Assos has a way of elevating a piece of gear that’s been reimagined many times before. The Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa is a thermal jersey but somehow manages to look like more than that. Add some Windstopper to the front and it would be perfect.
Pros
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Shoulder vents
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Excellent fit
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Quality pockets
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Large tooth plastic zipper that unzips in both directions
Cons
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Lacks windproofing on front panel
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Pocket 'lids' are unnecessary
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Expensive
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As the seasons change from winter to spring, or summer to fall, the weather becomes a lot tougher to plan for. Consistent temperatures become a thing of the past and now you've got to deal with wide temperature swings and unpredictable weather. A long sleeve jersey from our list of the best cycling jerseys is an excellent foundation piece to build on and Assos has a new potential addition.
We've been riding with the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa since the first false spring back in January. We've had a chance to put it through its paces in unexpected showers, temperatures much too cold for spring or fall gear, and we've even managed to nail the perfect setup once or twice. If you are looking for a foundational piece for high-intensity spring or fall riding keep reading to see our thoughts on the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa.
The Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa fits beautifully. It's comfortable but also form fitting. (Image credit: Josh Ross)
Design and aesthetics
In the same way that spring riding is a bit like summer riding, until it's not, the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa is a bit like an Assos summer jersey, until it's not. The basic template is that of the Equipe RS Jersey S9 Targa but with material swaps and additions to add warmth.
The rear panel is the best example of this adaptation of a summer jersey as it's almost a copy of the summer pattern. If you start at the top neckline, the panel looks exactly the same from the rear. While the summer jersey is a simple piece with just a small fold at the hem, the spring fall Jacket Targa has a full internal panel of the same lightweight material.
Keep moving down and the upper shoulders again look like an exact copy of the summer jersey from the outside. This time though the inside is a new fabric that Assos refers to as the "Rhombus liner." The Rhombus liner is a series of diamonds in a three-dimensional pattern and it creates loft and airspace for insulation, while the outer layer is the same lightweight fabric as the summer jersey.
Below the upper shoulders, the pattern continues to match the summer jersey. The central panel is the same ultralight mesh as the summer jersey, but the two designs depart at the edges, where the summer jersey uses a lightweight and aerodynamically textured fabric while the spring-fall jacket switches to a dense fleece. Below these panels is where the pockets sit.
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Assos is a master of quality pockets with room to spare(Image credit: Josh Ross)
There's room at the base of each pocket for expansion (Image credit: Josh Ross)
There are also flaps of fabric at the top of each pocket that help keep the contents safe. They also tend to get in the way.(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Assos is very good at pockets and there are no surprises here. The design is a bit different from the summer jersey but each works equally well, in this instance, the against-the-back fabric remains the same mesh from up above but the outer fabric is slightly water-resistant. At the base of each pocket there is a billowed design that allows expansion when stuffed full, and at the top is a stretchy flap of light mesh that acts as a cover. Below the pockets is a strip of elastic with silicone grip material on the inside.
Flip the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa to the front and you can see some of the more unique design features. the main front panels are the same materials and design as the upper shoulders, with a two-layer design and the insulative Rhombus liner on the inside. The panels are intentionally separate layers and this comes into play at each shoulder.
At the edge of the shoulder is a vent carried over from the design of the Johdah jacket. Sit up on the bike and it remains closed showing a reflective detail to oncoming traffic, but lean forward into an aerodynamic position and it catches the wind. As it opens, the wind funnels down between the two layers of the front panels, so when you work hard it cools you and if you ride in a more relaxed way it keeps you warmer.
The other thing the vent does is create a unique visual signature. It's a design carried throughout a variety of Assos gear but in this piece the look of the sleeves might actually overshadow it. Certainly, as you wear it, the most distinctive feature is the design of the sleeves, which use a fabric Assos calls SONIC-SN.
