High-falutin' Swiss cycling clothier Assos has a reputation for attention to detail in the production of its garments (perhaps a good job, as the product names don't exactly trip off the tongue).
BikeRadar Women has taken a first look at two items from Assos' autumn/winter 2015 range, which aims to provide protection from the changeable elements at this time of year, whether you're facing down the northern hemisphere autumn or looking forward to the southern hemisphere spring.
hK.434 Lady S5 women's 3/4 knickers
These three-quarter length knickers are designed specifically for the transitional seasons, providing coverage and support over the knee joints.
The spandex fabric, made up of polyester and elastane, is assembled in panels to ensure an ergonomic fit when leaning forward on the drops. In practice, it feels lightly compressive, so in aesthetic terms it holds and supports everything, smoothing out most lumps and bumps.
The hK.434 Lady knickers have an elastic grip on the front to keep the hem in place
One feature of the design we particularly like is the panelled construction around the knee area, which means the seams fall on either side of the calf rather than down the back. The knickers also feature an elastic hem with silicone gripper patches on the front of the leg only.
At the waist, stretch elastic at the rear gives a secure fit, with a wider band at the front being designed to sit comfortably against the stomach when on the drops.
The soft-touch chamois pad is of middling thickness, and has a supportive honeycomb texture. The pad is affixed with a simple zigzag stitch.
For safety, the knickers also incorporate subtle reflective details on the rear and leg.
One thing to bear in mind is that Assos sizing comes up very small. Our model wears a UK/AU 12 (US 8), and is wearing the large-size knickers. For comfort, an XL would have been a better fit, so do check the online size guide if you're after a pair.
Price: UK £149.99 / $290 / AU$222.73
iJ.tiburu.4 jacket
Listed as a unisex item, the Assos iJ.tiburu.4 jacket is new to the firm's lineup and the replacement for the elementOne jacket.
There is some serious engineering behind this jacket, which is designed to be used as a mid layer in cold conditions, combined with a next-to-skin base layer.
The iJ.tiburu.4 jacket is designed to provide warmth in colder weather, combined with a base layer
It combines contoured panels of insulating fleece-backed RX fabric, with the lighter weight RXQ fabric at the back and underarms. The fleece lining on the RXQ has a honeycomb texture for extra breathability.
The jacket is designed to fit the body when leaning forward on the drops, with an ergonomic sleeve design, and drop tail featuring silicone backed elastic at the rear to prevent the jacket riding up. However, as this item is unisex it doesn't have a female specific cut, so can pull across the chest if you have a larger bust.
On the upside, this also means that the sizing is slightly more generous and we found a large was a good fit on the torso with room for a base layer underneath, and is nicely long in the body, though loose on the arms.
The jacket collar is well fitted with a quality zip, but doesn't feature a zip garage at the neckline
We liked the panel design around the collar, which is made from a single piece of fabric, cut wider at the back. The jacket features three large rear pockets plus an additional zipped pocket.
If you aren’t keen on the green shade, it’s also available in red, white and black.
Price: £150 / $239 / AU$245.41
