Reviews

Rapha Pro Team Lightweight jersey

Rapha's range of summer-weight jerseys has had a refresh and this is the pick of the bunch

The year 2017 has seen a bit of a wholesale overhaul of the Rapha range of clothing, with jackets, bib shorts and jerseys all seeing modifications with the intention of keeping Rapha not only at the head of the queue in terms of style, but also function.

The Pro Team range represents the highest echelon of the range, with race-bred knowhow from current tie ups with Canyon//SRAM and Team Wiggins (as well as, predominately, the recently-concluded partnership with Team Sky) coming to the fore, sharing centre stage with Rapha’s obvious style and quality.

The Lightweight jersey of that range – which incidentally spells the end of the Climber’s jersey in the British brand’s offering – is designed for the delicate balance of warm weather that pitches it between the Midweight and Flyweight versions. Quite what those conditions are will depend on the individual needs of the rider, but we think it hits the sweetspot for UK riders in summer.

To meet this, the jersey is made of two distinct fabrics: a 120gsm perforated and breathable frontal area, with a slightly denser polyester on the back to provide an effective shield against the sun’s rays. It seems Rapha want to avoid any more Chris Froome-esque time trial suit/skin cooker PR nightmares – good call.

The two fabrics are designed to be very flexible, providing a near-skin-tight fit, with a cut that naturally hugs the body in an aggressive riding position. On top of this, the details have been sweated to keep lines clean and disruptions of airflow to a realistic minimum. Notably, the collar features a subtle nod to minimalist time trial suits by being tapered in a teardrop style to the front with flush fitting around the neckline.

RCUK 100 2017 - Rapha Pro Team Lightweight jersey

Rapha Pro Team Lightweight jersey

Price: £130.00
Website: Rapha

Overall, Rapha have made use of the bare minimum of seams, with tidy minimalist cuffs and hems setting off the aesthetic, while this Pro Team jersey has jumped on the high-visibility bandwagon the Brevet range first kick-started by incorporating reflective dots in place of the previous block-colour single arm band. Things are also kept practical with an easy-to-tug plastic zip and three sizeable rear pockets for storage.

As we’ve come to expect from Rapha, the jersey is available in a range of stylish colours starting with the pictured dark teal, with orange, black and white also on offer. They have also gone to the trouble of matching up other aspects of the Pro Team range with the jerseys, so you can now buy a matching set of bibs, gloves, base layer and socks too.

As if we needed an excuse.

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