The Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 is a jersey, not a jacket, and it’s very specialised. Integrating a membrane makes it less useful as a mid-layer but when you want just the right piece for cool days it fits well and has excellent pockets.
Pros
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Windstop front panel
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Excellent pockets
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Comfortable neckline
+
Able to shrug off road spray
Cons
-
Small metal zipper
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Black collar looks awkward on the Fluo Yellow
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Transitionary weather in the Fall and spring is one of the biggest challenges we all face. It could mean a cool morning and warm afternoon or it could be all-day weather that's too warm for a jacket and too cool for a summer kit. Often it even means trying to find a clear indication if you are in for a day of rain or a day of sun. Whatever the challenges of your local weather, there are a few different ways to tackle them. Jackets, warmers, and base layers are all different strategies but one of the best cycling jerseys is also a popular option. Finding the perfect jersey that will work in a variety of conditions makes things simple and Assos thinks they have something.
Assos doesn't call it a jersey though, instead, it's the Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2. It's an adaptable product designed to meet the needs of shoulder season riding when the weather is unpredictable and in between and I've put it to the test. I've spent hours covering the distance in weather that changes quickly and has different needs throughout a ride and now I'm ready to talk about it. If you are looking for the right product for spring, fall, or warm winter riding keep reading to see if this hybrid between a jacket and a jersey is the right piece for your riding.
Anything black allows for heat dissipation while the fluo yellow stops the wind (Image credit: Josh Ross)
Design and aesthetics
The Mille GT line of products from Assos signifies a design that's not aimed at racing. The Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 is a jersey, even though it carries the jacket tag in the name, with a bit of a looser fit and a greater focus on visibility. Assos is still a company known for performance clothing so don't expect a loose fit but compared to something with the RS tag, there's a definite difference. Put on the Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 and you'll notice things are just a bit less form-fitting.
One of the places that this stands out is in the fabrics of the arms. The arms use the same water-shedding RX Evo material you can find used for the body of the Mille GTS Spring Fall bib shorts c2. There's a fleece lining and while it's form-fitting, there's much less structure than you are going to find in an RS piece. It's also a material that allows for a bit of airflow as you start to work hard and move quickly.
Countering that bit of airflow is the AIRBLOCK.888 membrane material Assos applies to the chest, sides, and upper back. It's a proprietary material that functions in the same way as the more common Gore Infinium. Both fabrics have a membrane and neither focuses on water but the Assos version is thinner and stiffer. There’s no fleece backing and, like Infinium, it will shed a bit of rain but that’s not the point. Instead, AIRBLOCK.888 sits against the leading edges of the jacket and stops the wind.
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AIRBLOCK.888 membrane material covers all the leading edges(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Assos is never one to shy away from a proprietary fabric and in this case that's "struzzoKragen" for the collar(Image credit: Josh Ross)
If you opt for the Fluo Yellow, instead of blackSeries colour option, you can even more clearly see the area of coverage. You can also see that, unlike the gilet version of this product, there's a different material used for the collar area. It feels much like RX Evo but Assos uses the name "struzzoKragen" and instead of leaving a fleece inner, it's folded providing extra structure. That means the outer sits against the skin but it's soft and comfortable and the neckline is a highlight even if the lower seam feels a little aesthetically odd.
Flip over to the rear, and the Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 looks even more like a jersey. AIRBLOCK.888 frames the sides and upper back leaving a rear panel that is a direct pickup from the summer jerseys. The panel stays protected from road spray and wind and the high ventilation allows hot air to escape if the day turns warm.
As you move down to the lower third things change again to accommodate pockets. The low structure mesh disappears and a new mesh, with greater structure, replaces it to stabilise anything you are carrying in the generous pockets above. There's also room at the base of the pockets for stuffed pockets to extend away from the back while the strip of elastic at the waist holds the whole garment stable as you move.
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Assos knows how to make great pockets and they make the whole garment more useable(Image credit: Josh Ross)
There's tons of stretch, excellent placement, and the section below makes room for expansion(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Performance
This spring I spent time with the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa. That jacket, or jersey, is a product that focuses on the same basic needs as the Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 but with a twist of purpose. Instead of the raceFit design, and focusing on the highest intensity, the Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket uses a regularFit and shifts the focus to comfort and visibility. There's one more detail though and that's the addition of true wind stop fabric on the front panels.
