Rapha city collection

Rapha city collection

Iain Treloar and Margot McGovern take an in-depth look at selections from Rapha’s new city riding collection.

 

Is there a more polarising cycling apparel brand than Rapha? They’re emblematic of the mystique of cycling, occupying a premium space in the market. But regardless of how you feel about their price-tag and oft-imitated aesthetic, it’s impossible to argue with the fact that they make quality kit.

Rapha’s urban range has long been one of their strong-suits—they were one of the first cabs off the rank in the development of this category. This season, this category of their clothing has undergone a substantial reshuffle, with an improved women’s range and a more casual/less racey aesthetic. We tested a selection from their new range; the women’s riding jeans ($230), the hooded rain jacket ($350), merino shirt ($230), women’s quilted gilet ($190 – now discontinued) and women’s leggings ($140).

Editor’s note: the prices as listed in the Dec 2014/Jan 2015 issue of Ride On were correct at time of print, but have since been reduced on some items. The correct prices are listed below. The women’s quilted gilet has been discontinued in the period between the magazine’s publication and now.

Hooded Rain Jacket ($350)

 

Improves on its predecessor in almost every way; one of the best rain jackets you can buy, bike-related or otherwise.

The best demonstration of the brilliance of the Hooded Rain Jacket is to first go back to its predecessor, the City Rain Jacket, which was my go-to commute jacket for a couple of years. It was a terrific bit of gear, but wasn’t without its flaws, with my pet peeves being its water-resistant (not water-proof) fabric, single hand pocket, and short cut at the front. The lack of a hood also hampered the jacket’s off-bike functionality.

From this season, the Hooded Rain Jacket supersedes this model—and has fixed every one of these gripes. Now it finally has two front pockets, reflective strips on the hood and wrists and a much more breathable fabric – the same as that used in the elite-level Rapha Pro Team Race Cape. Not only is this fabric properly waterproof; it’s also soft against the skin rather than plasticky, meaning that it doesn’t feel clammy even in warmer conditions.

The hood is generously cut, clearing most helmets (or fitting underneath, without tugging the jacket upwards). If you opt not to wear the hood on the bike, there’s the option to fold it away, which results in a slightly lumpy ruffle behind the neck; given the soft fabric of the jacket and the way it elegantly drapes, it doesn’t rustle when unfurled so I didn’t find much reason to stow the hood.

The Hooded Rain Jacket also foregoes the moody colour palate normally associated with the brand, opting for a cheery red and orange palate, with numerous reflective tabs to improve night-time visibility. It’s also available in a more subdued grey with pink highlights.

The construction throughout is typically first rate—which it should be, given the price—although the plastic zips feel a little less top shelf than those used on other Rapha jackets.

The strong-suit of the Hooded Rain Jacket is its versatility. It’s cut leanly to be flap-free on the bike, but is stretchy and generous enough to allow layering in cold weather. It’s not just a great riding jacket, but an excellent off-bike jacket as well. Expensive, yes, but an equivalently featured high-end hiking jacket would be too, and that wouldn’t perform as effortlessly on the road. This jacket is not just one of the marquee products of Rapha’s urban range, but of the entire year, in any brand.

 

Function: 38/40

Quality: 37/40

Price: 8/10

Appearance 8/10

91%

 

Merino Shirt ($230)

Stylish, comfy and inviting.

Before synthetic materials had their day, wool was the go for cycling apparel. Rapha are the most famed re-adopters of this material for their cycling gear, and the Merino Shirt brings it to their casual-wear. Available in grey or blue, the shirt showcases merino’s softness and odour-resisting qualities.

Compared to the excellence of the Hooded Rain Jacket, the merino shirt makes a slightly less convincing case for itself. Although the fabric and finish are excellent, the square cut felt a little unflattering and the back of the shirt isn’t any longer than the front, meaning it rides up when stretching for the handlebars. It is, however, extremely comfortable—it feels like wearing pyjamas—and garnered a lot of compliments around the office. For this shirt, Rapha have also opted to go without the small pocket they normally include on the back of their shirts, which makes it less conspicuously ‘bikey’—not a bad thing, in my mind. There is a small pink reflective tab on the rear right hand side which doesn’t do much for visibility, but is a nice accent.

 

Function 30/40

Quality 35/40

Price 6.5/10

Appearance 7/10

78.5%

 

Women’s Leggings $140

Quality, comfortable leggings for women on the move.

The leggings—a kind of yoga pant, without a chamois—lack much in the way of bike-specific functionality, aside from off-set seams at the crotch and a thin reflective strip on the outside right leg. The elasticated waist is very firm with a zippered pocket at the hip, which has an Anaïs Nin quote stitched inside and room for your keys and cash.

Made from 73% polyamide and 27% elastane, they are comfy and offer ample stretch. However, while the construction is of the high quality Rapha’s customers have come to expect, we found the fit a little off. I tested a size small, which was snug at the waist and firm at the thigh, though slightly loose in the calf and a little long in the leg—and all our testers found some seemingly unintended wrinkling around the knee. The glued seams on the leg panels press in at the lower thigh, which many women will find unflattering, and (to my mind) give the leggings a stuck-together look. That said, they were extremely comfortable when on the bike, out for a jog or lolling on the couch.

They are available in classic black and patterned grey.

 

Function   30/40

Quality   37/40

Price   6/10

Appearance   5/10

 

78%

 

 

Women’s quilted gilet $190

A versatile, breathable piece to ward off the chill.

A handy item for chilly days, the quilted gilet looks cool and keeps you warm. Made from a combination nylon (93%) and elastane (7%) with polyester quilting, it’s relatively breathable, with a high collar to keep off the wind and an elasticised waist for a firmer fit. Like the leggings, the quilted gilet is somewhat lacking in bike-specific features. However, it has the key advantage of keeping your core warm while allowing your arms to breathe and move freely. It also features two open front pockets and a third, zippered pocket on the right hand side that snugly fits a phone, wallet, keys or other small valuables.

Note: this product is now discontinued.

Function   30/40

Quality   34/40

Price   4/10

Appearance   9/10

 

77%

Women’s riding jeans $230

Comfortable, functional and stylish, the Rapha Women’s Jeans fill a long-standing gap in the women’s commuter market.

Rapha’s men’s jeans are the best in the business, so it’s pleasing to see that the same quality has carried over to the brand’s female equivalent. It must also be noted that Rapha is one of the few brands that offers women’s commuter jeans.

The jeans are a mid-rise, slim fit and available in black or blue, with a good amount of give in the fabric to allow for a comfortable pedalling motion. However, unlike some jeans, they don’t become saggy after a day of wear. The tailored fit means there’s no danger of the leg getting caught in your chain, though you’ll still want to roll the cuffs to show off the neon pink piping on the underside seams. The blue jeans also feature a reflective logo on the inside right leg.

We tested a range of different sizes on different body shapes; the 26” waist was a great fit on two slender testers from 155cm to 168cm and the leg-length was ample in a 30” waist on a 175cm tester. The jeans were flattering on all our testers, and for me they quickly became a wardrobe staple.

Finding high-quality jeans that fit well and look good can be a real challenge, and that the Rapha Women’s Jeans meet these criteria and are bikeable to boot, makes them something quite special. Some will baulk at the price tag, but you’re unlikely to pay much less for other fashion labels of a similar calibre, and they won’t fare as well in the saddle.

 

Function   37/40

Quality   39/40

Price   7/10

Appearance   10/10

 

93%

For more info or to buy, www.rapha.cc

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