Every cyclist will tell you the perfect rain shell is like the unicorn of cycling clothing myth. Cycling clothing companies have all made great inroads but for many the original Assos Equipe RS Rain Jacket set a new performance target for rain shells. No longer were cyclists forced into flapping wind shells or bulky winter offerings. It was constructed with a superlight, stretchy waterproof shell fabric that complemented our aerodynamic race jersey underneath—a truly impressive defensive layer that checked all the right boxes. So why mess with a great thing? Sometimes you can make improvements that matter and a part of the Spring Fall series development Assos just enhanced the Equipe RS Rain Jacket EVO with a few features that make it perform even better on the road.

To start, the Rain Jacket EVO is now available in a new fluoYellow colorway for boosted visibility in those darker, stormy conditions. The piece retains the same racingFit and Schloss Tex of the original, the latter of which is an Assos lab-developed, race-tested 3L waterproof softshell. With its sandwiched hydrophilic membrane and flexible, breathable composition, Schloss delivers on all fronts. Plus, with the compact finished piece at just 170g (Medium), it stows in a rear pocket in the same unobtrusive manner as those paper-thin wind shells.

The jacket borrows numerous cues from the Assos legendary sturmPrinz, such as the taped wrists and neck to minimize friction and the appreciated pocket slots that give you access to your jersey pockets beneath. The designers also updated the double-slider zipper with a more robust, glove-friendly version, which gives you the option to ventilate from the top or bottom. Other important updates include a new waterBlock hem, which sheds water and provides a stay-put fit, along with a bold reflective logo on the rear panel’s Reflex strip. Two Pocket Slot openings on lower rear panel offer access to jersey pockets, also serving as ventilation.