Assos Mille GT Winter Jacket & Bib Tights Review
Labeled as a winter option for me they are the perfect late fall or early spring solution.
Purchase the Assos Mille GT Winter Jacket for $319
Purchase the Assos Mille GT Winter Bib tights for $219
Assos is a company that offers a lot of options. Whatever temperature range you need to cover Assos has multiple options. Mille GT Winter Jacket and Winter Bib Tights slot in between other solutions and for me they fill a useful spot.
One of my most worn jackets is the Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket. When I received that jacket I called it “the nicest cycling jacket I have ever touched.” The Mille GT Winter Jacket is very similar, just slimmed down. Take the same design as the Ultraz Winter Jacket and strip out some of the insulation and the integrated neck warmer. Do this but leave a similar exterior and you’ve got the Mille GT Winter Jacket.
The Mille GT Winter Jacket is similar to the Ultraz jacket but each have their use.
The Mille GT Winter Jacket might be possible to get in a jersey pocket but I wouldn’t think of it as a packable option. This jacket isn’t for rides where the weather is going to swing so drastically that you’ll actually strip off your jacket. Instead think of those rides that aren’t apocalyptically cold but rather, chilly. If there’s danger of frostbite then reach for the Ultraz Winter Jacket. On the other end of things if there’s a chance you’d want to completely stow your jacket then the Equip RS Rain Jacket might be a good option.
Similarly the Mille GT Winter Bib Tights are best for those rides where you could get away with lined bib shorts and leg warmers. Leg warmers are always a compromise designed to allow flexibility. When you know you aren’t ever going to stow the leg warmers the Mille GT Winter Bib Tights are going to be more comfortable.
As with most Assos products the Mille GT Winter Jacket is a complex patchwork of exactly the right fabrics. The front panel employes NEOS medium while the upper back and tops of the arms use NEOS lite. In both cases this is the Assos take on modern softshell fabrics. The medium version has a backing that feels a bit like waffle weave thermal base layers. The lite version doesn’t have that backing. They will both protect you from the wind while being as breathable as a regular jersey.
The NEOS fabric is also essentially waterproof. There’s always great care taken to say that these kinds of softshell fabrics are not actually waterproof, and that’s true. The rain will eventually overwhelm. Usually the place where rain overwhelms a good soft shell is on the arms. With your arms stretched out towards the bars the water can collect and make its way through over time. If the rain is hard enough to overwhelm the Mille GT Winter Jacket it’s going to be a miserable day. You are likely to be cold and wet regardless of how good your jacket is.
Assos has chosen just the right textile for every panel.
Under the arms and on the lower part of the back is where Assos has designed venting. The material employed in these sections is highly flexible and will insulate. It isn’t designed to keep you dry or stop the wind. This includes the traditional, jersey like, three pockets.
As for the Mille GT Winter bib tights they are rather simple for an Assos product. The fabric used is a heavier version of the same RX stretch material the jacket uses. In this case with the addition of a light water repellant treatment. There’s no zipper at the bottoms of the leg and the most memorable thing about them is how incredibly soft they feel. Assos has a reputation for amazing chamois design and that’s exactly what you will find. In the case of the Mille GT Winter Bib Tights it’s an 8mm thick insert.
I don’t like riding in the cold. I’m constantly cold when other people aren’t and I spend a lot of time in the warmest gear I own. For me riding in the Pacific Northwest the Mille GT Winter Jacket and Winter Bib Tights do not cut it as a winter option. At those times I reach for the Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket and warmer bib tights. Instead I find these items perfect for the shoulder seasons. Spring and Fall is when the Winter Jacket and Winter Bib Tights are going to get a ton of use for me. Times when I grab insulated bib shorts and heavy leg warmers I’m instead going to grab the Mille GT Bib Tights.
The Mille GT Winter Bib Tights are some of the most comfortable bib tights I’ve ever worn.
As for the jacket the times it’s going to get used the most are the many times I used to rely on an Assos hard shell. Instead of choosing between the Sturmprinz or the Equip RS Rain Jacket I can grab the Mille GT Winter Jacket. Depending on the temperature I can pair it with either the Assos Skinfoil Winter LS Baselayer or the Skinfoil Summer SS baselayer. The design of the jacket does a good job handling a wide range of temperatures so as long as you’ve guessed close the thermal regulation will handle the rest.
The advantage to using the Mille GT Winter Jacket instead of a hardshell has a lot to do with pockets. It’s rare to find a hardshell option with good pockets. The Mille GT Winter Jersey uses a three pocket design that feels just like your standard summer cycling jersey. They are easy to get into and hold a ton of stuff. There’s no need to wear an extra layer to add pockets.
I’m always looking to minimize layers when I can do it. The Mille GT Winter Jack and Bib Tights from Assos will help. For many people they will be the only gear you need to get through the winter. That’s not quite the case for me but that doesn’t mean they won’t get used. This is comfortable gear that helps minimize bulky layers.
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