Assos customer service

[markyboy]

Just to say i have always used assos and have spent a lot of money over the years,anyway pulled my winter bibshorts out of the wardrobe and noticed a big hole in the seating area.




The shorts have been used for about 3 months over last winter,what assos say is this.

Hi Mark

Apologies for the delay. Thanks for sending this over.

It looks like the damage is caused by Lycra deterioration attributed to friction perhaps with your saddle and/or saddle bag and I’m afraid in this case we are unable to make a repair. Contact with anything that may cause friction causes this as a repeated issue, meaning that a repair would still be unable to assure the shorts’ longevity.

Best wishes
x

Imo all shorts have some sort of friction with saddles,anyway looks like i have to grin and bear it.
Never had this with there shorts before.
£175 shorts and this is what they think

[fignonsbarber]

I was a long time Assos customer until about a year ago. Had a few run ins similar to yours. Made a switch to Isadore. Never looked back. The good news on the Assos is that it still has good resale value on ebay.

[markyboy]

For me its how they fobbed me off saying its your saddle or saddle bag,so what they are saying is that there shorts are no good for contact on a saddle as this will cause friction.

[markyboy]

Oh yes i can pay for them if i wish.

Dear Mark,

As I mentioned on the telephone, in circumstances such as these, our experience shows us that the product has been affected by something in the saddle area causing abrasion. Over time this will lead to a hole. Repairing this is not something we will do under warranty after the first 3 months following purchase.

If you would like to send these in for repair at your cost, please send the shorts in to us. However there will be a charge for this service.

x
My saddles are 2 fizik arione r1 fitted to 2 different bikes

[kode54]

i wear Assos bib shorts and tights as well....including similar saddle, Fizik Arione 00. never had an issue with them wearing in that area. check your saddle and see if there's something that may have cause the abrasion.

Assos should offer you something. i doubt if they can be repaired without it looking like a bad patch job.

Rapha has a repair service and has repaired a few jerseys for me. most recently, they offered me a crash replacement of 40% off for my helmet which suffered a small ding on the side. the jersey Rapha repaired was pretty decent. a returned glove resulted in a voucher to buy a new one online.

[Mr.Gib]

Looking at your photo, I can see on the other side in the same location the material looks a little polished like it has been rubbing. Obviously you are sliding around a bit during your pedal stroke. If you weren't moving at all that hole simply wouldn't have happened. The winter bibs with that fleecy material are going to be less resistant to abrasion. It's only a matter of time to you burn through.

It's hard to tell if that hole and the polished spot are on your sitbones or more forward where your inner thigh contacts the edge of the saddle. It's a shot in the dark but maybe your saddle is a bit too high. That could cause sliding around on the saddle.

[ico]

I would pay for the repair, case closed...

[RTW]

To the original poster, on the telephone we (ASSOS) offered for you to send the product in after our initial assessment from the photographs. This offer was for us to send the product on to Switzerland for a further warranty assessment. Alternatively we also made the offer to repair this for you at your cost. You have chosen to decline both of these offers. However they are still open should you wish.

[1415chris]

Enjoying plastic cloth eating insects

[bearsdidit]

It's weird... I had the same issue with my bibs.

On a different note, check out my new saddle!

[RTW]

Seriously though - braided saddle rails can cause friction where it wouldn't normally be. And saddle bags with velcro are killers of garments.

[bearsdidit]

One of the first things my Assos rep shared was Assos + Velcro = Bad news bears.

[Rodrego Hernandez]

Shorts really should last longer than 3 months, especially a premium product like Assos. I have Assos shorts that have had many months use and not failed like this so maybe there is a problem - send them back to Switzerland and have them take a look at them. My winter bib tights have worn out in the seat but I put that down to road grit and grime and my non-use of mudguards.

As an aside, Assos as a company do really seem to have lost their way, their product range seems to be too confusing and they have definitely lost their way in the UK. They used to be the number one choice for most seasoned riders but no longer are.

Their sponsorship of people is plain weird - I can see why they support GCN and Julie Elliott but then ruin it by sponsoring Bruce Berkeley. I just can't work them out.

[markyboy]

To the original poster, on the telephone we (ASSOS) offered for you to send the product in after our initial assessment from the photographs. This offer was for us to send the product on to Switzerland for a further warranty assessment. Alternatively we also made the offer to repair this for you at your cost. You have chosen to decline both of these offers. However they are still open should you wish.

Why should i pay?And you never offered me to send them in so dont say you did.I declined on the second offer as i dont see why i should pay.
I will and still carry on with asoss products and as a matter have just took delivery on winter tights and winter jacket.

[bearsdidit]

Shorts really should last longer than 3 months, especially a premium product like Assos. I have Assos shorts that have had many months use and not failed like this so maybe there is a problem - send them back to Switzerland and have them take a look at them. My winter bib tights have worn out in the seat but I put that down to road grit and grime and my non-use of mudguards.

As an aside, Assos as a company do really seem to have lost their way, their product range seems to be too confusing and they have definitely lost their way in the UK. They used to be the number one choice for most seasoned riders but no longer are.

Their sponsorship of people is plain weird - I can see why they support GCN and Julie Elliott but then ruin it by sponsoring Bruce Berkeley. I just can't work them out.

I don't think anyone is questioning the fact that bibs should last more than 3 months. Under normal conditions, most bibs will easily last 3+ years. There is obviously an outside factor in the OP's situation that he is not telling us. As a former shop owner and now working on the supplier side of the industry, it's appalling to see the amount of crap consumers try to push off as "warranty."