Most riders are familiar with the Swiss clothing brand Assos, whether as their go-to cycling apparel or something to aspire to. Assos used to be head-and-shoulders more expensive than almost every other brand, but these days there are plenty of other manufacturers asking just as much, if not more, for their clothing. In fact, the new endurance-biased Mille GT products from Assos are very reasonably priced indeed.
The line between racing clothing and endurance clothing can be tricky to spot at the best of times, and you could probably lay the blame squarely at marketing departments as much as anything, but apparently, as part of their endurance series, the Assos Mille GT Jersey S11 Evo majors on all-day comfort rather than aerodynamics or muscle compression.
Construction
AirCell, the main body fabric, is so light that Assos recommends the use of sunscreen underneath the jersey, and the open hexagon pattern certainly looks like it should offer plenty of breathability. There is a new material used for the raw-cut sleeves called Eclipse, which is super light but does offer SPF 50 protection, so the jersey could lead to some interesting tan lines unless you are careful!
The AirCell fabric is used in the main body of the jersey
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
The collar is a little higher than seems to be the modern race style, although, conversely, the sleeves are shorter. The contrast-coloured zip has a guard at the bottom to protect the shorts from snagging, but there is no garage at the top to prevent neck irritation, all fastened with a chunky Assos logo zip pull.
Classic Assos detail on the zip pull
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
An elastic silicone gripper keeps the rear hem in place, whilst the front hem is bonded rather than sewn for a very clean and classy finish. The pockets on all colourways are black and use Assos’ Triple Ramp design, intended to make access slightly easier, with internal flaps to help keep the contents secure. Disappointingly, especially for an all-day, non-race jersey, there is no zipped pocket. This seems like a major oversight on an endurance product, as the intended users are not likely to have a team car following them round with their valuables, and we all need to carry keys, cards or cash on rides.
The Triple Ramp pockets are robust and supportive, but lack a secure option for valuables
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
The Mille GT jersey S11 Evo is available in seven block colours and sizes XS to 3XL for men and six colours for women, in 2XS to 2XL.
The ride
The Mille GT Jersey S11 Evo is built on the regularFit shape rather than the racingFit of the Equipe Series products. Don’t, however, think that this translates as baggy – the Mille GT is as close-fitting as I’d expect any medium-sized jersey to be on me. Where the difference to the racingFit manifests itself more is in the sleeve length and collar height; the sleeves are at least a couple of centimetres shorter than I’m used to, and the collar is a little higher than race-orientated jerseys tend to be. There is also no sign of any aero-optimised fabrics.
The AirCell fabric is certainly rather light – I could actually read my computer screen through it, and it proved to be plenty breathable enough for warm Canarian climbs on a winter sun trip. It was also pretty quick-drying, which isn’t always the case with jersey fabrics, so any sweat that was generated didn’t hang around too long. The Eclipse material used for the sleeves was also very light but denser than the AirCell, and stayed in place well without rucking up.
The fabrics were great at managing moisture on hot climbs
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
It’s a personal opinion, but I’m not a huge fan of the pockets being black – I’d prefer a more homogenous look to the jersey, but the dark material is more robust than the main fabric (or in Assos speak – Stabilizer V11 Back Panel). This helps keep the pocket contents stable and reduces the risk of damaging them when stuffed to bursting point.
I get the idea behind the internal flaps in the pockets; they might work to secure a phone or a gilet a bit better, but they are no real help in keeping other valuables safe. The lack of a zipped pocket seems very odd to me.
Perfect for winter sun in Gran Canaria
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
Having had a couple of pairs of shorts and longs damaged a bit by rough jersey and jacket zips, the small protector at the bottom of the zip was a welcome sight, and although there wasn’t a garage or similar protector at the top, I can’t say that I missed it. The front of the jersey is reasonably low, so it doesn’t come into contact with the neck anyway, with the collar sculpted down at this point.
Value and conclusion
Other than the subjective aesthetics of the black pockets and slightly sawn-off sleeves, the Mille GT Jersey S11 Evo is a fine jersey. As you’d expect from Assos, the finish and feel are excellent, and the selected fabrics perform very well in warm temperatures. The fit, on me anyway, was great and certainly didn’t feel particularly like a lesser jersey to the raceSeries.
Of course, I am a bit upset about the lack of a security pocket, but on the other hand, this jersey is only £115 / $170, which feels very reasonable indeed when Assos and plenty of other brands will happily relieve you of well over £200 / $250 for some jerseys. Partner it with the matching Mille GT Bib Shorts S11, and you have a great-looking, very comfortable, high-quality riding outfit for less than £250 – not peanuts, but good value nonetheless.
