In summer 2021, Assos introduces the Mille GTO Bib Shorts C2 — the top model of the endurance line. Spiritual successor to the legendary T.Campionissimo, which was the reference product for saddle comfort for years. The GTO takes a different path from the Equipe RS: here it’s not about aero or weight, but how you feel after five hours.
The Construction
Assos reversed the seams. Sounds trivial — it isn’t. In conventional bib shorts, seam edges sit against the skin and create friction points over hours. On the GTO, all seams face outward. Combined with the wrinkle-free cut leg panels, this creates a nearly friction-free inner surface.
The OSSIDIA fabric wraps the large leg muscles with targeted compression — quadriceps, hamstrings, calves. Assos calls it “intelligent compression”: firm where muscle support helps, elastic where freedom of movement matters. The result is a short that feels like a second skin once you put it on.
The Chamois
The GTO insert is the softest and most responsive Assos has ever built. Radically reshaped to eliminate friction and pressure in the sensitive area. Where the Equipe RS focuses on stability, the GTO focuses on pressure distribution and damping. On long rides where the riding position is less aggressive, that’s where it shines.
Price and Assessment
At 350 USD / 290 EUR, the GTO sits at the same level as the Equipe RS — sending a clear signal: comfort is not a compromise, it’s a discipline of its own. The Mille GT below offers much of this at a lower price. But if you take long-distance riding seriously and want the best Assos has to offer in saddle comfort, the GTO is the one.