With the textile establishing the foundation, Assos crafted a new bracing system comprising new technologies working together to stabilize the shorts and secure the insert in place, referred to as A-Lock Engineering. The actual garment construction and panel patterning came next. Whereas the previous top-line S7 was constructed with four panels, the impressive characteristics and capabilities of Type.701 allowed the S9 generation to incorporate and integrate just two, with a primary “butterfly” panel fully wrapping the legs and converging in the rear to form the new ergoBox structure. This design effectively frames the insert in place and provides you with an ultra-comfortable wrap that works in conjunction with Type.701 for the best clickFit Assos has ever produced. You’ll notice a key difference from the RS to the RSR, as for the RSR the designers omitted the RS version's rollBar, cutting a touch more weight and relying on the textile’s holding properties to do the added stabilizing. The bib straps have also been redesigned using calibrated stretch throughout, with the rear section using a single section of elastic material- folded over on itself- forming an A-frame in the back. It delivers limited vertical stretch in order to add further stability. In the front, the straps are made of a more flexible material, with an antibacterial carbon weave, to wick moisture and lay flat.

For the insert, the designers focused on a single race-mission platform, and it evolved from the proven Equipe Evo, allowing them the freedom to reassess what is most crucial to a streamlined, race-spec insert. First, they reduced the overall footprint to further shed weight, employed superAir microShock foam with a 3D waffle, incorporated the Assos kraterCooler system to increase airflow up front, and took additional measures to anchor the insert at the rear with the Assos-patented horizontal stabilizer. The end result is best version of the total Assos comfort you’ve come to know and trust, matched by more stability than ever.

Virtually all of the keys that allowed Assos to reduce the weight and implement the inventive design of the Equipe RSR S9 represent the most advanced thought process Assos has ever applied. Of course it was built off years of work and incredible success, but perhaps success had been worn too long and cyclists started to call for updates, lighter weight, etc. If Assos rested on it's laurels, well that can be forgiven, as the rest has been the source of tremendous new energy and inspiration, followed only textile, construction, and execution excellence Assos has impeccably demonstrated over the years. Innovation, application of skill, and true cycling inspiration are the true cornerstones of the Assos "tradition", and the Equipe RSR S9 Bib Shorts the new apex.