Assos Shorts - worn and piling after a month?

HonestAl

After reading over and over again how bombproof Assos shorts are, when I saw the special offer in Evans in April of 10% off I spent my hard earned pennies on a pair of F1 Uno Bib shorts.

I've worn them maybe 6 times since, only hand washed them and this morning I notice that the fabric is piling inside my left thigh.

Now I've got a bunch of other shorts of various makes, none of which come anywhere near Assos on price and not one of them has this form of wear. When I phoned Evans this morning the chap who answered didn't seem particularly surprised that they were worn like this - even when I explained they'd been worn a few times, probably not more than 300 miles worth of riding and told me they'd likely consider it to be "wear and tear". To be fair to him he also said he couldn't tell over the phone, but I wasn't filled with confidence.

The Assos site says piling is never a manufacturing defect.

Hmm, 300 miles and worn not considered a defect, normal wear and tear? Give me a break

I'm amazed that after such a short time they're wearing like this. Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Anonymous

Nope, me and clubmates have done thousands of miles with no probs at all. Your thigh rubbing on the saddle?

STEFANOS4784

Did you have other items in the machine when you washed them?

bendertherobot

Yep. I had that. A small bobbling patch. That was on brand new ones and it was the saddle bag that did it.

My new (mint) ones, (saddlebag removed) have no bobbling at all.

giant_man

Had my older pair of FI.13s for about four or five years and they're fine. Done a LOT of miles.

If it's a genuine case of a bad pair, send them back to Assos, either they'll repair or replace. That's what you pay for. Don't waste your time with Evans, why should they care?

cougie

It is odd if your other shorts havent shown any sign of wear in the same place ? Then it must be a manufacturing fault ? Do you wash them in the little mesh bag too ?

Monty Dog

I'd check for a velcro strap on your seat pack or clothing - I have 8 year old Assos shorts that are pill-free.

HonestAl

thanks for the replies, sounds like most of you have had the experience that I'd read about which led me to buy them. In response to some of the points, I've only hand washed them so far, so I've not used the little bag. I can't imagine what they're rubbing on other than the edge of the saddles, either a fizik ariione, or the basic saddle which Planet X put on their bikes, so barely anything exotic. I do have a tiny pack with a couple of tubes in it on the back of the saddle, but that's safely out of harms way and not rubbing the shorts - or I'd feel it (and see evidence of it doing so on the others I suspect)

I'm bemused. I think I will probably send them direct to Assos rather than back to Evans. Before I do I'd like to mail them. I can't seem to find an email address. Their site just gives a Swiss phone number, and the very nice booklet in the packaging a snail mail addy. I'm about to whack off an email to info@assos.com in the hope that someone picks it up, but does anyone have an address they know works?

Ta

giant_man

It's all on their site mate, just have to look

http://www.assos.com/en/23/warranty___r ... olicy.aspx

APIII

I've had this on a couple of pairs (out of about 6 pairs in total), but as it is in the same place on both pairs I have put it down to rider error. I think in my case the alignment of the saddle was slightly off. My newest pair are ok, so I assume this must have been the cause

DaSy

The saddle pack you have, is it of those Continental single tube and lever type ones that has a single velcro loop that passes round the saddle railsand back on itself?

The reason I ask is that one of those caused exactly that on a pair of Rapha 3/4's and a pair of Goirdana's before I realised what is was. The end of the strap stuck out slightly past the velcro it attached to, and meant a little bit of the grippy side of the velcro was exposed. When pedalling, the inside of my thigh when at the bottom of the stroke, would just touch the velcro strap, I couldn't feel it at all, but it was just enough to cause pilling on that patch.

It took me sitting on the turbo on the bike and inspecting the whole pedal stroke for about half an hour before I spotted it. I was convinced it was the saddle doing it, and nearly bought a new one before I realised.

I would set the bike up exactley as you would on a ride, saddle pack stuffed with usual tubes etc, and try riding on the turbo to see if you can spot what is touching it - it's much easier on the turbo as you can lean over to the side to check etc.

It must be caused by some sort of friction against it somehow.

I have 3 pairs of F1 Mille's and they have put in many K's of miles and still look and feel like new.

HonestAl

Right, investigation done courtesy of a helpful son peering as I sat, and egg being wiped off face. The teeny innocuous pack has indeed got a bit of velcro which holds it against the seat tube. And as the way I had it aligned left an even teenier bit of the toothy part of the velcro exposed. And believe it or not, and I'm sure you all do, said teeny bit of velcro was brushed by the shorts, just like wot DaSy suggests

Interesting that none of the other shorts seem bothered though. Ah we'll, c'est la vie. As you were. (Or is that Assos... )

Thanks to all

giant_man

Ah velcro will do it alright. One of my assos jerseys was rubbing against the velcro insert of my helmet strap and catching on the collar. Result - worn some fabric away, so lesson learned.

We've all been there honestal ... :roll:

Anonymous

This is exactly the sort of thread that forums were invented for! Good effort DaSy!

bendertherobot

Aye. I've gone over to using a bottle as my toolbag now. Very wary of anything around my Assos short area!

DaSy

Glad to be of service, as NapoleonD said, this is what forums are supposed to be about; the chance to share incredibly random bits of experience with the only other people that would find it interesting.

When I ran upstairs to tell my wife I had discovered the source of the rough patch appearing on my shorts, she was less than enthusiastic, "that's nice dear" was about all I got!