"Kings of Pain", Lightweight refinements and special edition gear
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Rapha's Pro Team line for 2014 features extended short sleeves in a silky polyester material(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Can you see us now? Rapha goes big for 2014 with the loud yellow it calls chartreuse(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The windproof gilet has two zippered pockets and packs down relatively compactly(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The gilet comes in grey or chartreuse, with an offset zipper(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Club jersey comes in three color options, all made with the merino/polyester Sportwool(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Rapha loves to associate racing legends with its clothing; the British company aligns the black/pink/grey jersey with Italy's Strade Bianche (white gravel roads)(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Brevet Jersey comes with a high-vis gilet(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
For its namesake, the Brevet has a waterproof front pocket(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Brevet's Sportwool body also has reflective chest and arm stripes(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Hem loops can snug up the fit if need be(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Club jerseys have zippered valuables pockets in addition to the standard three pockets(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
With apologies to The Police, "The King of Pain" is another special edition jersey/hat combo(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Iconography and a button-down jersey adorn the black jersey(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Rapha pushes the envelope by including a buttoned collar on The King of Pain(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Back in the day, Eddy Merckx and this particular number went together like wool and hairnets(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
A zippered valuables pocket is unobtrusive(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Mesh arm bands keep the arms in place without constriction or the bunched-up look that comes with an elastic band(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The form-fitting jersey doesn't require much at the front hem(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Rapha Pro Team short sleeve jersey's collar is thin and low(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The mesh side panels add a little ventilation, and their stretchiness matches the rest of the jersey(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Pro Team pieces have a slimmer fit than the club jerseys. This is a Large jersey on a 6ft/182cm rider with a 39.5in/100cm chest(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Phoenix jersey is a tribute to Italian world champ Felice Gimondi of the Bianchi-Campagnolo squad(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Rapha rolled out a few retro pieces in its Trade Team series. The three styles are made with the merino/polyester Sportwool is a looser, club fit. This is a Medium on a 6ft/182cm rider with a 39.5in/100cm chest(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Trade Team jerseys' short zip adds to the old-school look with an uninterrupted chest, but hampers warm-weather options(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Rapha's Sportwool, combined with a zipper flap, makes for a comfortable neck(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Gimondi's bib number was 11 when he raced the Worlds in 1974(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
At 168g in a Medium, Rapha's Lightweight bibs are indeed lighter than Rapha's 214g Classic bibs(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
While still not a super-thin pad, the Lightweight bib chamois is perforated for riding in the heat(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Lightweight bibs come in black with three options for color splashes: light blue, white or chartreuse(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Chamois placement — always a critical factor in a good pair of bibs — is spot on with the Lightweight bibs(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
*Depending on geography, your results may vary(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Lightweight bibs get a redesigned gripper for 2014(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
The Molteni jersey of Eddy Merckx from the 1974 Giro d'Italia is one of three special edition Trade Team jerseys for 2014(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
Are these cross patterns an ode to the old-school style of carrying a spare tubular, or something darker?(Image credit: Josh Patterson/Future Publishing)
For the spring season, Rapha has refined its Lightweight collection, beefed up its Pro Team offerings and rolled out a few more special edition pieces like tributes to 1974 Giro d'Italia teams and the racing signal of the coming spring, Paris-Nice.
Rapha has two basic styles of fit: Club and Pro. The Classic jerseys and the Trade Team jerseys, like the 1974 Giro options, are the looser-fit Club style and made of a merino/polyester Sportwool blend. The Club fit pieces shown here are size Medium, on a 6ft/182cm rider with a 39.5in/100cm chest. The Pro jerseys are a snugger fit (size Large shown here on the same rider), with more of a silky, stretch-polyester feel.
For those not familiar with Rapha's online-sales protocol, riders can return any item after riding it (within 30 days) if the product doesn't live up to their expectations.
A notable departure for this spring is the "Kings of Pain" collection of matching jersey, hat and arm warmers. The Kings of Pain short-sleeve jersey has a tall, button-down collar, and is adorned with little icons and stitching reminiscent of the old-school tubular draped across a rider's shoulders. Kings of Pain is also Rapha's celebration of its tenth year of business.
Click through the deep gallery at above right for details on all the new gear.
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This trade team jersey is in Rapha's looser Club cut, shown here in Medium on a 6ft/182cm rider
