A roadie’s cup
My first pair of shorts was Assos and they’re hanging in a closet downstairs – I ride them on the rollers since they wore out where the pad meets the saddle long ago. That pair was a generation away from leather chamois and I’ve owned other pieces that’ll last that long, if not longer. Before we get into the how much their kit cost and is it worth debate, let me say that Assos knows their market and how to cultivate it. An Assos customers identifies with them as a lifestyle choice; as much as any other luxury brand does and it doesn’t matter really what it cost. Their kit is for a cyclists that wants the best, most technical, stylish product.
As I learned in our meeting during Press Camp, the market for Assos is strong with an expectation they’ll sell all they make each year. They’re also privately owned to this day with a long history of innovation, including the first carbon bike and use of Lyrca. Assos enjoys a level of devotion from their customer that any bike brand would hope to achieve. At least the name recognition associated with being a full-on, white-bootie wearing, shaved-leg, Euro-styled roadie right down to the luggage you carry, slippers, robe, and coffee mug. Their new eyewear is a good example of the brand. Wear something like that and you have to own it, like I did when Briko made a similar style for Cipo.
Wore these when Briko made ‘em, all Bono in his Fly phase or like Cipo
I tried these during our meet, a colleague @tinyblackblox swears by them, and they’ve got the best optics you’ve ever seen through and prices start at $400.00 USD.
For the Assos customer, this is a lifestyle
Olympic team kit
Video
In this video, John Lindstrom from Assos North America introduces us to their 12/13 line. Assos is available at a bike shop near you and online. Watch another video with Assos from last year. They’ve got new price points in their Mille line for accessories. Read more about that and the rest of the line on their website.
More Photos
More photos from Press Camp are lightboxed on G+ and Flickr.
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