Assos Summer NS Skin Layer

The Assos Summer NS Skin Layer is a light, very breathable and very absorbent baselayer that helps make indoor riding a little more comfortable. It's very well made, too, though it is quite expensive.

With indoor cycling becoming increasingly popular, the humble summer baselayer can be a year-round, multi-purpose garment. The benefits it brings on a hot summer day – helping to wick away sweat from your skin and to regulate your body and skin temperature – are also valuable when riding indoors.

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As it's the middle of winter, I have only used the Summer NS (no sleeves) baselayer while training and racing on a bike indoors. In some respects this is a tougher ask for the garment, as it has to deal with more perspiration than on even the hottest of summer days.

The fabric feels a little thicker than some of the very lightest almost see-through mesh baselayers that are available, although Assos claims this new version is 30 per cent lighter than the previous Skinfoil one. The fabric is very soft and comfortable, the seams unnoticeable, and nothing caused any itching or irritation.

Although a little thicker, it doesn't feel any hotter than minimal mesh baselayers, even on milder days inside and at maximum effort. The benefit of the thicker material is that it seems to wick away and absorb more sweat, and after longer, tougher sessions I seemed to have less sweat to mop up off the floor than when wearing other baselayers.

I don't think it provides better heat management, though, and whether the extra sweat-holding capacity is a good thing might depend on how you train or ride. I certainly found myself getting cold very quickly after stopping if I didn't remove it straight away. Outside, in the summer, the effect is likely to be similar but less pronounced, as the air temperature will be higher than the unheated environment where I ride indoors.

The fit is typical for Assos – it's reasonably slim, although there is plenty of stretch in the fabric. It sizes up exactly as suggested on the website using the fit calculator.

The baselayer is available in four sizes, which Assos labels as 0 through to III on the website, although in the garment itself the sizes are written out in words, with the Medium tested translating to size I.

The construction is very good – as you would hope for the price – with stitching that seems very durable, and there are no signs of fraying or any small rips forming, which can happen with mesh layers. For anyone who trains indoors frequently, it will likely be washed repeatedly, but the quality of the construction will withstand it.

As well as this sleeveless option, Assos also produces a short sleeved (SS) version, which is priced at £60. If I were only using it indoors, that would be my preference, but for year-round use, outdoors in summer and indoors for winter training, the sleeveless is probably more versatile.

Fifty quid for a lightweight sleeveless baselayer isn't cheap, but there are a few that'll make a bigger dent in your savings: Velocio's Radiator has gone down slightly since Jamie tested it last year but it's still £53, while Alé's Summer Mesh baselayer is £55, and Castelli's Pro Mesh is now £60. 

You can get some very good options for less, though, such as a favourite of mine, Morvelo's Definitive SS, which is £35. Chapeau's Mesh baselayer and Stolen Goat's Voltage are also both £35.

An increasing number of companies are producing indoor-specific clothing now, such as Castelli's Insider range and the Le Col x Wahoo garments, and if you only ride indoors then these might be worth a look.

> Everything you need for the ultimate indoor training setup

While it's not cheap, the Assos Summer NS is very well made and high quality, and I have no doubt that even with constant heavy use, so long as it is cared for and washed as recommended, it'll last.

Go back a few years and a sleeveless base layer would never have been classed as a year-round item of clothing, but the Assos Summer NS is one that should keep you as comfortable as possible both indoors and out when things get sweaty.

Verdict

Very absorbent, with a comfortable soft feel next to the skin