Review: Review: Mile-eating Assos S5 shorts from the ASSOS Official Factory Outlet
Won’t make a MAMIL faster, but will keep them comfy over many a mile! Top-notch shorts with a reduced price, offering great value!
Its advertising can sometimes be a little bit ‘odd’ shall we say, and their prices can induce an occasional wince in the eyes, but there’s no doubt about it, once you put on a pair of Assos T FI.MILLE_S5 shorts all those niggles fly straight out of the window!
I’ve been spending my time of late riding both the standard and the longer-legged versions of the S5 short, and have got on really well with them (disclaimer – I am being supported by the ASSOS Official Factory Outlet with Assos kit for the Transcontinental race – however I will be open and honest with all reviews <some of which won’t be hugely positive!>).
At 5’6 3/4” I wear the small short, and it fits nicely, albeit with a higher leg, similar in style to shorts of a few years ago, the longer legged short has an extra 4cm to it, which brings it closer to the more fashionable style of today – performance wise they are identical, its purely the aesthetics and the tan-lines which change.
The first thing to notice is the weight, they are very light indeed. On inspection of the pad it’s clear that any excess has been taken away, it’s fitted and shaped nicely with no extra material to make you uncomfortable. The lycra has a very light-touch to it, making it silky-smooth as you wear it, almost second-skin like in its comfort levels, at times it feels like nothing is being worn at all on your legs, obviously in a good way!
Out on the bike and the design really shines, the shorts themselves are super comfy, offering mile after mile of saddle happiness with zero irritation. The fit is splendid. tight without pressurised, and the mesh bibs ensure that excess heat doesn’t stick around.
With reflective tabs on the front and rear of the shorts there’s some low-light consideration, and I’m told by my wife, after she followed me in the car, that they are very good from in front and behind in adding some visibility in the dark. The biggest, and probably only, downside is that the reflective leg cuff is on the left, which is great if you ride anywhere apart from the UK so cars etc will see you, but in the UK it’s not that handy!
The packaging is reassuringly smart, with trial sizes of both chamois cream and fabric wash, and even a wash bag (to avoid velcro contact as much as possible), all in all adding up to a very nice total package.
The S5 is Assos’s previous top-line product, now replaced by the even more expensive S7 short, available from the AssosOutlet at much reduced prices it’s now cheaper than many other companies top-line shorts. Does it offer good value? yeah, I think so, at the original price it was steep, no doubt about it, at the new price it’s certainly not cheap, however it’s worth every penny!
Thanks again go to the team at the ASSOS Official Factory Outlet!
