Assos RSR Bolide Socks S11

Assos is a brand renowned for producing high-quality cycling clothing, with a reputation that often justifies the premium pricing. But the Assos RSR Bolide Socks S11 fall well short of its usual standards, with an unfinished appearance and disappointing quality that undermines their lofty price tag.

Aero socks have become increasingly common, with riders wearing them not just in races but on everyday club rides in pursuit of marginal gains. Assos itself makes no specific aerodynamic claims for the socks, instead focusing on the Bolide skinsuit, which is claimed to save 22W over the previous generation.

In general, aero socks are considered one of the simplest and most affordable ways to reduce drag and improve speed. At around 30km/h, gains are typically measured in a handful of watts, with those savings increasing as speeds rise.

The Assos RSR Bolide socks are, however, far from affordable, costing £85 for a pair. There are even pricier options available, such as the Rule28 Neo socks at £100, although those at least come with performance claims that the brand appears willing to substantiate, and Rule28 also offers several cheaper options.

The RSR Bolide socks are available in three sizes: 0 (EU 35-38), I (EU 39-42), and II (EU 43-46). While this sizing will accommodate most riders, anyone at the upper end of a size bracket may find the fit restrictive, particularly around the foot section, where the material will need to be stretched.

More concerning, though, is the overall quality of the garment. Straight out of the box, the socks showed exposed sections along the ribbed areas, with loose threads and small frays already visible. For a product at this price, the finish feels surprisingly poor.

On the bike, the socks are at least comfortable to wear. The transition between the standard sock material and the aero section is smooth and well executed. Some early aero sock designs suffered from itchy seams or poorly positioned joins that rubbed against the shoe, but that was not an issue here.

Unfortunately, the durability issues quickly became more pronounced. The frayed areas worsened noticeably after each ride, and after only three rides the socks already looked worn and untidy. This is extremely poor for a pair of socks that cost £85.

Assos recommends using body adhesive to keep the socks in place, and in practice this feels essential. On most rides, at least one sock gradually slipped downwards. I have experienced similar issues with other aero socks when not using adhesive, but I have also used alternatives such as the Castelli Fast Feet socks – which cost less than half as much at £37 – which have stayed securely in place in all conditions.

Other cheaper options include the Le Col x McLaren Project aero socks (£35) and the Lusso Active Aero Socks (£20).

At this price, expectations should be exceptionally high. Without any clear data to support aerodynamic performance claims, the Assos RSR Bolide socks need to excel in comfort, durability, and finish to justify the cost. While they are comfortable on the bike, the poor finish on the material makes them a significant disappointment.

We put this to the company and were told: “ASSOS takes any feedback regarding product quality very seriously. This appears to be an isolated incident, as we have received no prior reports of this issue from our customers or our WorldTour partners at EF Pro Cycling. We have reached out to road.cc to arrange for the socks to be returned to our R&D team for a full investigation, and will of course send out another pair for the reviewer to test further.”