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review
£40.00
VERDICT:
Great at what it does but it's hard to justify the outlay against the competition
Weight:
32g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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- Appalling
The skull cap is one of those little essentials that helps to pack out the winter cyclist's wardrobe, and the Assos RoboCap is one that has been on the market since forever. We've got the latest S7 version here and it's really very good, as it bloody well should be for 40 quid!
- Pros: Unobtrusive under a helmet, warm
- Cons: Expensive
Most skull caps are simple, thin, beanie-style hats that just pull down over your head, made of a simple Lycra or fleecy fabric. Assos has gone for a bit more detail here, which goes a little way to justifying that high pricing.
> Find your nearest dealer here
The fabric is a mix of 54% polyamide, 20% polyester and 17% elastane, and it's soft to the touch, with a fleece lining on the inside to trap body heat. It's quite thin, though it does keep you warm and blocks out the worst of the wind chill. It also means it fits comfortably under your helmet with minimal adjustment.
Rarely for a hat, it isn't a one-size-fits-all job; it comes in sizes 0 (48-53cm), I (53-58cm) and II (58-63cm), so a decent range. I had the middle one because my helmet size is 56cm and the fit was fine, close without being tight.
Around the forehead and covering the ears, the fabric is doubled up to protect the most vulnerable areas, which is great for those ice-cold days. The good thing is, the material thickness doesn't affect your hearing levels either.
The seams run internally but they are small and soft so you don't get any irritation there.
Front and rear you get reflective strips that sit just below the rim of your helmet; it's a token gift but hey, every little helps.
Either side you also get two elasticated loops to pass your glasses through. To be honest it's nothing more than a gimmick really, as the arms of most glasses are smaller in diameter than the loops so they aren't really holding anything, plus without the aid of a mirror you're going to struggle to line things up.
Value then, how does it stack up?
Virtually every other skull cap we've tested is at least half the price. Galibier's Dolomiti is just £11.61 plus it does a Thermo + version for just a couple of quid more, which is more like the Assos.
> Buyer's Guide: The best cycling clothing to keep you warm in winter
Even Lazer's Genesis Winter Cap, designed to work with its own helmets, is just £19.99, though it does have a few faults.
The Robocap is very good. Insulation is great and you barely notice you are wearing it, but there is no way I'd pay full whack for it. Shop around, though, because you can get it with quite a discount, and it's currently reduced in price to £32 on Assos' own website.
Verdict
Great at what it does but it's hard to justify the outlay against the competition
road.cc test report
Make and model: Assos RoboCap
Size tested: I (53-58cm)
Tell us what the product is for
Assos says: "The ideal lightweight cap for cold days, the ASSOS roboCap is close fitting enough to be entirely unobtrusive when worn under a helmet, while it's warm and soft RXQ fabric is double layered around the ears and forehead for crucial cycling protection. This provides targeted insulation while the rest of the cap remains thinner to boost breathability and ensure a tailored fit. Sitting behind the ears, the cycling cap's elastic suspenders ensure a secure grip on your eyewear while reflective detailing adds visibility in low light conditions."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Assos:
Three sizes available
Reflective detailing front and rear
Eyewear loops
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
I should be bang on in the middle of size I and it fitted me spot on.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
It's a fair wodge for a skullcap, though it's currently reduced to £32.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
I just bunged it in the washing machine with everything else and it came out fine.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It's thin to fit under a helmet and keeps you warm: brief filled.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Great for keeping your head and ears warm.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Double the price of most of the competition...
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Not at full whack.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The Assos RoboCap really is a great performing piece of kit and with some great attention to detail. Its performnace doesn't really surpass others I've tried, though, at half the price, so that loses it a point.
About the tester
Age: 38
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: Kinesis Aithein
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
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16 comments
Galibier gloves, epic!
Galibier muff, how can a muff fail?
Which one of Henry the 8th wives is this?
Very retro styling, although they didn't used to wear them under cycle helmets:
H0046-L03319998.jpg
Laughed out loud. Sure might be comfortable. But that looks too funny.
I bought one of these at the start of 2012, it's been used evey winter and it's still going strong. Nobody pays RRP and the reason Galibier stuff is cheap is because it falls apart after a season - if not before.
Errrrr Wrong on the Galibier part. I along with a couple of my friends own a few Galibier Garments and None of them, I repeat "Absolutely None" have failed on us.
My best waterproof: Galibier Tourmalet
Best winter gloves: Galibier 'can't-remember-the-name-don't-make-them-anymore-still-going'
Favourite jersey: Galibier Brian Robinson
I could go on. If most of their styling wasn't a Picasso car crash, I'd buy everything they make.
I have Galibier bib tights - 3 years old. Perfect.
I have a Galibier jacket -2 years old . Perfect. ( they even did a free repair when I put a hole on the arm)
Can't recommend the Galibier kit enough.
Reminds me of .............
maxresdefault (1).jpg
There's a definite air of Princess Leia about that first picture...
Not far off!
Poor Stu...
That really is the funniest thing I have seen for a long time, thanks Stu for brightening up my February.
+1. Hilarious, and what does it do about 'ice-cream headache forehead' or a freezing neck on properly cold days? Nowt. B'Twin 12.99 windproof helmet liner, job done.
Never trust a nun with stubble...
I have had this for a few years now, I think I paid about 20 quid for it. It's well worth the money over others I have tried because it's not one size fits all so it fits better and it covers the ears completely and keeps them warm, as well as the rest of the head. I even use the glasses loops, they keep my glasses tightly on.
One of the simplest and cheapest garments to make, but reassuringly expensive.