Comfort personified.
Assos have long been masters of the Cycling short. Many of the industry's innovations have come from Assos' factory and have been imitated but to our minds, never bettered.
Assos retain a look and brand image that no other cycling apparel company seem to be able to match. With their shiny models, clean lines and clear attention to both aesthetic details and technical performance they have carved a name for themselves as something of an aspirational product and an industry benchmark. Assos are our best selling clothing brand by some significant margin, and to a man (and woman), we at 700 all own a pair of Assos shorts.
Forever developing and striving to better the garments they produce, Assos have delivered many of the advances in cycling apparel over the years. 6 years ago they developed the s5 insert for their shorts range which was the first to incorporate a waffle texture in the pad to reduce bulk and increase breathability.
For 2014 Assos have released a completely new range of shorts that once again increase rider comfort through careful textile choice and innovative approaches which come from a fundamental understanding of what it is that riders want. This is born out in a range that has something for all types of rider, from weekend warrior to seasoned Elite Racers.
The range centres on the development of the insert which Assos term _s7 and like so much of Assos' range also focuses on reducing the bulk while retaining high levels of performance. The s7 pad is a 3-Layer construction and comes in 4 guises depending on the use and / or rider type. The T.cento is the replacement for our biggest selling short, the Mille_s5, and sets a new benchmark in comfort for distance riding.
All s7 shorts share common features such as a new bib construction method, rather than the traditional bib, all s7 shorts feature a Y-frame carrier construction on both the front and rear which helps keep the short in wrinkle free, ergonomic form at all times. This is coupled with a minimal pattern design descended from the Aerosuits as used by the Swiss Olympic Team in 2012, basically the system reduces the number of seams used in the garment for increased comfort and better aerodynamics which is further enhanced by Assos' new SuperFlat leg grippers. Ultimately this leads to a more stable and comfortable short. Another feature found on the T.equipe model upwards is the bibStabiliser present at shoulder height each side of the bibs at the front which allows the wearer to optimise the fit position; they also serve - Assos claim - as a handy sunglass holder, though why you would be walking around in sunglasses and just your bibs is a question best left alone!
Lycra has always been a compression fabric but we are all now aware of the benefits of supported musculature. As such the s7 range of shorts feature AEMT (Asymmetric Elastic Module Tech) and muscleStabilizer textiles. The former is directionally cut and stabilizes and supports muscle elongation and the higher Spandex percentage of the latter lends better vibration control to keep muscles fresh. With that said, as a function of their target rider, T.cento shorts feature a newly designed comfortFit: slightly less compression and a less restrictive fit on the waist and abdominal areas with a mesh-like fabric at the front to increase moisture transfer. Leg circumference and length are the same as on the T.équipe. The T.cento also uses Assos' iceColour - a reflective fabric treatment developed to reflect sunlight in order to avoid heat build up; the idea being to keep muscles at a cooler, more stable, optimal operational level.
The _s7 insert is the heart of the beast. Constructed from Memory Foam which, like mattresses returns to shape when pressure is released, means every time pedaling position is changed in the saddle through shift of weight, the foam "fills the gap" resulting in greater comfort in the saddle. The biggest development that features across the range of shorts is what Assos term their goldenGate. We're not sure who comes up with the names but the concept is sound! Historically, shorts are sewn or glued between the legs. Assos s7 shorts are no longer fastened all the way round in this fashion, instead there are no seams in this sensitive area allowing more 3-dimensional movement with less friction.
Though using the same basic construction as the rest of the range, the stand out feature of the T.cento is undoubtedly the pad. Whereas all other models in the range use 8mm of memory foam, the T.cento uses 10mm giving obvious additional comfort. It also features a very special ASSOS invention, kuKuPenthouse. Similar to the way the Mille-s5 had a 'folding' area, the front section of the cento insert has a low volume circular inlet that accommodates the male anatomy in cocoon-like comfort and yet holds everything securely in a skin-contact textile that is devoid of stitching. This area thus has a greater degree of airflow allowing for cooler genitals - which is of course, is the reason nature left them outside in the first place!
Part of Assos' AEPD construction ethos has been to minimise bulk in their garments and this is most evident in the T.cento shorts. The addition of anatomical side panels with zero padding to reduce friction whilst pedaling and a pad that is incorporated into the lower back seams of the short, reduces chaffing and eliminates areas that can cause discomfort. Factor in the superAir feature where the lower layer of the 3-layer pad is also waffled and perforated and you have a well ventilated, supportive and extremely comfortable insert that will not distract, even over the course of the most epic rides.
The Assos T.cento is a performance piece. It is most suited to riders who are spending serious time in the saddle and for very long distance rides. As a function of their construction and their less restrictive fit the T.cento bib shorts are also ideally suited to more robust body types.