After six years in production, the S9 generation of shorts is being introduced this summer by technical cycling apparel brand ASSOS of Switzerland.
Built on an entirely new platform and following mile after mile of rigorous testing not only from the in-house product testers but also riders at the highest level of the sport, S9 marks the future of race-tuned comfort.
The S9 generation employs A-Lock Engineering – a brand new bracing system comprising proprietary textiles and technologies working together to stabilize the shorts and secure the insert in place. Building upon everything learned through previous models, the S9 incorporates just two panels, with a primary “butterfly” panel fully wrapping the legs and converging in the rear to form the ergoBox structure.
The RS model places added focus on stability through the unique rollBar, which holds the insert in place as the rider’s weight transfers from left to right. For the racer who considers every extra gram, the RSR model eliminates the rollBar to cut a touch more weight, relying on its compressive textile to do the added stabilizing.
The redesigned bib straps use calibrated stretch throughout the rear section, which form an A-frame in the back. It delivers vertical stretch for added stability, while the straps at the front are made of a more flexible material with an antibacterial carbon weave, to wick moisture and lay flat.
The insert has been developed through a single race mission and is an advancement on the Equipe EVO platform. To produce a streamlined, race-spec insert, superAir microShock foam has been used alongside a 3D waffle and kraterCooler system to increase airflow. The result? An insert that provides the total ASSOS comfort you’ve come to know and trust.
Roche Maier, Brand and Product Chief said: “Our S9 shorts incorporate the knowledge and expertise gained through over 40 years of producing technically advanced cycling apparel. We strived and succeeded to create the perfect balance between lightweight and stability to provide total ASSOS comfort leaving the rider with nothing to focus on but the ride ahead.”
The new full Equipe RS collection will be available through ASSOS.com and through ASSOS stockists nationwide in January 2019.
ASSOS will be in Syndicate room 2 at COREbike.
About ASSOS
After more than forty years making apparel for the most passionate cyclists, ASSOS places great emphasis on delighting the rider who lives to push the limits. In 1976, ASSOS of Switzerland was founded by Toni Maier with an unlikely advancement, the first carbon fiber bicycle frame. Whilst endlessly researching aerodynamics on the bike in the wind tunnel, Toni soon came to realize that the clothing the riders were wearing was in fact the main cause of drag. At this point, Toni turned his attention to clothing and invented the first Lycra® cycling shorts. This invention led to pro teams paying to wear ASSOS shorts during the Tour de France and to date, ASSOS is proud to have played a role in more than 350 gold medals at world championships and Olympic games.
ASSOS works side by side with suppliers and gathers feedback from its internal test team to produce fabrics that offer optimum comfort for the rider. As a result of its continual investment in R&D, the pioneering company is behind additional key innovations that have shaped the evolution of the cycling world and have now become industry standards. These include the first sublimation of a cycling jersey in 1980, the first elastic interface cycling short insert in 2001 and the creation of the fastest bodysuit on earth in 2004.
Today, ASSOS prides itself on supplying total cycling comfort to the top level within competitive cycling through multiple sponsorships of World Tour teams and riders. But away from the medal haul, passionate and ambitious cyclists in more than 30 countries across the globe glean the same benefits from the ASSOS innovation, thanks to the brand’s worldwide distribution via 1,000 independent top bike stores as well as its own boutiques and corporate online store.
