I’m in the market for a new pair of bib shorts for long road rides. My Castelli Free Aero RCs have not gotten along well with my underside and I’m looking to try Assos. The Assos lineup is a little overwhelming. What products should I be looking for, for long rides, generally warm weather, not racing, and a delicate heinie? I’m kinda cheap, so I’d need to be convinced the expensive stuff is worth it.
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get the cheapest assos. still the best. i like the equipe r ones
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The Mille line has thicker, more rearward pads and is intended for longer rides. Within that line are various models, generally the more letters the more expensive and more features. Since you’re getting into the brand and don’t want to spend a lot, Mille GT is likely a good starting point
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I also had found that my Castellis were no longer comfortable for longer rides (either due to the pad wearing out, or my body changing, or something else), and I bought a pair of Assos Mille GTs. I don’t have enough miles in them yet to say conclusively that they’re great, but so far so good. Bike Tires Direct had them at a good discount (now expired). As @Drew says, they have a really chunky pad.
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I’ve got a pair of Mille GTs. They’re okay.
I find myself reaching for my Pearl Izumi expedition bibs far more often.
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FWIW, Castelli has two different pads - one works for me, the other (Progetto, weirdly the supposedly more premium one) not.
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Seven years ago, I got Assos T.mille Bib Shorts s7. I thought they were fine, but not special. Are the mille GTs similar to those, or something better and newer?
The pad is the main difference, it’s been revised a fair bit since the S7 days. The newer Mille pads are noticeably thicker and more dense in the rear than the S7 pads and have more “components”:
Strap layout has also changed though I don’t feel much difference from other bibs on my Equipes with the same construction.
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So what are the advantages of the more expensive bibs? More compression? Lighter materials?
Pad “upgrades”, compression, panel cut to allow for better articulation, fabric. For me the nicer pads with more ventilation and lighter fabric up front makes a difference. Compression is also nice in Equipe models.
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Agree Assos bid terminology very confusing. I have been a consistent user of their shorts for 20+ years and some summary statements about current range: Mille thicker (but not more comfortable for me) pad than R or RS, but also moderately more “generous” fit. R & RS slimmer “racing fit”, with the R series having less compressive material composition and in my experience a little less durability, and their “Reform” series poorer quality, poor durability and I won’t buy them again. My “sweet spot” in their range is the RS.
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Just in case you didn’t notice it, Assos has a sale section with previous season’s styles, and there are some bibs in there. Might add to the complexity of making a selection, but at least it’s a little cheaper.
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The Assos Outlet always has some bibs on sale, it is the best option. If you use Strava, Assos have a challenge which will give you 15% off as well that can be used in the Outlet store.
The Mille GTS C2 are a great pair of bibs for long rides, better than the GT C2.
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Late to the party
I have 2 pairs of these I use for 100mile rides
For shorter rides I have some Pactimo bibs. These are the ones I find best for warm days. Super comfortable. And the padding is not as thick as the Assos.
I f you’re cheap and in the USA and want to try out Assos, then check out Bike Closet. Some of their prices look so cheap that you’d think it was a scam, but I have ordered a bunch of equipment/clothing from them and it’s all good and quickly delivered.
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Exactly! Watch for sales at Bike Closet.
In August I bought a pair of Equipe RS S9 Targa (blue) at $129 from Bike Closet, and when it sent me a 10% coupon later that month, I bought another pair of Equipe RS S9 Black Series. They are my new favorite bibs.
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Was riding today and this topic came to mind. Love Assos. First pair of bibs I has was probably ‘83 (?). As much as I love the brand, the prices have gone way up over the years and quality down. I have two pair now that I break out for crappy weather. Both have chamois that are not aligned well. Which is disappointing for the money spent.
My advice: Don’t think price equates quality. I bought a pair of bibs from The Black Bibs and was immediately impressed. Bought a skinsuit (yeah, not really a ‘need’) and wow, same solid quality! Meanwhile I also bought a set of Castelli aero bibs. Within days the chamois was coming unstitched. Castelli TOTALLY took care that issue, but, jeez, for the money…?
Hope this helps.
Everyone’s got a different behind, and I agree that money doesn’t always equal quality, but my pair of Black Bibs are a few levels below the more expensive bibs I’ve owned. They aren’t the most comfortable on an hour on the trainer, let alone a long ride outside. I was disappointed. DHB was the only cheap brand that ever really impressed me. I’ve gotten other good bibs cheap, but they were heavily discounted bibs that normally went for more.
In terms of cheap brands, I’ve had great luck with Voler bib shorts and DHB bib shorts . The DHB bib shorts are bit odd, though: they come up really high in front, and the chamois is weirdly stiff but not uncomfortable in use.