On May 16, 2024, Assos and WHOOP present the result of two years of joint development: the Mille GT WHOOP Bib Shorts C2 and the Uma GT WHOOP Bib Shorts C2. Bib shorts with an integrated pocket for the WHOOP 4.0 sensor. No wristband, no chest strap — the tracker sits in the shorts.
Why the Glute?
The team tested five body positions at the WHOOP Labs in Boston. Wrist, upper arm, thigh, lower back, glute. For cyclists, the left mid-glute position delivered the most accurate data — heart rate, strain, recovery. It makes sense: on the bike, legs and arms move constantly while the glute stays relatively still with good skin contact.
The pocket is designed so the sensor sits flat without pressure. Those who don’t wear a WHOOP barely notice the pocket — the shorts work as regular Mille GT without the sensor.
What the Sensor Measures
WHOOP 4.0 tracks heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, and movement. From this, the app calculates strain scores, recovery status, and sleep quality. For cyclists, that means objective data on whether the body is ready for the planned training — or whether a rest day would be more productive.
Assessment
Assos has so far optimized textiles, chamois, and fits. With WHOOP, electronics enter the picture for the first time. This doesn’t contradict the brand DNA — Toni Maier-Moussa didn’t improve bib shorts in 1976, he reinvented them. The WHOOP shorts are less radical, but they show that Assos thinks of apparel as a system, not a fabric.
The shorts are based on the proven Mille GT C2 platform. Same cut, same chamois, same price plus a WHOOP surcharge. The technology is added, not substituted.