Experience with Assos? Fraying on saddle?Ladies bib shorts

nuggiebok

To cut a long story short because I've typed it out once already and lost it...

I bought a pair of a assos lady s5 bib shorts on Thursday. I justified the price tag because they felt like a second skin in the fitting room and like nothing I've ever tried before. I went out that night and cycled 20 miles. I was expecting great things compared to my current shorts, a £30 pair of altura progels. How wrong I was!

Uncomfortable creasing in the crotch top of thigh area, numbness at the front of my lady bits, which I've only ever experienced once when I bought a pair of cheap thick foam chamois tights when I first started. Plus some fraying starting on the right thigh as if they'd been rubbing on something, which they haven't.

The bike shop were really good, and agreed to swap them for the next step up at no extra cost to me. Apparently the fit is an issue for some ladies. They tried to explain the fraying as possibly being caused by my saddle. What they didn't convince me of was why I'd not suffered this issue with any of my previous shorts or tights after cycling over 600 miles since starting in 2013.

I've checked my saddle tonight, it's a standard Giant/liv avail. It is stitched with ridges but is lovely and smooth. The area of fraying wouldn't even have touched the saddle.

So my question is, why would assos shorts suffer this when no others would, and can a smooth saddle cause these issues?? I'd like to hear your experiences with assos too please. I'm still trying to justify the price tag...

Omar Little

Perhaps rubbing against velcro or a buckle if you have a saddle bag?

robbo2011

perhaps the pad just doesn't work for you, in which case I would move on to another brand. Regarding the fraying, it has to be because the fabric is rubbing against something. The fabric won't get damaged on its own.

nuggiebok

But why would these shorts rub in 5 miles when I've done 600 miles in others and no sign of wear at all?

Cycling Caesar

Could be that your other shorts also rub but the seams aren't in the same place so it's not catching on anything.

But like you said, it's odd so it could just be a faulty pair.

rafletcher

nuggiebok wrote:

But why would these shorts rub in 5 miles when I've done 600 miles in others and no sign of wear at all?

Because you were uncomfortable and moving around perhaps? As others have said, fabric doesn't / can't fray on it's own, and Assos lycra is strong stuff.

northpole

A problem I suffered ages ago was a Velcro strap which held the saddle bag firmly against the seat post and a tiny bit of it projected out. I would never have noticed it were it not for the damage caused to the lycra shorts. That's about the only thing which springs to mind. Lycra is very easily damaged if rubbed against an abrasive surface, but equally incredibly robust if not.

Peter

jaxf

Is the S5 the turquoise pad which I find a bit big? I prefer the orange pad, which is smaller and seems somehow to sit better with my anatomy and saddle... which I think has the advantage of also being in their cheaper range?

Sorry to hear you didn't get on well with them. Everyone's different, but for a long or hard ride, for me it's Assos every time. (apart from their crap bibs with the special clip fastener at the front supposedly to make it easier to go the loo - which it doesn't, but which works excellently if by excellent you mean coming unexpectedly open and choking you as you ride along)

My husband had the same issue of fraying, sent his bibs back to Assos and had to eat humble pie when they demonstrated to everyone's satisfaction that it was the particular combo of those bibs and the velcro on his saddlebag.

on-yer-bike

a piece of electrical tape sticking out from under the saddle badly damaged my assos shorts after one long ride. however the edge of the pad badly damaged the front of my thigh at the same time. a 30 mm vertical sore. Rapha are much better and my wife prefers them too.