This is part two of our "90 Days in Assos" review. Previously we reviewed the FI.Uno bibs. Now it's the Fi.Mille. The Mille bibs cost $259.99.
The Fi.Mille is the most popular Assos bib short. Assos designates this bib as their "long distance" short. They designed the Mille to allow for more ease of movement by shaping and using different panels of fabric. There is slightly less compression than on the Uno or the FI.13 bibs and they come in both a "regular" and "long" version. The regular and long versions refer to inseam length which differs by about four centimeters. The regular length seems to me to be about the same length as the older Assos shorts from several years ago, you might call it a euro cut. The chamois is the S5 Mille.
The Mille fit is the first thing to note, it does fit thicker folks a little better than the Uno or the FI13. This is in part due to Assos' aim to allow for ease of movement and generally looser fit. The overall length including the shoulders seems to be the same. Very often we'll make recommendations between the Mille and the Uno based on body type as opposed to technical features. The length of the inseam is part personal preference and part fit. We stock more the "regular" length in smaller sizes because they fit those with shorter legs better. We find that if you have shorter femurs and you are in the medium or small size range, the regular is a better proportional fit. When in doubt about sizing and fit, ask us, we'll take you through the basics and we make it our business to be able to fit people appropriately.
The chamois is next. At first glance, an Uno and a Mille pad look almost identical except for one seam in the front of the chamois. There are differences beyond that however. That seam that you do see is there to reduce pressure on the genital area, the pad is shaped differently. It also has a built in stabilizer to help keep the pad in place during a ride. This in turn helps reduce chaffing which, as a "long distance short", is very important. The surface of the pad is incredibly soft and smooth and just like all the Assos bibs, it stays that way over time. Assos is known for their padding and they are noticeably better than the competition. This is also why you never see an Assos pad in any other shorts. Assos designs their chamois specifically to work perfectly with their shorts. Other companies use padding designed by third party textile companies that are then sewn into their bibs. That's why if you look at a few different brands, you'll see a very familiar grey or red pad and upon closer inspection you'll see they are all made by the same folks. This isn't a bad thing, that's just how the world of bike shorts works. There are far fewer actual makers of bike shorts than there are brands of bike shorts, same with bikes but that's a whole other story we'll save for some other time.
Back to it, let's talk about performance. How do they work? Personally, I fit in the Uno and the FI13 better than the Mille but I have a pair of Mille bibs that have a lot of miles on them. The Mille pad is noticeably different than the Uno, not night and day to me but I do notice. There is a certain degree of "less pressure down there" and they are extremely comfortable. Moisture management is excellent with the pad but also the rest of the fabrics from which the bib is constructed. The fabrics these guys use are absolutely the most advanced on the market. They are durable and come in the typical Assos color spectrum for those who get tired of boring old black bibs. I ride the long version, I'm about 6'2" so the regular ones get a little short for my taste (hello two tone tan lines). The shoulder straps are barely noticeable and they keep the bib right in place without rubbing weird like some others do. At the end of the day, these are awesome bibs as you would expect, They have a great warranty, they feel great, they last and that's all it takes.
To sum it up, there is a reason we sell Assos here. It is the best. Assos designs things to be the best. They don't try to hit price points and they don't make things so they can sell more volume. Nor do they try to squeeze the most margin out of every product they make. They make things that perform, things that work. Much like the other products we sell at Bespoke, Assos is committed to manufacturing better products rather than more disposable products in greater numbers. The idea is not to produce a product that is outdated in a season or a product that wears out just in time for the next season's production. I've met the owners of Assos and they are utterly rabid cyclists committed to making something that works better than anything else.
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