No matter what your focus, or preference, might be for fit and intensity you might want to consider the Mille GTS option depending on your layering preference. The Equipe RS option lends itself to adding a wind stop base layer if needed while the Mille GTS has it built in and does better with adding additional insulation in the base layer. It's a subtle difference but these are already highly specialised garments and Assos is carefully offering choices in the small details.
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The RX Evo fabric used for the sleeves is cosy, comfortable, and generally a joy to wear(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Particularly at the wrist where the fabric is raw cut and the looser fit makes it easy to get in the right place(Image credit: Josh Ross)
A less subtle difference is the fit. Especially on the arms, this jacket is comfy and never tight. Thermal jerseys with fleece arms tend to feel a lot like they have built-in arm warmers but the RX Evo fabric is softer than that. It has enough structure to work in a pair of bib shorts, or the arms of a top, but there's no sense of compression. There's also more space in the front of the Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 with a less form-fitting lower portion and more space in the chest. When getting dressed, the Mille GTS jacket doesn’t need extra time spent pushing and pulling to get things situated just right. The arms, and front, slide into place right away and are immediately comfortable.
The collar continues the overall trend as well by again offering a soft and cosy fit. There's just enough structure that it stays in place but a lot of that comes from the zipper which is a small tooth metal design. While most Assos pieces have moved away from this style of zipper, the Mille GTS sticks with a familiar design. It looks very similar to the Mille GTO summer jersey as well as Assos jackets from years ago.
I'm again leaving the pockets as the last point of discussion because they are a favourite of mine. Long rides for me mean loaded pockets and Assos continues to win my heart with these. I can carry all of my flat repair gear, food for 6-8 hours of riding, a phone and even a pair of lightweight gloves if needed. Nothing will come loose, the rear stays put even when loaded, and the height is just right for easy reaching while riding.
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The rear panel is almost sea through and vents like a summer jersey(Image credit: Josh Ross)
At the waist there's elastic front and rear that make sure it stays put while riding(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Despite being easy to uzip from the top one handed, the zipper is the one thing that could use updating for the next generation(Image credit: Josh Ross)
Verdict
There are a lot of thermal jersey options available. An excellent choice is the Castelli Tutto Nano ROS Jersey and another is the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa. The challenge is that as good as those two options are they both ask that you add your own wind block solution. I don't mind doing just that but it's nice to have choices and that's where the Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 comes in. If you prefer softer base layers this is an option for integrating the ability to stop wind right into the jersey and, maybe, calling it a jacket instead. This is also a good option if you are looking for a thermal jersey with a relaxed fit that's a bit more forgiving and comfy. Along with that performance, and fit, you also get some of the best pockets on the market.
The one misstep in this piece is the zipper. Assos moved away from using small metal zippers because they can degrade with sweat and eventually get jammed. It's likely to be less of an issue with a piece that's closer to a jersey than a jacket but it's a point of consideration anyway. It also lacks a two-way zip function and leaves off an upper zipper garage.
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Testing scorecard and notes
Design
An excellent mix of breathability and wind stopping makes for a great concept but it is very specialised
8/10
Fabric Quality
The Airblock.888 looks good but the back doesn’t feel as good as some alternatives. RX Evo on the arms feels great.
8/10
Fit
Does a great job balancing a looser fit with high quality tailoring and structure where it’s needed.
10/10
Fashion appeal (does it look/feel good)
It feels great and the front panel does an excellent job keeping everyone looking their best. Visually I’d like to see the collar continue the same colour as the front panels.
9/10
Value
Same price as the Rapha and Castelli competition but you can get similar performance for less money.
7/10
Overall
Row 5 - Cell 1
84%
Tech Specs: Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2
Price: £210 / $290 / €240 / AU $400
Weight: 246 grams in size small
Size availability: XS-XLG and TIR (XLG but wider)
Colour Options: Fluo Yello, blackSeries
Materials: 52% Polyyester 33% Nylon/Polyamid 15% Elastane / RX Evo Sleeves, Airblock.888 front panels, sides, and upper shoulders
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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
