Experiences of Assos quality please

[yello]

I've got a thinning patch of lycra on my Assos Mille bibs; about the size of a 2p coin, on the small of the back. It could be fabric deterioration due to sweat but I don't know. As it's on the seam, it means that there's probably not that much life left in the bibs before the seam bursts.

I've had them 3 years and wouldn't expect something of Assos quality to go so soon. None of my other (and older) bibs are similarly suffering. £110 for 3 years (and maybe around only 3000km) is not good going imo.

Am I expecting too much?

 

[peanut]

thats why i would prefer to buy 3x pairs of dhb bibs and change shorts for a new pair every year

Sounds like a material fault . What is the warantee period on Assos ?

 

[yello]

My Assos bibs are without doubt the most comfortable ones I own, by some long way.

Whilst the DHBs are good value, I don't reach for them if I'm doing a 100km+ ride. They are just not in the same league as Assos when it comes for long mileage comfort. If I can only expect Assos to last 30 odd rides/washes, then so be it. It'll be something I factor in next time I buy bibs. But am I wrong to expect them to do better than that?

Assos will repair any of their items, free of charge, regardless of mileage. They class 'fabric deterioration' as normal wear and tear though, so basically bad luck.

 

[giant man]

Assos will honour this if it's genuine early wear.

Have a look at their warranty page and send it back to them with a covering letter, nine time out of ten they will either repair or replace. This is part of what you pay for with Assos.

http://www.assos.com/en/23/warranty___repair_policy.aspx

 

[Bigtwin]

Assos - it's good, but it's not a hen.

Just my view having had some of their stuff a while ago via a bargain - how on earth can it be as good as that sort of money demands. I mean, I've had suit trousers tailor made for less than a pair of their bibs. Yes it's good quality, but value - I've had other stuff that's lasted as well with just as good a fit.

Blame the pound.

 

[akaAndrew]

I wrote to Assos, enclosing some photos of the bibs, and they replied. They said it's fabric wear due to sweat so not a defect. They say that their R&D Dept have come to the conclusion that "certain types of human sweat turn out to be a powerful acid which consumes this type of textile". So I guess they must use a different kind of lycra to that used by the other manufacturer's whose bibs that I wear!

At least they answered me which is more than can be said of Primera, the dealers I bought the bibs off of originally.

Assos have however offered me a 50% discount on a new pair of Mille S5s, so that's pretty decent of them I think. That's still not a cheap pair of bibs (at €83/£74) but I reckon I'll take them up on that. I have to send them my bibs too though. I guess I'd call that decent customer service.