, can determine color.

Because of this, I wear a proViz gilet which makes me look like a disco ball in the pitch black.

Generally my thoughts as well. If black and muted colors were such a safety issue on roads, we wouldn't have cars painted black.

Good lights and reflective bits are more important, imo.

[thwart]

Generally my thoughts as well. If black and muted colors were such a safety issue on roads, we wouldn't have cars painted black.

Fashion. Not as safe as a brighter color. And... IMO reflecting the national mood as well...

As for me, a bright red Sportwagen, thank you.

[jpw]

Generally my thoughts as well. If black and muted colors were such a safety issue on roads, we wouldn't have cars painted black.

Good lights and reflective bits are more important, imo.

Can't compare a car to a bicycle.

[FlashUNC]

Can't compare a car to a bicycle.

Sure you can.

[verticaldoug]

I'm sure any of it makes much difference.

https://i.imgur.com/0zydUxz.jpg

I actually had an uber guy hit me with his side mirror on a long straight stretch of road in good conditions. I must have been wearing black.

I think we are victim blaming to be honest.

[buddybikes]

>>I think we are victim blaming to be honest.

We're not blaming the victim, just trying to keep people alive. Yes lights are best, and new LEDs are highly efficient, but why not give yourself the best advantage of coming home to your wife and kids.

[jpw]

Sure you can.

You can, but it's not an appropriate comparison imo.

[FlashUNC]

>>I think we are victim blaming to be honest.

We're not blaming the victim, just trying to keep people alive. Yes lights are best, and new LEDs are highly efficient, but why not give yourself the best advantage of coming home to your wife and kids.

If that is the paramount concern, then never leave the house to begin with.

This is some good concern trolling though.

[weisan]

This video shows a light-reflective spray designed by Swedish car manufacturer Volvo to enhance the visibility of cyclists on city streets after dark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaLP4iGszLQ

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61IYp9NghoL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

[fignon's barber]

If that is the paramount concern, then never leave the house to begin with.


This x1000. For those who tremble at the thought of riding without their neon, and associate wearing a black jersey during the day with impending death, maybe a more passive activity is in order. It's not healthy to have these fears. The safest rider is the rider who rides smart, pays attention to what's going on in the road, can handle a bike to take evasive action if required, and attempts to co-exist with traffic. Here's another tip: the majority of car drivers actually do see riders, only using the "I didn't see them defense" as a legal defense after the fact.

[jpw]

If that is the paramount concern, then never leave the house to begin with.

This is some good concern trolling though.

Being safe is naturally a concern. Trolling? If you suddenly feel the need to take a rational discussion of an important issue to a negative place then I feel sorry for you.

[buddybikes]

How the hell was I trolling? Just want to keep more of us alive here.
I need a good fall jacket, my old Assos is coming apart at the seams. New models don't fit my needs it appears, which is a shame as I used same jacket for 20+ years.

[jpw]

How the hell was I trolling? Just want to keep more of us alive here.
I need a good fall jacket, my old Assos is coming apart at the seams. New models don't fit my needs it appears, which is a shame as I used same jacket for 20+ years.

You were not trolling. There's been no trolling in this thread. Back to the subject of discussion. What jacket do you have that's falling apart?

[thwart]

Here's another tip: the majority of car drivers actually do see riders, only using the "I didn't see them defense" as a legal defense after the fact.

It just takes one.

Riding a bicycle on the road with vehicles driven by people with varied skills and attention levels is a dangerous thing. Denying that fact is foolish.

Anything folks do to decrease that risk is not something to criticize.

[buddybikes]

All it say is "ProsLine". Also has a long front, with 3 inch seam around bottom which I love.

[happycampyer]

All it say is "ProsLine". Also has a long front, with 3 inch seam around bottom which I love.
I think that’s either the first generation of the 851 or the one before it, which is going back in time. Does it look like this:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=396390

Pretty amazing that Assos was making cycling clothing 20 years ago that can hold its own against current offerings of other brands.

[buddybikes]

Yup, and think I just found one on eBay. Wasn't even thinking about it when it is 70 degrees out.

Notice how long it is, covers lower abdomen right down to the saddle without crimping. Nice design.

[FlashUNC]

Being safe is naturally a concern. Trolling? If you suddenly feel the need to take a rational discussion of an important issue to a negative place then I feel sorry for you.

There's a rational discussion about safety and then there's the pearl clutching of talking about coming home to one's wife and kids. It's needless hyperbole and trying to pull at some emotions when, as you put it, we should be discussing this rationally. Because if base emotive arguments like that are the best defense for wearing neon, well, it's a pretty shabby defense.

So yeah, when someone goes immediately to the "think of your wife and kids" I consider that concern trolling of a pretty high order. Just calling it as I see it.

[buddybikes]

Ok, noted.

Found the same ASSOS jacket I had that was worn out, so thx to this group.

[glepore]

Yes, the Prosline is the early 851. Second the 851 recommendation. The fabric is weird by modern standards (externally) but it works. They made 851 bib tights as well.

I REALLY like the previous Habu for everything down to mid thirties.

I have a med Bonka in great shape that I probably will never use as I don't ride in the 30's much outdoors anymore. Crazy good piece of kit. If anyone is interested, shoot me a pm - best reasonable offer thing. White/black.

[Ozz]

Ok, noted.

Found the same ASSOS jacket I had that was worn out, so thx to this group.
Cool....glad you found one.

I have an old Prosline jacket that I seldom wear...been thinking of selling it, but man, it is really nice for cold rides!

[jpw]

There's a rational discussion about safety and then there's the pearl clutching of talking about coming home to one's wife and kids. It's needless hyperbole and trying to pull at some emotions when, as you put it, we should be discussing this rationally. Because if base emotive arguments like that are the best defense for wearing neon, well, it's a pretty shabby defense.

So yeah, when someone goes immediately to the "think of your wife and kids" I consider that concern trolling of a pretty high order. Just calling it as I see it.

Change your spectacles.