Assos Cento Bibs
 

i am thinking of taking the plunge and buying Assos' Cento bibs. They are quite expensive, but I am intrigued by the so-called penthouse technology. I am looking for bibs that are snug and supportive. The reviews are positive about them. Any of you have opinions?

I don't know those bibs specifically but I am totally on board with Assos as a brand. Anything I've ever gotten from them fits me and is quality. Wish I could tell your more.

I have the two pair of S7 version. The penthouse feature is actually quite nice - the breathable fabric keeps you cool. IMO they are worth every penny. I have quite a bit of Assos gear along with Castelli, Sportful, Nalini. I use my Assos 20x for every time I use one of my other brands.

FWIW, you should never look at Penthouse magazines while wearing cycling shorts.

You speak truth.

I have a couple pair of those S-7 Cento's and they are the first short I dig out of the drawer for long rides. They are not as compressive as other shorts, like say Castelli but they're so damn comfortable for long rides.

The kookoo penthouse is great btw. Great name, great performance.

So here's what I want to know: is the penthouse supportive. My experience with my bibs is that they either smash things (and sometimes cause me pain) or they let everything go everywhere (these are the cheap bibs, obviously). I've always thought that someone should design shorts with a pouch. Is that what these end up being?

i have two pair, one two years old and one new this year. They're expensive, for sure, but excellent. Best bibs I own. Note, however, that the Specialized RBX bibs are a pretty close second, at $80 each. But when riding longer distances, like 60 miles and over, I always reach for the Centos.

Yes, this is basically a pouch. Supportive but not compressing. Best bibs I own by far. Around Black Friday it is usually possible to get them (and other Assos clothes) at a significant discount (25-30%) if one acts fast - popular sizes disappear VERY fast.

i bought a cheap amazon pair for $40.00 not sure brand
fantastic..

I recently ordered T.mille S7 and T.cento S7 bibs from two different UK vendors for USD$100 and $140, respectively. They're both cut much lower in the front than the S5 Mille, the only other Assos bib I've used, which took some getting used to. The S5 bibs were a bit higher in front than most other bibs I've tried. In comparison, the T.mille and T.cento feel a bit lower than average. Leg grippers don't seem particularly tight on either short, but I didn't have any problems with them staying in place. The pad in the Cento is a bit more bulky than the Mille. I noticed that difference after putting the bibs on, but not while riding. The ridiculously-named kuku penthouse is supportive, though not terribly large, and fractionally more breathable than the rest of the short.The penthouse didn't make a huge difference for me when I was riding in 90-degree temps this weekend. Both bibs were comfortable to the point where I didn't notice them at all while riding.

If you're paying full price, I don't think the improvements in the T.cento justify their cost: you'll get 90-95% of the performance from the T.mille for a fraction of the price. At the discounted UK prices I found... I still think it's a toss-up. If you regularly do longer (2+ hour) rides, especially in hotter weather, the T.cento is probably worth the $40 cost bump. My plan is to reserve the T.cento for my longest rides and purchase another pair or two of the T.mille.