These days, Rapha doesn’t have much in common with the company it once was (save, perhaps, for a certain contrasting armband) —the Rapha that produced the series of Continental films all those years ago. In the videos, riders adorned in wool clawed themselves up epic mountain passes of the American West and in doing so, achieved cycling immortality. It was a specific aesthetic, but it was groundbreaking for its time. Today’s Rapha is larger, broader. The company makes clothes for mountain bikers, Zwifters and loafing. But it also makes clothes for proper road bike racers.
Rapha’s first foray into top-level professional cycling, when the company sponsored Team Sky, is now over a decade past. Currently, the company is the clothing provider of EF Education-EasyPost and relies on its athletes to develop high-tech racing clothing. It wasn’t all that long ago that racing jerseys’ only function was as small, flappy billboards, and that was the end of it. Now that aerodynamics dictate such a big role in equipment choices, clothing has become one of the critical items deciding race outcomes.
Design details
The Pro Team Aero jersey uses a proprietary Italian fabric on the back, shoulders and sleeves and sides. The dimpled texture is intended to interrupt airflow as it moves over the arms and shoulders to improve how airflow slides off the body. The jersey features an updated sleeve design that hides the seam location in the lee of the arms and has a low profile hem. The sleeves are quite long, as is the current, aero-inspired fashion. Surprisingly, there is no contrasting armband. I can only speculate that it was culled during a particularly tempestuous wind-tunnel session.
The collar is cut very low, akin to a skinsuit which may not fully cover a baselayer, if it has a tighter neckline. Sizes run from XS to XXL. The body of the jersey uses 85% recycled polyester and the sleeves use a mix of 75% recycled polyester and 25% recycled elastane. The material is rated to 50 UPF.
Rapha logos are placed low on the ribs at an angle, and though the colors are relatively subtle, the Pro Team logotype is not. Colors offered are light gray (called Silver Gray/Rum Raisin) dark blue (Eclipse/ Aleutain [sic]) and black, (Black/Grey). MSRP is $245 USD / £185.
On the road
Like every piece of cycling kit, fit is the most critical component to consider. Helmet and jersey, in conjunction with bike fit, account for the bulk of the overall aerodynamic drag, so they are important to get right.
The Pro Team Aero jersey is a race jersey, and it feels like it. Cylinders are one of the worst shapes, aerodynamically-speaking, and we all have two of them in the form of upper arms reaching down to the handlebars. This is a tricky thing to try to negate through jersey design.
Without testing anything in a wind tunnel, it’s very hard to say how this jersey performs in this regard. Most assuredly, it will work better for some people than others. I can comment, however, on the other features. The snug fit feels fast, and is designed for professional athletes. It doesn’t have a lot of give to it, so choose your size accordingly. I don’t have very large biceps, but found the sleeves to be quite compressive. This may make this particular jersey a no-go for more muscled body types.
Pocket placement is accessible, yet tucked out of the way, and I’m a big fan of how Rapha has begun adding a little extra hem on the inside of the pocket edge that folds down to help keep things stowed inside. There is also a small zippered pocket on the right hand side.
The robust primary zipper works great and should ensure the garment will last. I’m guessing that the low collar was designed primarily with aerodynamics in mind, but also posit that it’s easier for Rapha to manufacture (slightly fewer cuts and seams). I don’t love how it feels, though once you’re used to it, it doesn’t draw attention to itself.
For riders who want a race jersey and don’t already have one as part of a racing team, this jersey is worth considering. The fact that it’s being worn right now at the Tour de France demonstrates its pedigree.
Value and conclusion
Rapha’s latest Pro Team Aero jersey is a wind-tunnel tested, proven, certified go-fast racing garment. Fit and design elements have been refined over previous versions to optimize for race conditions and the demands of competitors.
Rapha's prices still seems to elicit a knee-jerk reaction from some people despite the fact that there are now several brands offering comparably priced garments. Don’t get me wrong, $245 is an awful lot to pay for a jersey, but compared to other ways to find speed, it’s at least more palatable than new wheels or a whole new bike and may offer a similar speed boost.
In terms of price, Assos’s Equipe RS S11 is not far off at $220, and Pas Normal offers the TKO Essential jersey at $220 also. Both of these jerseys are also worn by professional riders, but not in the WorldTour. I expect quality to be similar between the three.
Two things that do set Rapha’s offerings apart are the high recycled content of this piece, which is commendable, and also Rapha’s Repair Program, which fixes clothing in the event of a crash. This offers some peace of mind when shelling out for new kit, as well as keeps pieces on the road instead of in a landfill.
Rapha’s Pro Team Aero Jersey is not cheap, but it is good.
