The funny looking blue thing floating in the clouds just happens to be one of the keys to Assos of Switzerland's success. The Assos chamois is the epicentre of comfort for those of you who have been looking for something far superior to anything you've experienced to date. Unlike every chamois I've tried, which has always been constructed as a one piece system, Assos who pioneered the Elastic Interface Technology with an Italian company called CyTech, uses a chamois that incorporates two levels of "bottoms up comfort" technology. The part that directly interfaces with your bottom is the magical "blue stuff" seen in the photo above. It's purpose in life is to stay in close proximity to your bottom and feverishly wick moisture away from it. The part you can't see and touch, is sandwiched in between the shorts A430 material, not just lycra like everybody else uses, but a fabric designed, tested and produced exclusively by Assos for it's own product line. The material took the company over five years to develope, so it's not just an afterthought, it's extreme comfort technology at the absolute leading edge. Tucked in between the Assos A430 material and the magic "blue stuff" is the second part of Assos chamois. As you can see from the stitching pattern above, there are two separate pieces to the second part of the chamois, that enables it to move with your body and yes your bottom and contact points like no other chamois can do.

Hey, for years I've been labelled as a "pro bike short snob", always interested in the best comfort, and have ridden nothing but the best the world has to offer in bib shorts, but trust me, nothing has come close to the comfort I've experienced from riding the Assos product. What do I ride? The T FI.Mille S5, the perennial Assos best seller, as well as the pinnacle of cycling shorts, the Assos T FI.F13 S5 bibs. The difference? The construction of the chamois, and the mix of proprietary materials used. The FI. Mille utilizes both A430, and A431 material, and the FI.F13 uses both of the former materials as well as two large strips of their highly compressive, abrasion resistant A432 fabric in the mid section of the short that provides unbelievable 'junk" support and comfort.

How do they feel? The FI.Mille is the best seller and labelled as the company's long distance short, but these days with customers focused on comfort, it has become their number one selling short. Because it is longer in the leg than the FI.F13, when first trying it on in the change room, one as skinny as Zach or I might feel it's a big in the gripper area, but hop on the bike, assume the position, and the short immediately melts to your body form. The FI.F13? Well let's say when I pull them on, I notice a huge difference. The F13 is shorter in the leg, it fits very snug due to the strategically placed compressive bands of A432 material, and it makes me feel and want to go fast every time I get on my bike. Sort of like toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube. When these puppies are pulled on, I feel the urge to race, push the limits, and yet still be absolutely super comfortable during the ride.

At Bicycles Plus, we also stock the Assos FI. Uno S5 bibs, and the main difference here is that this short incorporates the Assos A430 material fully thoughout the product. This short still has the magical "blue stuff", still has the super comfortable two piece chamois underneath, just less technology in the fabric, and the stitching, which provides a bit less breathability, and a bit less compression, but still acheives a comfort level far superior to all the other products out there.

We've just received our second shipment of Assos after selling out of our initial product launch. Want to experience the heavenly feel of ultimate comfort or would you rather save a few bucks and continue to ride in misery forever? The choice is totally yours.

Assos products, exclusively sold in Nova Scotia by Bicycles Plus.