With their introduction of the new-for-2008 S5 bib short line, Assos has discontinued the F.I. 13 S-2 bib. The S-2 has been our best selling bib short for over 4 years, so when we got word of the discontinuation, we bought the entire stock of S-2 bibs remaining in Assos' US warehouse. If you love the S-2's, you need to stockpile them NOW. Once we're sold out, they'll be gone for good. Not just here, but everywhere.

The F.I. 13 S-2 wasn't simply the top-of-the-line bib short from Assos, they're arguably the best bibs money can buy, regardless of brand. Its Elastic Interface chamois will perfectly follow your skin as it moves with every pedal stroke, eliminating the friction that can cause irritation or rashes. The chamois is layered in 2 pieces, providing increased relief in high-pressure zones and greater support. Raised channels at the front of the short allow increased blood flow while the foam lower layer of the chamois absorbs shock and has a memory foam chassis to contour the short to your shape and make them feel "broken in".

The fabric stitching to the F.I. insert is all-but-seamless, and the DuPont-manufactured ACFX Spandex is built to provide the same muscle compression used by world-class weight lifters to maximize muscular power and endurance while minimizing fatigue. The S-2 is unique in that it features a new denser, more durable lycra, meaning you'll get even more mileage out of it than you would out of a standard F.I. 13. And like all Assos bibs, the panels in the lower stomach and upper inner thighs feature a design that eliminates excessive material when you're in the hoods or drops. The result? Less bunching up of fabric, less fabric, an overall more comfortable fit. The vote here at Competitive Cyclist is unanimous: The S-2's are the finest bib short money can buy.

One final note about comparing the S-2 to Assos' other top-of-the-line bib short, the F.I. Mille A.360. The main difference between the S-2 and the A.360 is well known: It's the chamois itself -- the S-2 is a bit thinner, the A.360 is a bit thicker. One other critical (and often overlooked) difference is the leg length of the short itself. The S-2 has a leg length roughly 4cm longer than the A.360. The upside to the longer leg length is that the S-2 more securely holds Assos knee warmers in place. Assos knee warmers are one size fits all. Many folks with long or thick legs who wear A.360's with Assos knee warmers experience the headache of having their knee warmers slide down their leg to the point where the upper elastic of the knee warmer falls below the leg elastic of the short itself, thereby exposing a band of skin to the cold. If you wear knee warmers on a regular basis, the S-2 is a better choice than the A.360. (FYI: since Assos leg warmers come in two sizes, this problem rarely manifests itself with A.360's and leg warmers).