Known by many as “the shorts company”, Assos has long been proud to have this moniker. It is true that their heritage lies in shorts and the sport of road cycling, but they have also never been scared to take on new challenges, to demand more from themselves. They are now very proud to announce the latest edition to their product range: a mountain bike specific outfit, the likes of which, they feel, has never been seen before.
This may seem extraordinary to some, as though they are turning their back on road cycling, but this is far from the truth. Their new Off-Road Rally line has been specifically designed to meet the demands of mountain biking. Refined through the experience of their in-house test team, the Werkmannschaft, the Swiss Cycling Federation, which Assos has sponsored for over 12 years, and through their testing at the Cape Epic mountain bike race, they are confident that their new Off-Road Rally lines heralds a new generation in mountain bike apparel.
Fast and Tough, the new Assos Off-Road Rally collection is not a lumbering 4×4, but a speeding rally car. Constructed using tougher materials to endure the extra punishment that mountain biking presents to clothing, yet simultaneously light and nimble, allowing your body the freedom to perform at its maximum. Not only anatomic specific to the riding position using during long-distance mountain biking, there is also the added security of their impactPad inserts that fit in their T.rally shorts, which give extra protection should you decide to have an impromptu meeting with Mother Nature.
“We are really excited to present mountain bikers with the Assos comfort and performance. After years of hard work, testing and development our new Off-Road Rally line is a must for any mountain bikers who demand the most out of their apparel,” said Omar Visentin, Assos Research and Development Director. “Fast and Tough, Off-Road Rally marks a new era in high performance mountain bike apparel.”
The Fast and Tough, Off-Road Rally collection debuts with 3 styles, T.RallyShorts_s7, SS.rallytrekkingJersey_evo7 and SS.cape_epicXCJersey_evo7, representing the first Assos MTB specific high performance shorts and short sleeve jerseys. They are built on the industry leading S7 platform and adapted to MTB ergonomics with a specifically designed MTB chamois, protection and fabrics.
The T.RallyShorts will see their first days of professional racing at this week’s 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Norway. Assos is the official clothing provider of the Swiss National Mountain Bike Team, including current World Champion Nino Schurter. The worldwide consumer launch of Assos Off-Road Rally is February 2015 and the full line will be available at select Assos retailers in North America.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
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Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
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