SONIC-SN is a lightweight and dense fleece. Assos calls the inside "brushed and micro-sanded" but it's inherently a very low pile fleece. Each sleeve is incredibly soft on the inside and highly compressive. They feel great next to the skin and at the wrist is a strip of silicone material. The sleeves wear very much like a pair of arm warmers.
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The sleeves are highly compressive and this fabric feels a lot like arm warmers(Image credit: Josh Ross)
The inside of the wrist features silicone grip material to keep the sleeves in place(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Performance
What is this piece? Assos calls it a jacket but I wouldn't go that far. It's insulative, but not protective, so it will help you insulate your skin against the temperature but it has no ability to protect you from wind or rain and I'd consider that a thermal jersey. View it in that way and it's very good at what it does.
The Assos playbook is to take a well-known product and apply a series of proprietary materials and clever design features, and that same technique is in play here. It's an incredibly comfortable thermal jersey and in some ways, that's an advantage. Keep in mind though that it does really need extra layers to work and it's already expensive.
I recently grabbed the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa on a day when I felt like it was perfect. Leaving the house, the temperature hovered around 36F / 2C, which is a winter ride in my book and only a few degrees above some December rides. However, where this ride differed was in the expected temperature swing up to 36F / 13C. That's a huge range and very difficult to manage.
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Assos uses temperature ratings to grade their clothing for the use. Shoulder-season gear gets a 2/3 designation.(Image credit: Josh Ross)
The Rhombus liner helps insulate but doesn't block wind(Image credit: Josh Ross)
The rear panel is light enough you can see right through it.(Image credit: Josh Ross)
The bottom of the rear panel has a quality elastic strip that keeps things from moving around(Image credit: Josh Ross)
I started with the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa, Assos Spring Fall skin layer, Assos Equipe RS spring-fall gilet, and a Sportful Hotpack No Rain Jacket. The day was dry but I wore those extra layers because I needed to stop the wind, and there's no Windstopper in either the arms or the front of the Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa and at those temperatures, the wind is rough. As the day warmed up, I shed the Sportful jacket first. Allowing the wind to cool my arms kept me comfortable until the hottest part of the day and at that point, I shed the gilet too. With temperatures around 36F / 13C and a full sun in the sky, just the Spring Fall skin layer and the Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket was very comfortable.
I've also had a lot of success for colder days where I layer wind block options under the Spring Fall Jacket. Warmer days when you'd rather skip a gilet, something like the Gore Windstopper base layer is brilliant and really allows the shoulder vents to shine. On colder days I've found it to be very good when paired with the Rapha Deep Winter Windblock base. The long sleeves are a bit of a challenge to layer under the high compression sleeves of the Spring Fall Jacket but the high neck is a joy. Anything you want to bring to the table to add wind-blocking to the front will extend the use of this piece a lot.
However it works for you though, it shines not only in its technical details but also in the fit. When you feel good in your clothes, your time on the bike is always going to be a bit better and the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa feels good to wear. Assos manages to strike the right balance of form fit but also comfort. It's not uncomfortable to stand up in and it works just when riding hard.
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The venting on the shoulders is a clever design that channels air when you lean forward(Image credit: Josh Ross)
sit up and the wind closes it and it becomes just a spot of reflectivity (Image credit: Josh Ross)
Verdict
Assos might call this a jacket but don't make the mistake of thinking of it that way. Without any ability to stop the wind the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa will not function as a jacket. Instead, think of it as a very good thermal jersey.
Frame it as a thermal jersey and you see how it shines. Assos nails fundamentals like the excellent zipper and top-quality pockets. It also does a great job of pulling from the typical Assos playbook and using a collection of unique textiles to do exactly what it needs in every panel, and on top of that, it looks and feels amazing to wear. The price is high but so is the performance. If you can swing it, you won't regret the purchase.
The high-quality zipper unzips in both directions and won't corrode from sweat (Image credit: Josh Ross)
Tech Specs: Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa
Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb.
Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx
