Rapha Feed (All)

Back in New England: D2R2

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:53:53 +0100

words by Tony Pereiraww.rapha.cc/tony-pereira-1 photos by Brian Vernorrianvernor.com/home.html I grew up riding my BMX bike on fire roads and trails in New England which quickly turned into mountain biking. Now, I don't know if you know this, bu...

Mr. Goodwrench at the NYC Cycle Club

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:15:21 +0100

Last Thursday night, the Rapha Cycle Club NYC hosted a unique event to highlight the unsung work of the New York City bicycle mechanic. More often than not, a mechanic's work is a mystery - we drop off our bikes, pick them up, and they are magically ...

Rapha CCC Recce: Pyrenees Part III

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:11:35 +0100

Phil Deeker concludes his reporting on the reconnaissance of the 2010 Rapha Cent Cols Challenge in the Pyrenees. I write this back in my Belgian hills, just a day after we cracked open a bottle of champagne in Rivesaltes. Already it now seems like...

Au Revoir

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:56:10 +0100

Rapha Cycle Club London's H-Van exits the building in Clerkenwell. Where next?… Stay tuned. Don't forget Cycle Club NYCww.rapha.cc/nyc is still open for business until the end of September....

Vuelta a España 1985

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:52:25 +0100

“Nobody would ride. They preferred to see me lose and a Spaniard win.” - Robert Millar A lead of over six minutes over a former trainee nurse by the name of Pedro Delgado on the penultimate day of the 1985 Vuelta evaporated for Robert Millar ...

Thursday Night at the NYC Cycle Club

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:41:40 +0100

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Rapha CCC Recce: Pyrenees Part II

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:57:56 +0100

Phil Deeker has sent a follow up report on the reconnaissance of the 2010 Rapha Cent Cols Challenge in the Pyrenees. 5 out of 10 stages ridden and we have already climbed as much as most Pyrenean Raids do over 10 days. 24,500m Up. Yesterday offici...

Continental Partners: Continental Tires

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:55:23 +0100

What is the one thing that you do not want to worry about when you are des...

Deano Lights Up Blackpool

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:47:29 +0100

Master of the circuit race Dean Downing finally bagged himself a Nocturne Series victory on Saturday evening. After coming close on countless occasions in the twilight criteriums, the man from Yorkshire lit up the new circuit in Blackpool to take the...

Kissing with Helmets

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:52:07 +0100

Last Saturday our good friends Edie Perkins and Brett Cleaver (who worked at the NYC Cycle Clubww.rapha.cc/nyc and races for Rapha Racing NYCww.rapha.cc/rapha-racing-new-york-city) said their vows, exchanged rings and sealed it with a kiss. They then...

Rapha CCC Recce: The Pyrenees

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:42:07 +0100

ww.centcolschallenge.com/ Phil Deeker and six other riders, including Rapha's Ultan Coylewitter.com/RaphaCCC, are currently scouting the route for the Pyrenean version of the Rapha Cent Cols Challengeww.rapha.cc/cent-cols-challenge. Phil sent this...

Ride the Rockies

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:25:54 +0100

ride-the-rockies-day-1 ride-the-rockies-day-2 ride-the-rockies-day-3 ride-the-rockies-day-4 ww.rapha.cc/ride-the-rockies-day-5 ride-the-rockies-day-6 ride-the-rockies-day-7 ww.rapha.cc/ride-the-rockies-cues-and-map...

Two Broad Arrows

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:20:34 +0100

ww.rapha.cc/ The second of our trio of films made in conjunction with RSA takes inspiration from Irish racing legend Sean Kelly. Two Broad Arrowsww.rapha.cc/, a coming of age story, was written and directed by Adrian Moat who discusses his film be...

BIKESNOB NYC KNOWS EPIC

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:56:27 +0100

There is a line in The Godfather, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer", and we have to admit that Michael Corleone may have been on our minds as the date approached for the BikeSnob NYC to give a presentation at the Rapha Cycle Club. W...

Newton Steps out on a High

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:54:13 +0100

Chris Newton has announced he is retiring from professional racing on both road and track and will be joining the coaching staff at the Great Britain Cycling Team. Chris has won medals at the last three Olympic Games and the last two Commonwealth Gam...

A SATURDAY IN HELL

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:03:19 +0100

I truly did not believe that the Northwest Gentlemen's Race course this year was as difficult as past editions when I set the day. With the heat, the wind and the sharp stones, it was reported to be the most difficult day on the bike many had experie...

Ridley Scott Associates and Rapha

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:25:39 +0100

Rapha and RSA Films present three short films inspired by the people, places and stories of road racing. Johan Museeuw, Sean Kelly and Dario Pegoretti are celebrated in three cinematic portraits exploring the passion, history and drama of the sport. ...

A Throw of The Dice

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:18:44 +0100

Today is the first of three Friday films inspired by the stories of the 2010 Club Jerseysww.rapha.cc/club-jersey-2010/. 'A Throw of The Dice' from acclaimed RSA Films director Nick Livesey is the story of Johan Museeuw and Paris-Roubaix. As a...

On the Port de Balès

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:25:19 +0100

~WORDS & PHOTOS: Phil Deeker~ Stage 15: It had to happen on the Port de Balès. It seemed so evident. If Andy was going to be more than Alberto’s cycling pal, then he had to make his move on the Balès. The wooded section of the climb is pre...

Sprinting for Signs

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:47:26 +0100

This x-ray shows the broken collar bone of Mr. Derrick Lewis. Rapha's New York agent. Derrick explains below: The standard training route for all New Yorkers involves crossing the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey to head north on lightly u...

Hidden Strength

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:30:39 +0100

Beautiful Machines | A Century of Bikes

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:36:10 +0100

Rapha Cycle Club Londonww.rapha.cc/london is currently hosting an exhibition of 12 road machines from the last 110 years of cycle racing. From early 20th century fixed-wheel racers to the latest carbon technology, Beautiful Machines showcases the his...

Stage 17: Pau – Col du Tourmalet

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:46:05 +0100

~© Janet Pearch Photography~ A beastly final mountain stage today, culminating with the legendary Col du Tourmalet. The mountain has inspired many stories from the 74 (as of stage 16) occasions it has featured on the Tour route, none better than ...

Lying to Yourself

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:52:41 +0100

Photos by: Dan Sharpww.danielsharpphoto.com/ Thoughts by: Joe Staplesww.rapha.cc/joe-staples Below, is a 15 second segment of a 17 minute thought process I had as I rode with Jeremyww.rapha.cc/jeremy-dunn up Saltzman, a gravel climb just outside...

Book Tour de Lance

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:09:00 +0100

Since the start of the 2010 Tour de France on Saturday July 3rd, the Cycle Club NYCww.rapha.cc/cycle-club/ has been the place to watch all the race action play out. In fact, there have been reports that the Club is the only place in New York City sho...

100 Years of the Pyrenees

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:40:18 +0100

2010 marks the centenary of the Pyrenees mountains' inclusion in the Tour de France. It was on the 19th July 1910 that the first Tour stage scaled legendary climbs such as the Col d'Aubisque, Peyresourde and the Tourmalet. 'Giants of the road' - ride...

The 1910 Challenge Movie

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:32:54 +0100

ww.rapha.cc/1910-challenge-movie Rapha presents the full-length version of the 1910 Challenge movie. Click on the image to view the incredible journey taken by four Rapha riders on June 9th 2010. Also viewable in HD....

Mountain Sensations

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:26:37 +0100

So we head for the Pyrenees this weekend and a much-anticipated showdown between Contador and Schleck. Will they be listening to the buzzing in their ears coming from the team car, or using their initiative to crack their opponents? To quote maverick...

Rapha at Étape du Tour 2010

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:47:29 +0100

~© Janet Pearch Photography~ Good luck to every rider about to embark on what is surely one of the most epic Étape routes to date. Etapistes will be scaling the punishing gradients of the Marie Blanque, the Col du Soulor and the Giant of the Pyr...

Vail to Vail

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:14:42 +0100

WORDS: Carey S-Hww.rapha.cc/carey-sh PHOTOS: Dan Sharpww.danielsharpphoto.com/ VIDEO: Benji Wagnerww.benjiwagner.com/ If you've ever been a somewhat serious skier in the United States, then you've probably had Vail Ski Resort on your list as a p...

Freedom

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:16:38 +0100

it is that I miss so much when I am stuck here, unable to ride my bike. Even as I currently am, reduced to short, elbow-aggravating sorties every other day. Most bike riders, I think, would suggest at these times that they miss the buzz of exerci...

Roger Rivière

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:44:03 +0100

Roger Rivière started his career in the velodrome. In 1955 he beat Jacques Anquetil in the national pursuit championship at the Parc des Princes. Two years later, after winning the world pursuit title, he turned pro for St. Raphaël, riding with the...

A Real Climber's Prize

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 04:53:41 +0100

I'm sure there is some organization that tracks these statistics, but if I had to take a guess I'd venture that 99 percent of grooms arrive at their wedding in a car. However, if you're Zack Vestal and you live in Boulder, CO where you happen to be a...

Étape du Tour 2010: A Pilgrimage

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:18:16 +0100

The Way of St. James is an historical pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Northern Spain. It is said that the bones of St. James the apostle are buried here, carried by boat from Jerusalem. Pilgrims to this shrine take s...

Gentlemen's Time Trial: The Film

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:09:52 +0100

Night of the Living Dude

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:50:21 +0100

Whilst being sponsored by two lead supporters (and the creators) of the Nocturne Series, a win at these events has eluded the Rapha Condor Sharp boys since its 2007 inception. This weekend changed all of that, with a phenomenal win by Kristian House ...

Stage 3: Wanze – Arenberg

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:54:51 +0100

ATMO (According To Mike's Opinion)

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:07:23 +0100

Unless you have been to the London or New York Cycle Club, you probably would not be aware that we are publishing opinion of the racing and riders each day throughout the Tour de France. James, in the LDN Club warmed up with the Giro and now both Cyc...

Stage 2: Belgian Pot-Boiler

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:54:00 +0100

Stage 2: Brussels – Spa Commercially-sponsored teams competed for the first time in 1962, with Jacques Anquetil expected to share leaders duties with German Rudi Altig for the St. Raphaël team, much to the Frenchman’s annoyance. Altig took th...

Mad Dogs and Mayhem

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:37:56 +0100

NYC Cycle Club Launch

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:08:56 +0100

On a beautiful July evening in New York a couple hundred friends, customers, and fans of cycling opened the Rapha Cycle Club at 352 Bowery. With a steady supply of Stella Artois, free cups of Stumptown being served by Third Rail Coffeeww.thirdrailcof...

AW10 Photo Shoot

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:17:59 +0100

~© Ben Ingham~ Staying at an altitude of 2200m. 5 riders. Extremely challenging climbs in hard man gearing (39 x 23). Weather is sufficiently bad (Below 5°C at times). Kit for men and women looking superb. More news soon....

Gentlemen's Race Litchfield, CT

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:59:59 +0100

WORDS: Jeremy Dunn PHOTOS: Brian Vernorrianvernor.com/home.html & Jesse Burkeww.jesseburke.com/ VIDEO: Paper Fortress Filmsaperfortressfilms.com/work/ The trick to enjoying a great Gentlemen's Race does not lie within the prize list. You wil...

Tour de France 2010

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:18:20 +0100

From the cobbles of Belgium to the loftiest peaks of the Pyrenees, this year’s Tour de France looks to be as gruelling and intriguing as ever. With expectations of Team Sky and Bradley Wiggins high, Armstrong approaching his final ever Tour, the Sc...

Postcards From the Rockies

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:29:10 +0100

Photos by Dan Sharp Each of Dan Sharp's photos look as though they could be postcards from Ride the Rockies. While the cruising through Colorado may be over for the moment, the love for this great state need not stop. With an extra day the Rapha C...

Gentlemen's Time Trial 2010

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:27:24 +0100

A fortnight ago the inaugural Rapha Gentlemen's Time Trial took place from London-Brighton-London. Based on the Rapha Gentlemen's Racesww.rapha.cc/gentlemens-race-new-paltz-ny established in the USA, this was a ride untypical of the more traditional ...

Tourmalet Exhibition

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:29:25 +0100

Rapha Cycle Club LDNww.rapha.cc/london is currently running an exhibition celebrating the centenary of the Col du Tourmalet. On 21st July 1910, Stage 10 of the Tour travelled over the Col du Tourmalet for the first time. It was Alphonse Steinès,...

The 1910 Challenge

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:21:03 +0100

The centenary of the Col du Tourmalet's inclusion in the Tour de France will be celebrated with a mountain-top finish on stage 17 of this year's edition of the race. As well as the special edition Tourmalet Jerseyww.rapha.cc/tourmalet-jersey, Rapha h...

The Broom Wagon Has Landed

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:15:57 +0100

Words and Photos by Mike Spriggs While it doesn't make for a good spy novel title, for us this is nearly as exciting. Over the past few weeks, we have tracked the progress of our Citroën H-Van - the centerpiece of the Rapha Cycle Clubww.rapha.cc/...

Harpoon B2B

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:30:24 +0100

Photos by Chris Milliman While a group of the Continental riders were tackling the high hills of the West during the the Ride the Rockies, another group of like minded individuals took to the East Coast for the Harpoon Brewery to Breweryww.harpoo...

Thank You Rockies

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:11:43 +0100

Photos by Dan Sharp Words by Joe Staples and Carey SH Where to start? We could talk about how we rode 55miles of gravel when none were on the route. We could talk about how the day was supposed to be 84 miles but turned out to be 104. In all ...

Altitude

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:45:33 +0100

Photos by Dan Sharp Thoughts on Altitude from Rapha Continental riders Joe Staples, James Selman, Steve Francisco and Ben Lieberson during their week-long assault on Colorado during Ride the Rockies. From Joe: Asthma is an easy thing to explai...

Riding With Wayne

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:29:09 +0100

Photos by Dan Sharp Words by Joe Staples Two days ago we, the Rapha Continental, did 95 miles, with 10,000ft ft climbing including a single 20 mile ascent that topped out at 10,800ft. It was the second day of Ride the Rockiesww.ridetherockies.com...

Passo de Larch

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:25:34 +0100

Never have I been so cold in my entire life." I remember thinking this as I headed back down to the base of Larch Mountain. Then, as I gripped the top-tube of my quaking bike with my legs I thought to myself. "Oh wait, this is exactly what this desce...

Rapha Cooks: Tuna

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:07:11 +0100

Words and Photos by Matt Card If you’re lucky summer has settled in where you live and the after-work hours are filled with evening rides and training races. With so much time in the saddle, it’s hard to want to spend more than the barest mini...

The Merino Miracle

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:09:58 +0100

Merino wool is one of nature’s little miracles. Naturally breathable and odour resistant, the interior of the fibre is ‘hydrophilic’, meaning it retains water. When merino absorbs perspiration, it holds it in the fibre without the fabric being ...

Team Issue Rain Jacket

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:05:25 +0100

ww.rapha.cc/team-issue-rain-jacket-1/ The rest of the United States can look away. This does not pertain to you. Enjoy your sunny summer riding. Sometimes people say that they do not want to visit here because it rains all the time in Portland....

Tour of the Unknown Coast

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:27:05 +0100

We do not choose which rides we label 'best ever'. They choose us. Of course, from looking back on the ones that wind up with that moniker it is possible to discern a few elements that help the ride earn this title. A perfect sunshine laden day can d...

The 1910 Ride: 9th June 2010

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:50:32 +0100

~Rolling out at dawn~ Celebrating 100 years of cyclists defying the laws of gravity and conquering the mountains, the 1910 Rideww.rapha.cc/the-1910-ride took place yesterday in the Pyrenees. Our four intrepid riders set off before day break from B...

The Rapha Continental Summer Season

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:26:20 +0100

These are the faces of the Rapha Continentalww.rapha.cc/rapha-continental. Each Tuesday from now through the end of the Summer you will see stories, photos, and musings from these characters. There have been some changes afoot over on the Continental...

Fireflies + Colnago

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:17:37 +0100

This Summer the Firefliesww.thefirefliestour.com/ celebrate their 10th anniversary and to mark the occasion a limited run of custom Colnago Master X-Lights and EPS frames have been constructed. Rapha Cycle Clubww.rapha.cc/cycle-club/ hosted the arriv...

The 1910 Ride

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:44:27 +0100

Rapha are celebrating the centenary of the Col du Tourmalet’s first inclusion in the Tour de France with a tribute challenge, the 1910 ride. Here Phil Deeker, one of the quartet riding the event, explains what lies ahead and how he's prepared for ...

Étape Recce 2010

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:07:27 +0100

Rapha's Étape du Tour reconnaissance took place last week. The Étape, the amateur cyclist's chance to fulfill (or shatter) their Tour de France fantasies, will in 2010 celebrate 100 years of the Col du Tourmalet's looming presence in the history of...

The Alice Awards

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:21:34 +0100

When the summer months hit here in Portland the bike events start to pick up with a fervor like nothing you have seen before. This weekend could be the official kick off event with the 15th Annual Alice Awardsww.bta4bikes.org/alice/ presented by the ...

Cycle Club through a lens

Sat, 29 May 2010 11:08:17 +0100

Or through a monocle to be precise. One of Rapha's favourite magazines, Monocleww.monocle.com/, now has a video report on the Rapha Cycle Clubww.rapha.cc/london on London's Clerkenwell Road. See it here »ww.monocle.com/sections/business/Web-Articl...

Rapha Gentleman's Race: East Coast

Thu, 27 May 2010 06:34:42 +0100

Photos by Jesse Burke During the height of the summer of 2008, the Rapha Continental did what turned out to be a hellishly beautiful ride in the hills surrounding Litchfield, Connecticut.ww.rapha.cc/litchfield Little did we know that these same hi...

Coffee Van

Wed, 26 May 2010 16:28:29 +0100

Last night marked the unveiling of the newly refurbished Rapha Voiture Balai, otherwise known as the Citroen H-Van. Working in partnership with Bean About Townww.beanabouttown.com/ the van is now equipped with a fully functioning espresso bar, servi...

Tour of Japan photostory

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:49:54 +0100

~photos by Shuhei Takenouchi~ May 2010, Japan The Rapha Condor Sharp Team travelled to The Land of the Rising Sun for the 14th Tour of Japan. A successful campaign, with several podium placings and great team work on stage 6 to get the win for Br...

The Dude wins stage 6 of the Tour of Japan

Sat, 22 May 2010 10:15:52 +0100

Kristian House, The Dude, has won stage 6 of the 2010 Tour of Japan. Taking advantage of Darren Lapthorne's tactical sacrifice at the front for much of the race, The Dude then dropped everyone for a solo win. Banzai/content/uploads/AN7E8368.jpg...

You can still call him "Mr. Snob"

Fri, 21 May 2010 21:13:17 +0100

In case you missed it, the BikeSnobNYCikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/ has come out of protective custody and declared that he is not a snob at all. He's Eben Weiss, a born and bred New Yorker who just happens to be blessed by living in a city that leaves hi...

Randonnée Appennini Uno

Fri, 21 May 2010 12:49:40 +0100

The first Randonnée Appennini took place between the 1st and 8th May and looks to have been an epic (yes, I used that word again) adventure. Whilst the weather was clearly challenging at times, the Italian landscape speaks for itself. Congratulation...

Giro d'Italia 1969

Thu, 20 May 2010 18:02:28 +0100

Vintage poster depicting the 1969 Giro. Not entirely sure where this originated from but the dotted lines around each rider/character suggest it was some kind of pull-out poster for children (or nostalgic road-racing fans). Felice Gimondi, riding for...

Tour of Japan in Pictures

Tue, 18 May 2010 15:38:42 +0100

~© Shuhei Takenouchi~ Plenty more photography of Rapha Condor Sharp at the Tour of Japan on the Rapha Flickr albumww.flickr.com/photos/raphacc/. On stage three of the race Zak Dempster finished 2nd and Darren 'Lappers' Lapthorne is still sitti...

Rapha Condor Summer Race Series

Tue, 18 May 2010 11:08:28 +0100

~Photos Laura Fletcher~ I turned up to the first of the summer’s Rapha Condor race meetings as the Rapha H van was unfurling. It had somehow made it to the race without breaking down, probably due to some creative engine-cooling methods develope...

BESPOKE. May 12, 2010. New York City.

Tue, 18 May 2010 02:32:20 +0100

We are fortunate here in Portland, OR to have a thriving community of some really interesting and capable manipulators of steel, shape and speed. But, I imagine that if we were to do a clean extract of the Portland builders scene and drop it on the e...

Rapha Condor Sharp: Tour of Japan

Mon, 17 May 2010 12:07:53 +0100

~Photography © Shuhei Takenouchi~ The boys in black are currently racing at the 14th edition of the Tour of Japan. Hot off the heels of an extended visit to the USA and some well-earned domestic successes at the Lincoln GP and Shay Elliott Memori...

Fausto Coppi and Plenty of Coffee

Fri, 14 May 2010 12:12:38 +0100

The Giro d'Italia, Fausto Coppi and coffee. That is the week we've had here in London. Last night we launched a month-long exhibition celebrating Il Campionissimo, the greatest cyclist of the post-war era. Downstairs at the Rapha Cycle Clubww....

Within Rouleur Seventeen

Fri, 14 May 2010 02:44:30 +0100

photos by Dan Sharp The most recent issue of Rouleurouleur.cc/ contains two different views from inside the European pro peloton. The first, from Rapha Condor Sharp's own Tom Southamww.raphacondor.cc/riders-and-staff/tom-southam tells the tale of ...

Shay Elliott

Wed, 12 May 2010 13:05:50 +0100

The Shay Elliott Memorial Road Race is run every year in Ireland in honour of Shay Elliott, the first Irishman to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Rapha Condor Sharp took all three podium places at the 2010 edition of the prestigious rac...

Rapha Continental: Summer Season

Tue, 11 May 2010 21:52:50 +0100

Each new year for the Rapha Continental has been a little bit different. When the Continental started it was simply a bunch of friends doing rides out of their collective hometown of Portland, Oregon. The project evolved and grew a bit to incorporate...

Rapha Condor Sharp ride the Tour of Japan

Tue, 11 May 2010 09:47:47 +0100

Rapha Condor Sharp will debut in The Land of the Rising Sun to test their legs at the 14th Tour of Japan. The race will start in Sakai, Osaka, just a few blocks from the Shimano headquarters and where team sponsor, Sharp, have just opened their large...

Newton Wins Lincoln GP in Style

Mon, 10 May 2010 11:31:17 +0100

~© Cheryl King~ Chris Newton danced away on the final climb of the Lincoln Grand Prix to win the prestigious event for the second time in his career. A race that is always hotly contested by riders from home and abroad, the Lincoln GP is arguably...

Rapha Sounds: The Giro

Fri, 07 May 2010 12:25:20 +0100

The Old Lady

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:37:58 +0100

No, that's not a derogatory term for Bernard Hinault, although he did win La Doyenne twice. The 'Old Lady', Liège-Bastogne-Liège, is the oldest Classic in cycle racing and, presumably, when you've completed all 260km of this tough Monument, you pro...

The Duke in New York City

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:05:12 +0100

Photo by Dan Sharp This fresh faced young man is known as Dean 'the Duke' Windsor.ww.raphacondor.cc/riders-and-staff/dean-windsor The Australian moved over to Rapha Condor Sharp from the Drapac-Porsche racing team this year after winning the Most ...

2010 Summer Season

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:41:48 +0100

Over the last three years the riders of the Rapha Continental have explored some of the most beautiful regions and roads in North America. With the help of customers and friends, the chronicle of our ongoing journey has now grown to fifty rides and o...

Time for Touring

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:33:25 +0100

© Jobst Brandt After a week where volcanic ash prevented thousands of people from flying to locations in and out of Europe, it's time to rethink the art of travel. Supposing we didn't have the convenience of commercial flight and instead depended...

Rapha Condor Sharp to Ride Quabbin Race

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:52:05 +0100

The Rapha Condor Sharpww.raphacondor.cc/home team is at it again, with no hope for getting out of the United States anytime soon they have shifted their focus from When do we leave?" to "What do we do now that we are stuck here?" The best answer to t...

Rapha Yonretto: Izu No Kuni

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:40:52 +0100

View the featureww.rapha.cc/izu-no-kuni.

HOTN: Best Dressed Flahute

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:21:56 +0100

Eddy explains to Roger how he maintains his sideburns all season-long. The Hell of the Northww.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-1 ride on the 11th April will offer riders the chance to sport their best Belgian style. Whether that be a turn-of-the-centur...

Women's Range Launch

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:49:03 +0000

At midday it still looked like the sun might poke through the clouds, but by early afternoon the BBC had a severe weather warning over London and the rain began to fall in biblical proportions. This wasn’t ideal for the early Spring spin around Reg...

Rapha Rides: The Garden of England

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:25:36 +0000

Graeme Raeburn, a man of Kent (or is that a Kentish man?), and Ultan Coyle, a man of Ulster (Dundalk actually), led us on the sixth instalment of the all-company ride through south London into Kent, the Garden of England. Coffee connoisseurs ...

Mini-Mart

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:03:59 +0000

The good and bad thing about digital imagery is that it is easy to forget about, but at the same time just as easy to pull back out and put to use. The ease of taking digital photos and then storing them away can be a little scary at times. But, then...

Big Loop - Boise, ID

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:18:14 +0000

Our desire to move, travel and expand, and road trip is central to our identity and consciousness. Americans love frontiers. We are restless and ready at once to pack-up and move-on should life require it, for a job or a woman, or for gold or for fam...

Otto Miller - March

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:34:20 +0000

Each month when we do the Otto Miller ride more and more people show up. We started this ride on a whim for the purpose of getting to ride with others, for the excuse to get out and ride our bicycles more. They hear about it through friends, they are...

A Prize from Hell

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:26:54 +0000

Juan Antonio Flecha, who finished 18th in the first Monument of the season on Saturday, Milan-San Remo, has kindly sent us a signed jersey. This will be the prize for the rider with the most punctures on Sunday the 11th April. And if you don't know a...

Riding With Cindy

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:26:18 +0000

The Women's Rangeww.rapha.cc/products/womens is set to launch in the next week or so. The catalog imagery was all shot through the Sicilian hills surrounding Siracusa, Italy. Luckily for us in North America, one of the women who helped make the shoot...

Way to go Deano

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:16:16 +0000

Dean Downing threw it at the line to get the win at the Tour of Taiwan. He's currently sitting second overall....

Hell of the North Sectors Pt.1

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:48:38 +0000

gravé noun /grɑːveɪ/US/græːveɪ/ • (an area of) farm track/road/footpath/bridleway etc. which consists of potholes, loose paving, stones, rubble and mud. The first five sectors of our Hell of the Northww.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-1 ri...

49x15:20x.75@11pm:03/20/10

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:55:18 +0000

Three years ago David Trimble had a birthday and rather than just cakes and ice cream, he and some friends raced the quiet cobbled streets in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood. Last year, even under the watchful and I'm sure curious eye of the NYPD, t...

Pintler Loop

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:15:39 +0000

Before, during, after, later, and depending on how long a day may be later again, the cyclist eats on ride days. String together a succession of ride days or even alternating ride and travel days, and food slowly becomes less and less a plethora of s...

El Diablo

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:42:59 +0000

Nicknamed El Diablo (when racing in S. America) for his devilish attacking style, Claudio Chiappucci was one of the most charismatic stars of the peloton in the 1990s. Firing onto the scene in the 1990 Tour de France, Chiappucci led an early break on...

Ronde van Oost Lancashire

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:17:00 +0000

Apparently, it is not just young lads on butcher's bikes delivering bread that ride the cobbles in the north of England. We had an email from the organiser of this event last week, throwing down the gauntlet onto the pavé of Lancashireeamherecomethe...

Conversations with Moots

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:07:12 +0000

Spent a little time interviewing Jon Cariveau from Moots Cycles yesterday morning. Keep an eye on the Builders" section of the Continental site as we head into the spring months. There are going to be some great additions to the family. Jon and I...

About The Bikes

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Our approach to building bicycles for the Rapha Continental Riders is a reflection of our environment both in terms of riding and in terms of the people, builders and brands local to the Pacific Northwest; Portland in particular. Inspired by the styl...

Rapha Cycle Club

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:58:26 +0000

...

Rouleur at the Classics

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:32:39 +0000

Rouleur consistently draws our attention to the most dramatic and brutal road riding in the world. If the term classicism could be applied to cycling journalism then Rouleur has pioneered the artform. Not that the magazine has anything to do with Anc...

Rules for Hell

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:18:39 +0000

Image © Ben Ingham BIKE GUIDELINES 1. Drop bars 2. Tyre width no wider than 32mm 3. Mudguards acceptable 4. Singlespeed/fixed gear acceptable but not advisedww.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-1 5. Tandems are a bad idea KIT CHECKLIST 1. Overs...

Beartooth Pass

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:24:41 +0000

This ride could be a top five. Maybe three. Riding in the brisk Portland Sunshine on a March day waiting for the rains to come again, I contemplated how amazing it would be to ride Beartooth now, today. How if I could, if the roads were passable,...

Travels with Daisuke

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:07:48 +0000

The first Yonrettoww.rapha.cc/mizugaki ride is now live on the site. It is great to see what happens in another part of the world. How cyclists go about their routines in another part of the world. Seeing the Rapha Continental evolve to encapsulate a...

Mizugaki

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:53:21 +0000

~WORDS: Daisuke Yano PHOTOS: Brian Vernor, Shu Takenouchi, Kei Tsuji~ The sun has completely set, not even a faint ring of light over the 3000m south Japan Alps. There is no point in putting street lights where people do not go out after dark...

NAHBS 2010 - Sunday Morning Ride

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:30:35 +0000

photos by Ira Ryan An early morning ride on a Sunday is a great way to start the day, or end the weekend depending on how you look at it. This past weekend, with the help of Joel and Donna from Carytown Bicycle Companyarytownbicyclecompany.com/, w...

Rapha Cooks: Pasta Orechiette

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:19:21 +0000

The third installment of recipes from Matt Card comes in the form of pastas. As Cyclists we are all familiar with this staple carb replacement, most likely eaten after but also before the start of a big ride or race. Matt outlines a few ways to enhan...

NAHBS 2010 - Richmond, Virginia

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:12:19 +0000

The tough thing about coming back from the NAHBS show is picking the things to start talking about. One could wander through the alley ways of that show for hours and not see everything. In fact there was a whole isle that I think was completely miss...

Jeremy's Ranch

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:41:45 +0000

Luck marries place, time-of-day and weather, not planning. Climbing under the sun with no shade. Tailwinds rolling off a pass. Sleet on a summit before a huge descent. Rain two miles into a 100 mile day. It’s all luck. And as all riders know, it...

Timm Kölln & Villa Pasculli

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:54:44 +0000

Timm Kölln’s The Peloton, a collection of portraits of the pros shot seconds after the finish line, captures the extreme physicality of the professional race experience. There’s Mark Cavendish looking suitably grimy in his former T-Mobile jersey...

A Continental Convenience

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:25:40 +0000

Sunday is the last day of the National Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) in Richmond, Virginia and it is a bit sad to see it come to an end. The US office has been planning, working and looking forward to this date for much of the winter, and to know tha...

More From Hell…

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:29:49 +0000

Myself, Simon Mottram and Guy Andrews made another venture into Hertfordshire on Wednesday to recce more of the Hell of the Northww.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-1 route. We assumed it couldn't get any soggier than last week but the delightful English w...

Monsieur Paris-Roubaix

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:27:19 +0000

Winning the Hell of the North an unprecedented four times (1972, ’74, ’75, ’77), the Belgian is regarded by many as the best classics rider in the history of the sport. De Vlaeminck’s cyclocross skills and experience riding his native Flandri...

What's New BQ?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:55:18 +0000

Rapha has the fortune of partneringww.rapha.cc/retail-partners with a handful of the better cycling retailers around the world. Housed in a newly built, state-of-the-art office in Little Rock, Competitive Cyclist continues to be at the forefront as a...

Snowy Pass

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:09:15 +0000

On our left, riding our way into the foothills outside Laramie, Wyoming, is a deep depression that seems to have been formed by centuries of wind erosion that stretches for miles and miles. On our right, ranch-lands are covered in tall, blowing grass...

Riding, Racing and Otto Miller Wednesday

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:55:31 +0000

We have been putting on Gentlemen's Races for quite some time now. On the East Coastww.rapha.cc/gentlemens-race-new-paltz-ny we will head into year two, while the West will see the third running of the race this September. Slate jokes that he is just...

Hell of the North: 11.04.10

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:56:48 +0000

Yesterday a couple of us from Rapha rode out of north London to recce the route for our Hell of the North ride, which takes place on Sunday 11th April 2010. The night before saw some torrential rain in London so we were a little concerned about condi...

Rapha in Richmond

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:07:52 +0000

Friday, February 26 — Sunday, February 28 Rapha is returning as exhibitors to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show happening in Richmond, Virginia, between February 26th – 28th. New spring/summer products will be on display, and we will ha...

The Road to NAHBS

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:14:46 +0000

These boxes of goods are being packed, and re-packed apparently, for a little event that we get excited about each year. That's right, it is time for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, this year taking place in Richmond, Virginia. We will ...

Coal Miner

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:27:55 +0000

We’ve stayed in hundreds of different places over the course of this project. In the beginning, when it was local to the Northwest and Northeast we stayed at home and with friends and teammates. Twice, while in Los Angeles, we stayed at The Standar...

Velo Club d'Ardbeg

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:22:07 +0000

At art-college I played in a rock band. At gigs the guitarist, prior to bolting amps and drums together, regularly indulged in a glass of Jack Daniel's. It was the rock 'n' roll thing to do. It's not too much of a stretch to make the connection betwe...

VILLIN CYCLEWORKS

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:24:13 +0000

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) takes place this month in Richmond VA and Rapha will be there amongst America’s finest frame builders. Of the exhibitors, Florida’s Villin Cycleworks will be present for the third year running. ...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek No. 7

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:34:36 +0000

This sneak peek brings you another addition to the family. If you spend enough time in the saddle while wearing pants, whether it be riding to work or just riding through your city these undershorts will pleasantly surprise. Intended to be worn t...

Rapha Women

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:11:22 +0000

The Rapha SS10 collection will be officially revealed this Friday. Amongst the latest pieces in the range is a new and exciting capsule of products. The three new female-specific additions to the range are core road riding pieces based on classic ...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek No. 6

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:19:35 +0000

The growing family of the Rapha Caps range is increased by three. The caps are a lighter weight than the previous version, and the perfect offering for your spring riding regimen. The Cycling Cap can be worn under the helmet, the brim acting doub...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek no. 5

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:48:19 +0000

This Sneak Peek takes a glance at two products that should go hand-in-hand this summer. Both are reworked editions of pieces that all sportive riders and high mountain randonnéurs shouldn’t leave home without. The first is essential for those c...

The Four | A Ride With Andy Hampsten

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:12:35 +0000

We have been fortunate to meet some incredible people through the Rapha Continental. Locals, shop-owners, constables, hosts, and riders of all sorts as we've made our way across the States. Boulder, CO is known as a mecca for riding, the outdoors and...

Why Ride a Randonnée?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:40:21 +0000

Every season, the keen road rider can choose from numerous exciting riding holidays. Training camps, cycling tours, the Etape and Gran Fondos, all offer the chance to ride on smooth european tarmac, in great scenery. So why choose a Rapha Randonnéer...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek no. 4

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:47:48 +0000

No. 3 takes a peak at the return of a now established Rapha favourite. For 2010 this product has been beautifully revised, maintaining its distinguished flashes of colour but in a slightly different guise. In terms of technical features this ...

ss10 Range: Sneak Peek No. 3.5

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:43:29 +0000

There was a time when the Hour record was arguably the most important Cycling Record in the world. In the late 70's and early 80's Mexico City provided all the right conditions necessary to making this possible. The altitude combined with the quality...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek NO. 3

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:51:15 +0000

Our take on a classic piece, the Merino Polo reinvents the notion of city riding, and with it adds a beautiful embellishment. Sneek Peek No. 3 also does the trick by utilizing the same fabric as our most popular item - the Merino Baselayer.ww.rapha.c...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek no. 2

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:44:14 +0000

Reworked for 2010, no. 2 is a product inspired by three distinctive icons of cycling. The stories and personalities of these icons have also informed the bold use of colour, paying tribute to races, teams and places. The history and character...

SS10 Range: Sneak Peek no. 1

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:16:16 +0000

Spring is fast approaching. Maybe it does not seem like it from a weather standpoint and certainly not from a riding standpoint (thank god for fenders) but if you find yourself involved with aspects of the fashion or clothing industry - and I would l...

Fat Tuesday

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:29:37 +0000

James Selmanww.rapha.cc/james-selman, long-time friend and Rapha Continentalww.rapha.cc/rapha-continental rider told me some years back something to the effect of "You don't get out of the saddle until April." To him winter and early spring are for b...

A Visit with Monocle Magazine

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:40:16 +0000

Last week while touring the East Coast, Slate Olson and I stopped in to visit one of our favorite publications. Monocleww.monocle.com/ magazine is one of those publications that I look forward to picking up each month. Every issue does a wonderful jo...

Phantom Canyon

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:30:34 +0000

"Some of those roads were fashioned without switchback technology. It’s like the engineers didn’t respect or appreciate gradient. It’s like they looked at the hill from the bottom and just started clearing, leveling and paving a path straight-u...

Hell of the North

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:42:06 +0000

More details coming soon…...

RCS Team Launch photos

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:34:23 +0000

Transit Elite Sweater - Day of the Maoist

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:49:08 +0000

We continue to follow Dave, Cole and crew as they compile photos and writing with the guys over at Apolis Activism.ww.apolisactivism.com/?event=source This time their adventure gets a little tense, but ultimately turns into another great day on the b...

U.S. Cyclocross National Championships

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:08:55 +0000

A few weeks ago we here at the Rapha North America put on a little Cross rideww.rapha.cc/pro-visit-with-tim-johnson with Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld racer Tim Johnson. It was a short Friday morning ride around Forest Park which would be his warmup for...

Diabolical Double

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:07:14 +0000

In the Appalachian Mountains along the Upper Potomac, the roads boil and roll like a winter storm on the high seas. The surfaces of Garrett County in Western Maryland rise in peaks and crests. These pavement waves are several hundred feet high and co...

Big in Japan

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:49:52 +0000

You can view more pictures hereww.flickr.com/photos/daisukeyano/sets/72157622880314989/ from last weekend's Cycle Mode International show in Tokyo where our man in Japan, Daisuke Yano, put together an excellent exhibit featuring Independent Fabricati...

I am a visitor here myself

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:04:18 +0000

I don't speak a word of Japanese, it turns out that it didn't really matter. This past weekend at the Tokyo Cycle Mode Exhibition confirmed what I suspected – riders are riders and we can all talk cycling", even if we don't fully understand one ano...

Rouleur Print Sale

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:46:54 +0000

The launch of the 2009 edition of the Rouleur Photography Annual 2009ww.rapha.cc/rouleur-annual-2009/ took place last Thursday at the space beneath the Paul Smith offices in central London. It was a great evening, involving lots of wine and beer and ...

Hemingway at the Velodrome

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:49:14 +0000

Ernest Hemingway, American author and journalist, lived and worked in Paris during the 1920s. In A Moveable Feast, the book in which he writes of his time in the French capital, Hemingway describes trips to Parisian velodromes at the zenith of track...

Centre Ramble

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:04:02 +0000

Often because of the shape and nature of the landscape, topography will dictate the pace of a ride. Rouge Roubaix, for example, demands you to race, while the aptly named 86-mile Centre Ramble, suggests an easier-paced and, well... rambling kind of a...

Transit Elite Sweater

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:46:28 +0000

This time we are teaming up with the kind folks over at Apolis Activismww.apolisactivism.com/?event=storeHome to produce the Transit Elite Sweater..bp.blogspot.com/mfMRTBDpgkM/SpdojRRongI/AAAAAAAAH9E/2hHYKSouCl4/s1600-h/rapha2SP10.jpg But to do so we...

Cycle L’Etape du Tour for Autism

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:53:39 +0000

The National Autistic Society (NAS) is one of only three charities with places in L’Etape du Tour 2010. Previous Etape participants have chosen to raise funds for the NAS, but this will be the first year the NAS enters a cycling team. As part o...

Pro Visit with Tim Johnson

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:28:07 +0000

Photos by Jeff Curtes Red Bull Cyclocross Racer and former U.S. National Cyclocross Champion Tim Johnson stopped by the office this morning to go for a little cross ride with us. Somehow we finagled him into a Red Classic Softshell that we had emb...

Lance's New Jacket

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:35:09 +0000

Lance Armstrong is on tour again. At the moment it happens to be on a book tour and not a bike tour. But when he stepped out on ABC's top morning show Regis and Kelly to talk about "Comeback 2.0: Up Close and Personal":www.amazon.com/Comeback-2-0-Up-...

London Courier for a Day

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:43:41 +0000

Charlie Pearch is a Rapha Condor Club member and rider. Last Friday, as we sent Rapha Condor's Dean Downing and Matt Cronshaw out on to the mean streets of London to courier Fast Fridayoad.cc/content/news/11379-rapha-condor-pros-turn-london-couriers-...

Rapha Continental: Lost River Barn

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:54:00 +0000

When I look back at the most recent Rapha Continentalww.rapha.cc/lost-river-barn ride in West Virginia I think a lot of things. One of them is that it was incredibly hard. The terrain and never-ending dirt climbs were just a small part of it. The rol...

Ronde van Cannings

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:29:04 +0000

Ah, Belgium, the land of pave, sideways cloudbursts, terrible crosswinds, Trappist beer and excellent frites. There's plenty of other brilliant stuff besides, including the Ghent Six-Day and the cyclocross World Cup. Jon Cannings, Rouleur'sww.rou...

Lost River Barn

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:03:59 +0000

The Host Originally from Jersey, Jay Moglia moved to D.C. to attend American University. After school he worked bartending, playing music, and the odd construction job. During the summer of 1991, faced with no construction work and burned out on the...

Rapha Cooks: Rice and Beans

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:17:09 +0000

Our newest monthly installment comes in the form of a recipe. We all know that food is an integral part of the cycling lifestyle so we thought, why not enhance that with a little help from our friends. Matt Card could definitely be called a man about...

Mellow Johnny's Classic

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:44:01 +0000

This past September I saw Ted Lambert looking a little flustered on the Interbike tradeshow floor. Ted is one of the main gents at Mellow Johnny'sellowjohnnys.com/ and in the year of knowing Ted and the chaos of events and enjoyment with opening and ...

Rapha Christmas Shopping

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:41:12 +0000

Rapha Late Night Shopping at Condor On Tuesday 8th December Condor Cycles in London will be staying open late for Rapha Christmas shopping. As well as being able to enjoy wine and mince pies, Rapha customers will be able to take advantage of a 10 ...

Rapha Talk: Off the Record

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:22:53 +0000

Last night 30 of Rapha's top customers were treated to an intimate question and answer session with Rapha Condor pros, Dean Downing and Chris Newton plus team manager, John Herety. Cycling commentator David Harmon was there to field questions and ask...

Fast Friday with Rapha Condor

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:56 +0000

This Friday Rapha Condor riders Matt Cronshaw and Dean Downing will be pacing across the capital delivering Rapha orders to Fast Fridayww.rapha.cc/fast-fridays customers. If you are in the catchment area between 2pm Thursday and 2pm Friday, place an ...

Rapha Desktops

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:43:33 +0000

Download the latest Rapha images for your desktop. Ben Ingham's photography for the Rapha Rides Norddalww.rapha.cc/rapha-rides-norddal shoot is arguably his best yet. The pictures are available in a number of dimensions, just login to your Rapha acco...

Rapha Continental: Cold Knob

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:15:35 +0000

It is kind of fun for me to look back through these photos as they go up each week.ww.rapha.cc/cold-knob Taking me back, if even just for a minute or two to that crazy trip that we did this summer. I also realized as I went back through my Embroc...

Cold Knob

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:58:20 +0000

In West Virginia the physical and cultural landscapes are inextricably linked. Landscapes are defined by the physical and biological processes that shape them--the topography, climate, the geology, and the ecology. Cultural norms are often predicate...

Col d'Aubisque

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:58:21 +0000

This Pyrenean hors catégorie, often clouded in mist, rises to 1709m. The second most visited climb in the history of the Tour de France, Octave Lapize famously declared the Tour organisers 'assasins' on his arrival at the summit in 1910. Read abo...

From Boston with Love

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:43:38 +0000

Almost two weeks ago I left my post here in Portland to check back in with our East Coast Brethren. Pretty successful trip I have to say, and it looks, at least from a cycling standpoint that they are holding themselves down pretty well. The other be...

Otto Miller - Round One

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:31:00 +0000

We did our first Otto Miller ride yesterday, something that we are going to be doing as a monthly adventure. If you are in the area on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, come ride with us. The highlight of the ride (some people say highlight, some peop...

Rapha Condor Squad 2010

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:21:27 +0000

Rapha Condor announce the names for their new 2010 squad. Britain’s No. 1 ranked team retain the services of National Road Race Champion Kristian House, Elite Circuit Race Series winner Dean Downing, Olympic bronze medalist Chris Newton, Darren ...

Rapha Continental: Six Gap & Brasstown

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:49:13 +0000

Take a look through the photos from the 6 Gap Rideww.rapha.cc/six-gap-and-brass-town that just went up. I remember this ride well as it was the first one in a succession of many. Gander at the ride profile and cue sheet of the day.ww.rapha.cc/six-gap...

Six Gap and Brasstown

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:45:05 +0000

From a psychological standpoint when an aspect of an individual’s demeanor improves solely because they are being studied, it’s called the Hawthorne Effect. We sometimes call it the Ira Ryan Effect. Ira Ryan, in this case, is a verb and it can, h...

Tomorrow, We Ride

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:44:49 +0000

bq. The voluptuous pleasure that cycling can give you is delicate, intimate and ephemeral. It arrives, it takes hold of you, sweeps you up and then leaves you again. It is for you alone. It is a combination of speed and ease, force and grace. It is p...

A Customer Writes

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:25:33 +0000

Rain, wind, puddles, slippery metal drain covers, dirty spray, angry drivers, standstill traffic, pedestrians scurrying along pavements head into the wind. Perfection, the elements pushed the yellow jacketed, rugby short brigade onto the tube this mo...

Ahh…Summertime

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:42:04 +0000

It's just mid-November, and as a native Oregonian who lives for the muddy, wet, cold days that are so perfect for cyclocross racing, I feel almost ashamed about what I'm going to say next. But, I just saw a new film from the Rapha Continentalww.rapha...

Rapha Friday Matinée

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:45:54 +0000

We've decided to 'keep it reel' this week and offer you a selection of film clips from the web. Some intriguing, some nostalgic and some ridiculous. Enjoy the show. There is some great cycling-related footage on British Pathéww.britishpathe.com/r...

Quick, Make a Wishlist!

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:55:42 +0000

We have currently received 960 Rapha Wishlistsww.rapha.cc/account/wishlist.php since launching the function on the site last week. The 1000th person to create a Wishlist will receive the most expensive item on their list, absolutely free. Make your l...

And if you love Europe, you can love North America

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:31:48 +0000

The Washing Machine Post's Brian Palmer discusses cycling on the other side of the Atlantic: Slate Olson has waxed lyrical over the European heritage that is ours, and ours alone. The years ...

French Broad River

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:25:18 +0000

From the gas station town of Dillingham, North Carolina, the road to Craggy Gardens is called Stoney Fork. Strewn with gravel, rocks and forest debris, Stoney Fork is seven miles of off camber turns, washboards and dirt Less than ten feet from the...

A Wishlist

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:20:13 +0000

Now is the time of the year that everyone comes out with their gift picks for the holidays. Everyone has one, a Buyers Guide, Gift Buying Guide or Wishlist. This is what you can pass along to your significant other, your mother or possibly Granny? ...

If you love cycling, you love Europe

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:48:03 +0000

Even if you don't understand it. It's interesting because I know there's a global audience likely reading this, and for many it might be so obvious that it seems hardly worth writing about. Still, growing up on the west coast of the U.S., the mon...

Rapha Rides to Grantchester

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:25:25 +0000

bq. “There’s some corner of a foreign field that is forever England” - Rupert Brooke On Wednesday a group of 17 from Rapha London downed tools and rode out of the city into the lanes of Hertfordshire, through rolling Essex countryside and ...

Leipers Fork

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:20 +0000

It is officially fall when you reach for your Classic Softshell Jacketww.rapha.cc/classic-softshell-jacket/ before the morning commute. But that does not mean that the summer is just a memory long forgotten. Every Tuesday from now until forever we...

Killing Me Softly

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:47:33 +0000

Cycling is sport and transportation and transformation. And cycling is vantage. A position and condition that when combined, offer a Point of View. The position, seated on a bike, slightly bent and pointed forward, is engaged. Moving through time and...

Rapha x Andrew Todd

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:04:55 +0000

© Todd Andrew Todd collaborated with Rapha in designing the recently released Gentleman’s Capsww.rapha.cc/gentlemans-cap/ and also the latest paisley pattern for the Silk Scarfww.rapha.cc/silk-scarf-1/. I talked to him about these idiosyncratic...

Caps For Sale

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:41:36 +0000

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina Once there was a peddler who sold caps. But he was not like an ordinary peddler carrying his wares on his back He carried them on top of his head. First he had on his own checked cap, then a b...

World-Wide-Web Tours

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:28:09 +0000

© Kevin Cyr www.kevincyr.net Here is a selection of Rapha related web posts from the last few weeks and some general interest from the digital universe. 1. I can’t take my new Rainjacketww.rapha.cc/rain-jacket/ off at the moment. Not only do...

You don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:16:48 +0000

©Daisuke Yano Rapha Condor’s Tom Southam gives us his view of racing Down Under Two things spring to mind when I think of racing in Australia, neither of which fit in to the vision some people may have of it. One is being freezing cold, not ...

Bicycling Magazine

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:43:56 +0000

The new issue of Bicycling Magazine showed up the other day. Not only is our pal Ira Ryan'sraryancycles.com/bikes-home.html bike on the cover (check out his new website) but the issue is chock full of Rapha as well. The top of the magazine also inclu...

Mississippi Delta

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:16:48 +0000

In the three years of Continental riding, this is the worst road ever. We’re lost and stopped at an intersection in the middle of nowhere. Stopped collectively, unsure of where this odyssey ends, quiet, empty and bemused looks reflect a ride lik...

Put a Lid On It

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:40:39 +0000

Rapha's renowned photo stories have depicted cyclists traversing through various landscapes around the globe. These cyclists range from pro racers to randonneurs to serious amateur riders. We shoot them riding as they would ride a bike in such enviro...

Classic Softshell Madness

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:33:26 +0000

The Cross Bundle is out. Just in time too. On our weekly ride Friday morning I looked over at my friend Jeff. He looked comfy in his new Cross 3/4 Bib Shorts.ww.rapha.cc/-bib-shorts-1/ My bare legs were hating me for making a bet. A bet that will see...

Newton in Motion

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:49:35 +0000

© chrismaher.co.uk You'd have to ask Rapha Condor's Chris Newton himself if he bears any relation to Sir Isaac Newtonn.wikipedia.org/wiki/IsaacNewton, the man who described the three laws of motion and the theory of gravity. Regardless, Chris Ne...

Adventures with Ira Ryan.

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:42:06 +0100

I have no idea how Ira Ryanraryancycles.com/ finds the time to build bicycles, but somehow he does, and they are always beautiful. Slate's new West Hills" bike arrived today and confirmed everything in that line of thinking. Check out the red drop sh...

Fixed: Global Fixed-Gear Bike Culture

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:17:38 +0100

This book on the worldwide phenomenon of fixed-gear riding isn’t just a fanfare for ‘fixie’ hipsters in the major cities of the western world. Certainly, the book details the growth of the now ubiquitous track bike and prevailing fashion. But ...

Rouge Roubaix

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:36:17 +0100

We are not racing the “Rouge Roubaix”, a now somewhat famous event which takes place every year in March, we are simply riding it. Though like any other Continental or Gentlemen’s ride we are inclined to ride it hard. However, we quickly learn ...

Sun Tour Roundup

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:57:53 +0100

Australia’s longest established road race took place last week and Rapha Condor were there to compete in what for many of the team will be their final race of the season. For an excellent stage-by-stage report of this visit the Cycling Tips Blogww....

L'Eroica Bike Auction

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:18:08 +0100

We are currently holding an auctionww.rapha.cc/leroica-bike-auction of four vintage road bikes. Sourced by London bicycle boutique Tour de Villeourdevillelondon.blogspot.com/ these gorgeous machines were recently used by a group from Rapha to partici...

Oregon Manifest 2009

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:31:49 +0100

Oregon. We love dreamers." It's a catchy slogan from Travel Oregon, the organization that is responsible for marketing the state as a tourist and vacation destination. Long before tourism boards or marketing budgets, Oregon represented discovery ...

The Bomber Jacket

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:03:25 +0100

The Bomber Jacketww.rapha.cc/bomber-jacket, an update to the popular Fixed Jacket comes with a few special features. Re-enforced Cordura shoulders (prevent wear from bags) and a low cut collar to make your casual ride all the more pleasant. While the...

