Assos

T Equipeshorts S7 Bmc - Men's

Being the official clothing sponsor of a World Tour Team like BMC is a double edge sword. On one hand, you get consistent feedback from riders putting in more miles than we can dream of that help refine the clothing. On the other hand, pros are used to having their way, so you have to be adaptable and meet their needs. Ultimately, we think we win out, allowing the pros to put in the R&D time while we reap the benefits. Assos' T Equipeshorts S7 Bmc is a slight update to the bib it supplies the team, meeting the requests they asked for.

Assos spent six years working closely with its Weksmannshcaft factory team in the development of the T.equipe_S7's, fine-tuning every detail until it was released to the cycling world. The T.equipe_S7's occupy the low-volume race-fit option among Assos' clearly defined _S7 line, crafting a streamlined and precise fit applied specifically while in the riding position. Assos uses its Type.439 fabric to construct the main body of the shorts, a supportive synthetic material designed to transfer moisture quickly away from your skin as you ride while stabilizing your muscles with a moderately compressive five-panel design. Some degree of compression has become standard amongst top-end kits, and Assos isn't a stranger to its ability to limit fatigue-inducing road vibrations while you're riding for hours. Keep in mind that fatigue comes from riding in the heat too, so Assos chose to finish Type.439 with an iceColor treatment aiming to reduce the surface temperature of dark fabrics prone to absorbing heat from the sun. This sounds ideal for clothing designed to tackle long days circling France for three weeks in the summer.

The five-panel design Assos chose for the T.equipe_S7's is notably more minimal than the standard eight-panel construction adopted by most bib shorts. Assos' reasoning for choosing a five-panel design is that it achieves a slightly asymmetrical compressive hold that stretches more laterally than in a linear direction. This tuned stretch works to firmly secure the short in-place while you're stretched out in the drops and feels slightly restrictive while standing. Devout Assos fans know this signature "click on" fit well and know that the slight discomfort off the bike is a small price to pay for the incredibly precise fit that the short achieves once you're riding. One important update on this bib short requested by the team occurs at its lower back panel. Assos removed the central seam in favor of a single arced panel. This not only provides for better real estate of the sponsors’ logos, but it also creates a better compressive wrap just above the back of the insert for more support.

Assos also introduced a new Y7 bib strap design for the short, moving the straps outward toward the obliques for better support and it eliminates the gap that often forms along the torso between the collarbone and upper hips keeping the straps closer to the body. And now for the star of the T.equipe's technological dominance: the chamois. First, as with all of the _S7 collection, it's designed in Assos' amethyst color. According to Assos, this purple hue was chosen to pay homage to the clothing of Roman emperors, English monarchs, and members of Japanese aristocracy, as the historically-significant color highlights what it calls the "most technically advanced cycling shorts on Earth."

As one of the top-end chamois within the _S7 line, it receives the bulk of Assos' technical innovations to emerge from its extensive product testing. The engineers began with an 8mm-thick memoryFoam material. This was first introduced on the venerable _s2 FI.13, as its shock absorbing composition returns to its original position, "filling the gap," every time the pedaling position changes in the saddle through the shift of weight. The memoryFoam features multiple layers, with its superAir and waffle composition making up the first two. This perforated design works to increase breathability and shed weight. Additionally, this dimpling, combined with the ultra-soft microfiber top sheet, effectively pulls moisture from within the layers below, which allows it to dry much quicker than the previous _s5 chamois.

Once Assos got the chamois layup to their standards, the engineers began rethinking the way a traditional chamois is attached to the shorts. This led them to a development they have proudly decided to refer to as "goldenGate," which essentially interrupts the stitching along both of the chamois' side panels, allowing for a more "three-dimensional" freedom of movement in this sensitive, rotational area. Additionally, because the seams are eliminated, friction is minimized even further. But if that weren't enough, Assos went ahead and extended the chamois' thinly-padded sides over this short-to-chamois junction, making the transition against your skin as smooth as possible.

The last refinement came to the leg panels where BMC Racing Team riders told it that during sweltering days, this region of the shorts became noticeably hotter and less breathable than the Type.439 Diadema material right above it. So, its new team-issue shorts now utilize a lighter, more breathable material here, providing the same excellent hold along the leg openings, courtesy of its optimized-stretch superFlat grippers.