These bib shorts may not be what we are used to in the MTB world however they are mainly designed by ASSOS for demanding longer rides where you are pushing your limits as they were actually tested and endorsed by BMC’s MTB Racing Team in the 2017 UCI MTB World Cup!

My first overall impression of the shorts is that they are lightweight, strong and tight yet you still feel like you can easily move and perform in them.

You can see the amount of time and thought that has gone into these shorts as almost every part of the shorts has a reason:
OFFROAD insert
Type.429 Titanio
dyneRope tex
aeroPatterningFenomeno1 design
Y7 frame carrier bibTech
ASSOS goldenGate technology
ASSOS waffle
Dual bibStabilizer
odorControl
MTB-specific leg grippers
OFFROAD XC RACING LINE

There were two features I was intrigued about and really focusing on when testing and these were the leg grippers and the bib straps.
Although looking and feeling slightly weird the leg grippers do as they say and keep the shorts exactly where you want on long rides when you want to be focusing on the ride.
Again with the bib straps I thought they would be uncomfortable, not for MTB and unable to fully relax while wearing them however I forgot about the straps straight away but like leg grippers the straps keep the everything exactly where you want.

In saying all the above these shorts are more suited to long demanding rides or even racers when you don’t want to worry about your kit not sitting right and moving around and as an added extra they also serve as a holder for Zegho sunglasses.

To buy or take a closer look at the bib shorts please click here.

Technology

OFFROAD insert: Coming with an increased 10 mm of memory foam compared to its road counterpart, this insert is nestled at the intersection between comfort and performance. Central to the fit is the patented elastic insert interface, which was invented by ASSOS and sees the insert move with your body, allowing it to sit in one place to follow your movements, reduce friction and increase comfort. For the OFFROAD XC bib shorts, the position and the added thickness at the rear of the insert have been scrupulously optimized to suit the more upright riding position taken while mountain biking.

Type.429 Titanio: A unique textile, engineered with expertise that uses a 4-way stretch to maximize the elasticity of the fabric.

dyneRope tex: Full side panels consist of our all-new dyneRope textile, a close-fitted woven fabric with ripstop weaving in black polyethylene. The world’s strongest fiber, 15 times stronger than steel. Lightweight and cut resistant. This material has been placed eternally where the riders’ legs are more exposed to the risk of abrasion when crashing.

aeroPatterningFenomeno1 design: Drawing on everything we learned from our project to create the fastest skinsuit for the London 2012 Olympics, this technical design is instantly noticeable when you put on the short. Crafted with a patent-pending single seam that sits on the rear of your legs, this means the main fabric of the short wraps around your thighs to give you a unique level of comfort and compression from our S7 generation of shorts.

Y7 frame carrier bibTech: Another noticeable difference in our S7 generation of shorts can be found on the bibs themselves. Cut from wider elastic, they sit with less pressure on your shoulders. The design meets two objectives: less friction and more comfort.

The ASSOS goldenGate technology within the insert interrupts the sewing in the area between the legs to create three-dimensional freedom of movement in the most sensitive area. This design has fewer seams, which results in reduced friction. This is a patent-protected feature that is central to our S7 generation of shorts.

The
ASSOS waffle was introduced on the S5 and has been further perfected for S7. Instead of using a monolithic linear foam as the middle layer, S7 is equipped with a perforated foam resulting in a reduction in weight and increased breathability.

Dual bibStabilizer: An invaluable feature on the bib straps to provide stability while pushing hard, now in a dual design for off-road peace of mind. They also serve as a holder for Zegho sunglasses.

odorControl: We’ve treated the shorts with an anti-bacterial treatment.

MTB-specific leg grippers: Mountain biking can be a grueling sport and, as such you ask a fair bit of your legs so it’s paramount that they’ve got sufficient compression and compliancy to push on the climbs.

OFFROAD XC RACING LINE: At ASSOS we understand that the fit of your apparel is key to its performance. When we engineer a product to perform under the most extreme conditions—such as while racing—we employ a tighter and slightly more compressive fit. It will feel like a second skin while riding, although it is likely to feel restrictive when not in the riding position. Consequently, it results in a higher performance, improved comfort and less drag.

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