Assos Mille GT Jersey C2 Drop Head

The Assos Mille GT C2 Drop Head jersey is a comfortable, breathable and really well-fitting summer top. It avoids the usual pitfalls of an overly-aggressive cut, instead prioritising comfort for the vast majority of riders.

As part of Assos' comfort series range, this is designed for riders not after the last word in low weight or slippery aerodynamics, but wanting practicality on long days in the saddle. After spending rides of three hours and longer wearing the Mille GT jersey through a mild spring period, it has definitely impressed me.

I think the fit is the most impressive part, and the key is Assos' attention to detail in both the cut and the fabrics across the usual stretch points.

The tail is dropped and features intermittent silicone grippers, which work with the elasticated hem to keep the jersey firmly in place.

The front is cut with room for those with longer bodies, or simply those who don't want to show off any gut. It makes walking around the café stop just that little more comfortable, and potentially less revealing.

Around the sleeves and the tops of the shoulders, the 'Push Pull' warp-knit fabric is very flexible, which means that if you have larger shoulders like me, it can accommodate you comfortably. If you're a little narrower up top the fabric will still stay close to the skin.

The sleeves are slim without feeling overly tight. They don't feature any grippers - the hems are raw cut - but they don't need them and are very comfortable for it.

The sleeves drop about three-quarters of the way down your biceps. Having found longer, elbow-touching sleeves uncomfortable in the past (and let's be honest, not great for the tanlines!), this is welcome design. With my broad shoulders they settle a little closer to the midpoint of my biceps, but given the flexibility of the fabric (and lack of grippers), wherever they settle should feel natural.

The main body is a circular-knit fabric called 'Big Dual Tex,' which is apparently woven in a way that reduces snagging. If you like to spend time at cafes or garden centres with wooden furniture, you'll probably know the annoying feeling of catching a thread on an errant splinter. Here, that really does seem a non-issue – I've seen no snagging at all, even when I accidentally put gloves with Velcro straps in the same wash.

> 30 of the best summer cycling jerseys — tops to beat the heat from just £10

Out on the road, the Mille GT jersey is certainly suitable for warm weather riding and nicely breathable at 25°C or so (it hasn't been all that hot during the test). At 152g in this size medium it's not the most featherweight jersey around (if that matters to you), but it never feels like there's excess bulk anywhere in the design.

The collar offers a reasonable amount of space as well, so if you have a wider neck you shouldn't feel much (or anything) in the way of restriction there.

The pockets are of a decent size with plenty of capacity for an all day ride. They're deep enough for my mini pump, they have good-sized openings and the outer fabric is flexible with a hint of water repellency. It's not waterproof by any means, but should you get caught in a shower it offers at least some protection.

The zip is high quality and you can adjust it with one hand on the move, mainly thanks to the sizeable yet neat Assos-branded dongle. Fans will be pleased about the distinctive logo on the rear centre pocket too.

Perhaps the one thing I am disappointed about is the lack of zipped security pocket. It feels like a (small) oversight in an otherwise very well-designed jersey.

The sizing of the Mille GT jersey is relatively generous. I tend to fit a size large and Assos' own size guide suggests the same, but this medium has enough space for me to fit without feeling overly compressed. Everyone is unique of course, but in short, I still recommend sticking with your usual size.

Value

The £110 asking price is a fair chunk of cash, but then Assos is typically one of the most expensive brands.

There are cheaper alternatives: just this spring we've given the £75 Stolen Goat Tappa Bodyline jersey, a 9 (read our review here)while Altura's Icon Short Sleeve Jersey is £59.99 and the Scott Endurance 10 Short Sleeve  is £63.99 – and both the Altura and the Scott claimed very good 8/10 scores.

For a breakdown of all the jerseys that we've reviewed in recent years, check out our review finder, where you can play around with your ideal budget and see which jerseys we've rated as highly as the Mille GT.

Overall

This jersey is excellent. It has a great fit, is very comfortable is breathable and practical for summer rides. It may lack a security pocket, but really that's a niggle and not everyone will mind.

Verdict

Excellent premium jersey with an extremely well thought-out fit