Rapha was founded by Simon Mottram and Luke Scheybeler in London in 2004. Since then Rapha has estabished itself as one of the leaders in the market and a company that makes the world’s finest cycling clothing. The name Rapha was taken from the 1960s cycling team Rapha.. Rapha regularly organises and sponsors their own uniuque rides and events and the Rapha Cycling Club was founded in 2015 to bring cyclists together. They currently have over 17,000 members spread across the globe and a very active group of followers. The year 2024 is a very exciting year for the company as they embark on 20 years of business with a very loyal base of followers at its side.

I have been a fan of the Rapha range of products for several years now and over the last few weeks I have been reviewing two excellent products from their range; the Men’s Winter Jersey and Pro Team Winter Gloves and I have been very impressed with both items. In this review, I will focus more on the Winter Jersey and will do a follow up with the Pro Team Winter Gloves at a later date.

The Rapha Classic Winter Jersey is designed to offer a balance of insulation, windproofing and breathability. Produced for cold to freezing weather conditions, all design aspects have been thoroughly thought out including Zipped vents under the arms that really helps you regulate your temperature and a soft mesh across the back that assists with moisture managment.

I have worn the Rapha Classic Winter Jersey on multiple rides this winter including in rain, wind and sunshine, on the warmer days on its own and the colder ones in conjunction with a merino base-layer and its performed really well. The Jersey is made with merino wool which really helps with wicking sweat away from the body keeping you warm on your winter cycles. I have found issues in the past where after a brief coffee stop, my body getting very cold due to sweat not wicking away correctly, this has never happened when wearing this jersey making it a vital part of my cycling wardrobe.

The Rapha Classic Winter Jersey stands up really well in the windy conditions. Living on the east coast of Ireland its not unusual for us to experience very strong winds, so testing the Jersey has been really enjoyable it manages to keep me shielded , warm and moisture free in these situations. I have been caught in a few showers and the Rapha Classic Winter Jersey has kept me pretty dry on all but one where we had torrential rain.

The back of the Rapha Classic Winter Jersey has three large pockets, a zipped valuables pocket and horizontal ballast pocket that will give plenty of space for your rain jacket, food, pocket pump and any additional items you many need. I worry sometimes about my mobile phone falling out of my jersey pocket while out on my rides; this is never a concern when wearing the Rapha Classic Winter Jersey.

The detailing on the Rapha Classic Winter Jersey is really stylish, I love the Rapha logo with reflective detailing at the back of the jersey along with the reflective armband it provides for additional safety when on the winter roads. The Full-length zip with lockdown puller is really well built and easy to use even when wearing Rapha Pro Team Winter Gloves.

Overall Ratings

Build Quality: 10/10 Rapha Classic Winter Jersey is a premium winter Jersey and the build quality reflects that you will get many successful seasons out of this product

Cost : 9/10 The Rapha Classic Winter Jersey which is currenty retailing at £180.00 is an expensive cycling jersey. The quality of the product is top notch and it will last you many years so I think its well worth the investment.

Breathability : 10/10 This jersey is extremly breathable and very versatile, it can be paired with a base-layer on colder days or used on its own and no matter the situation the product is great at wicking sweat away and keeping you at the correct temperature.

Water Resistence : 6/10 This is not designed to be waterproof but I found it to be good at keeping you dry during light showers but it will certainly not keep you dry in heavy rain but the pockets at the back of it are perfect for carrying a rain jacket.

Conclusion

The Rapha Classic Winter Jersey is a really good jersey to keep you warm on your long cycles, It is designed for winter riding but in Ireland and the UK due to its breathbility I think it would work really well up to and including the hotter summer months.

For additional information please go to

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/mens-winter-jersey/product/WJY09XXBLU

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/pro-team-winter-gloves/product/PWG02XXBLK