In summer 2020, Assos delivers what was promised when the S9 generation was announced in 2018: a standalone race line for women. The Dyora RS is not simply an Equipe RS in smaller sizes — it’s built from the ground up for the female body.
What makes it different
The chamois is completely new. Different anatomy, different pressure points, different riding position — the Equipe RS pad doesn’t work for women, no matter how you turn it. Assos built a dedicated insert that accounts for the specific pelvic geometry.
The aero cut differs from the Mille GT or Uma GT: tighter, more compressive, optimised for race position. The textiles are the lightest and fastest Assos has ever used in a women’s collection — same quality level as the men’s Equipe RS.
The collection includes bib shorts, short-sleeve jerseys, socks and caps. A complete system, not a single product.
Why this matters
The women’s cycling market was served for years with “shrink it and pink it” — scale down men’s products, dye them pink, done. Assos did that too for a long time. Phil Duff, CEO since 2015, publicly promised in 2016 to change that. Four years later, the Dyora RS is the fulfilment of that promise.
Assessment
The Dyora RS closes a gap that was open for too long. That a brand innovating since 1976 only brings an equivalent women’s race line in 2020 is nothing to boast about. But the execution is right: own chamois, own cut, same materials. Not perfectly timed, but done right.