Assos intermediateSocks_s7

Finding a cool weather sock with enough room in the knit structure to retain air, but dense enough to keep wind out, thick enough to feel like you're being protected, yet thin enough not to interfere with shoe fit, is harder than you think. But Assos's intermediateSocks_s7 manage to hit that balance. Here's how...

First things first, a simple sock isn't going to make you ride faster. But that's not to say that a good one (or even a pair) couldn't help improve your winter cycling, much in the same way that a badly chosen pair could ruin it. Assos's spring/autumn-specific Intermediate system has, for years, worked to deliver a balance between warmth, thermal regulation, weight and bulk.

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When the mercury begins to drop, cold, especially in the extremities – feet, hands and ears – is a key reason for many autumn and winter rides being cut short. For feet, the temptation to whack on socks that are thick and warm looking is strong. It is, however, folly.

Feet need space to move, for warming oxygenated blood to flow through them. The tiny air pockets in the weave of your socks also need space to hold the air warmed by your feet. Remember, air is a good insulator and it, not the yarn per se, is what's going to keep your toes comfortable. So choosing too thick a sock means squeezing feet into a smaller space – reducing the space for warm air. The net effect is that thicker socks can make your feet colder instead of warmer. Compounding this, you get less space in the shoe, cutting blood flow, unless you've bought a size up for this purpose – though that also raises fit issues.

The intermediateSocks_S7 are longer than traditional ankle length types, with a 5in cuff. The sock fabric has a high density weave, using thin strands of polyamide yarn, but is also designed to be less compressive than normal cycling socks – to specifically reduce restriction of blood flow.

So what are they like to wear? The fine weave gives the socks a luxuriously smooth and enveloping feel, less like something knitted, more something moulded. The low profile construction means you do feel the internal structure of your shoes a little more than expected.

They don't absorb much water when wet – the weave simply doesn't have the space between the fibres to hold much moisture – and when they did get a splash they dried off pretty quickly too. Durability is good too. I've ridden 100 very dirty miles in mine with four washes and they still look box fresh. Other Assos socks in my collection are still going strong after five years, so the future for the S7s looks rosy.

>> Check out our guide to the best cycling clothing to keep you warm here

But are they warm, the whole point of the socks? The answer is yes, because of smart thinking, not strict following of tradition. I think they're good down to about 8°C; below that and I suggest you look at Assos's specific winter weight Bonka sock. That, and using oversocks and overshoes, and/or specific winter shoes with fewer – if any – vents.

Verdict

As technical socks go, these deliver on their marketing promise of being warm yet relatively thin