Pffft.....not much worse than folks spending $550 US on a Giro Aerohead Ultimate helmet........or 15k on a tri bike....

I mean - where's the outrage for DeBoer's $1300 cold water wetsuit? Niche stuff for sure.

If you are a winter rider and such - I think it would pay for itself. If you are really a performance based winter rider who wanted great gear. I ride occasionally in the winter, with less than ideal gear - but not inexpensive. I can see, if I rode outside 3-5 times a week in the winter, how the "best" gear could be worth it's weight in gold.

Like with most expensive things - it's not necessary, just nice if you like that quality. Lots of cheaper options if you can't afford it. And I can't, but I don't find that at all outrageous.

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

Yikes! I’m not the target audience for sure

the 1300 wetsuit didn't strike me as crazy. other top of the range wetsuits are in the 7, 8, 900 range. So 1300 isn't a crazy amount higher than that. but i see what you're saying. it's a lot of money.

725 for a jacket is nuts! if you can (and want) to afford this, more power to you, but wow that's a lot. You could spend half, or a third, of that and get other brands' top of the range kit and I'd be hard pressed to think the assos is 2x or 3x as good. Plus, for a 725-dollar jacket it doesn't catch the eye or have a wow factor in terms of how it looks. I'd want some more bling factor if I was buying it.

The Fugujack I bought from them ~10 years ago was $550 back then, and one of the best winter jackets Ive ever had.

It is one of the best things... I wont spend money on assos for anything, with the exception of winter gear. Great winter gear makes such a huge difference compared to even good stuff (imo)

Oh I get the Deboer $1500 regular wetsuits. It's spending $1300 for COLD water swimming that was insane to me. But also cheap in terms of not dying. $1300 more than not swimming in freezing cold water in the first place - but I like the adventurous attitude.

I get it - and lots of other companies have splashier kit and such (although Deboer's wetsuits at $1500 are comparatively minimal in their presentation, so there's that) but I'm just saying - if you want the absolute top of the line and that's your style - you'll LOVE it and chances are you will have the exclusivity factor!

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

Actually, I think they target very different audiences. This jacket is made for everyday winter use-someone who probably plans to regularly ride outside in the winter. An aero helmet is used only a few times per year (or however many times you race). And I’m willing to bet most people that buy $15k bikes aren’t riding in temps that warrant this jacket.

But yeah, Pricing is crazy for sure.

That explains pro-riders no longer tossing those jackets into the ditch, but handing them over to a seigneur or dropping it off back at the team car.

That's pricey but there are those who pay nearly $400 for Assos bib shorts too. Or $275+ plastic glasses called Oakleys. $15,000 bikes. There is a market for everyone. Right down to a Bugatti for a cool $3 mill for a Bugatti Veyron.

Assos.
Its good stuff no doubt. But just like many good things you're also paying a for brand badge.
Just like getting a Gucci handbag.(whereas I use a 25 year old Karrimor 40 litre rucksack!).
People are willing to pay for a brand name all over the world.

Don't get me wrong, the stuff is good. But I ride in shiiite weather quite a lot (I have to in Britain) and a combo of mainly Endura stuff + a few other things from Altura, + some really good winter cycling shoes keeps me going year after year.

hard to say. i guess it depends who you think the jacket competes against. on the one hand, it's sort of nuts compared to other cycling jackets. i think i got mine on clearance for $30 at decathlon or something. granted, it's not a great jacket, but it's not 25 times worse than the assos.

on the other hand, $725 isn't nuts for outer layers in the wider outdoor industry. all the top companies (hardware, north face, arcteryx) will sell you a top-end skiing or climbing jacket in that range.

so . . . maybe?

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

This.

I think it'll sell as there's a niche market out there for anything and I think Assos may have sized this up and set sales expectations accordingly. Otherwise it wouldn't be a product. I see the $15k bikes etc. around me - and on non-racers too. Some folks around where I am can easily afford it and rationalize the spend. I'm looking for a new wheelset and my price points are outrageous to the layperson (but modest for us here). Same laypersons that see no issues about spending $1k for the latest smartphone.