In The News

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:50:37 +0100

Quote of the Week: bq. If you're ready for an indulgence that won't disappoint, treat yourself to some Rapha" I feel like I might be a just a little behind on all of this, but it is nice to see some mention from people around the interweb ...

Favourite Shirts Exhibition: Tokyo

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:35:36 +0100

To mark this October’s Japan Cupww.japancup.gr.jp/, Japan's annual race featuring top Pro Tour riders, the Paul Smithww.paulsmith.co.jp/ shop in Shibuya, Tokyo is hosting an exclusive exhibition of classic cycling jerseys. Hosted in conjunction wi...

Exclusive: Rapha to launch riding holidays  

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:17:17 +0100

Today sees the launch of the 2010 Etape du Tour route. The historic stage from Pau to the Tourmalet is bound to get the blood racing. But, if you're starting to plan your riding targets for next year, you might prefer to take on an even greater ridin...

Rapha at the Races

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:03:44 +0100

I was more than thrilled to see Dan Sharp out racing his bike this past weekend. After a slight mishap during the Wednesday night training race at Alpenrose Dairy we were unsure if he would find a rig in time for Sundays action. Turns out Dan...

Jasper Disaster

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:06:54 +0100

Since its popular debut in the 1972 movie Deliverance ‘Dueling Banjos’, originally called ‘Fuedin’ Banjos’, has become synonymous with hillbillies, backwoods, banjos and the musically-inclined simpleton. Deliverance was not filmed in Ar...

Frank Vandenbroucke: 1974 - 2009

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:14:36 +0100

The Belgian racer Frank Vandenbroucke died yesterday in Senegal at the age of 34. The Mouscron-born rider was considered the great hope of Belgian cycling in the 1990s. Turning professional in 1993, Vandenbroucke won 54 races during his career includ...

Bec CC Hill Climb 2009

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:47:14 +0100

Wei-Ho Ng digs deep The 54th Bec Cycling Club Hill Climbww.londoncyclesport.com/News/AllNews/BecCCHillClimb3407.html took place on Sunday 11th October. Held on White Lane or ‘Titsey Hill’ near Westerham in Kent, the event is a 700yard dash up ...

Rapha Condor Race Down Under

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:07:10 +0100

Rapha Condor have flown south for the final race of the season. Taking place in western Victoria, the Jayco Herald Sun Tourww.heraldsuntour.com.au/ is Australia's oldest road race. The team are racing against some top riders including Bradley Wiggins...

Gentlemen's Race Northwest

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:33:34 +0100

There has been a fantastic amount of coverage on the Gentlemen's Raceww.rapha.cc/gentlemens-race-northwest in the Northwest this week. Blogsww.rapha.cc/rapha-gentlemens-race-september-12-2009 and news-sites everywhere have been celebrating the 137 mi...

Oregon Manifest: Top of the Hill

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:05:12 +0100

There were two checkpoints en route to the finish of the Oregon Manifest Constructors Challenge presented by Rapha. The purveying idea was that the race would be something to the effect of everyone riding to a party. The racers had to carry their par...

L'Eroica Bike Auction

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:50:10 +0100

Rapha sourced some beautiful vintage machines to ride L'Eroica. Four of these bikes, provided by London shop, Tour de Villeourdevillelondon.blogspot.com/2009/10/rapha-leroica-2009.html, are auctioned here. If you are thinking of riding L'Eroica next ...

Gentlemen's Race Northwest

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:44:22 +0100

Interbike 2009

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:47:39 +0100

We here at Rapha North America packed up the Van and headed to Las Vegas, Nevada last week for the annual Bicycle Industry Tradeshow known as Interbike. Each year the bike industry descends upon this desert wasteland to get together and talk about th...

Cent Cols Challenge: Final Col List

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:29:40 +0100

The final list of cols ridden by Team Rapha et al for this year's inaugural Cent Cols Challenge. Sent over by the organiser, Philip Deeker. A grand total of 106 was clocked up. Now that is Epic....

Cent Cols Challenge: Stage 10 (Fin)

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:21:33 +0100

Montmelian to Annecy Details Distance 112k 2700m ascent Ave speed - 14.2mph (including the Lake Annecy champagne-addled cycle-path) Weather A cold start to the day, but we could tell it was going to be another perfect afternoon. The tempera...

Oregon Manifest

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:17:37 +0100

The Oregon Manifestww.oregonmanifest.com/ kicks of this weekend. With over a month worth of events this ambitious program could be the biggest bike show/party, well, ever. One of the premiere events this weekend will be the Constructor's Challeng...

Talimena Loop

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:59:08 +0100

We are deep in the woods on a supposedly scenic two lane byway in the Ouachita Mountains (pronounced wosh-i-taw) just outside the town of Mena, Oklahoma where a month earlier a tornado turned half the town upside down, killing three. The reverent mis...

Inside The Team Car

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:08:00 +0100

Some interesting footage from in and around the Rapha Condorww.raphacondor.cc/home team car filmed by RC Club member Kevin Franklin at this year's Tour of Britain. Look out for a smoking cameo from Rouleur photographer, Camille Macmillanww.rouleur.cc...

Cent Cols Challenge: Stage 9

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:16:44 +0100

Vassieux-en-Vacors to Montmelian Details 208k 4700m Weather Starting on the plateau town of Vassieux at 1250m meant it was pretty chilly at daybreak, and we left the quiet village in drifting morning fog. We climbed up out of the mist into ...

Over the Rainbow

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:21:35 +0100

Congratulations to Cadel Evans who was crowned World Professional Road Race Championews.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othersports/cycling/8277775.stm yesterday. A major top spot has seemed to elude Evans until now. He defied his critics with this performance, ...

Cent Cols Challenge: à la vôtre

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:21:16 +0100

The view from the top of the 106th Col, the Cret de Chatillon (Hotel Semnoz). Everyone back home safe and sound. Cent Cols Challenge complete: - 106 Cols - 40,600m of climbing - 2071km covered Team Rapha 2nd overall team. G. Raeburn...

Ten x Ten Challenge: Day 10. It’s a Wrap

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:50:46 +0100

Enigma Machine

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:02:29 +0100

In-form man of the season, Graeme S-Works Destroyer Raeburn, has today begun the Cent Cols Challengeww.centcolschallenge.com/ as part of a plucky Rapha team of four that also includes Portland's Ira Ryan, RoadCyclingUK'sww.roadcyclinguk.com/ David Ar...

Rapha Gentlemen's Race: September 12, 2009

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:33:57 +0100

23 teams started, and 22 teams officially finished the third running of the Rapha Gentlemen's Race this past Saturday in Oregon. Utilizing a proprietary seeding system where those expected to be fastest set-off last, the 6-person teams left the coast...

Ten x Ten Challenge: Day 1. The Fig Col Challenge

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:07:27 +0100

Yuji Yamada

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:43:18 +0100

Yuji Yamada, friend of Daisuke Yano (Rapha's Japanese agent), has created some paintings inspired by Rapha images - very smart indeed. Yuji has a number of other paintings depicting the pro peloton as well as other sports from around the globe. Click...

Jordan Hufnagel

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:21:59 +0100

Level Magazineevelmag.com posted up a pretty cool piece on Portland bicycle builder Jordan Hufnagelww.hufnagelcycles.com a while ago, but I only just realised that it included a video as well. Click hereevelmag.com/video/hufnagel/ for the video a...

Chain Links

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:50:40 +0100

Two links from Rapha today which are very much worth reading: 1. The first is a blog article by Rapha Condor’s Simon Richardson. To read Simon’s opinions on the etiquette of riding in a group click hereww.raphacondor.cc/blogs/cycling-etiquette...

The Art of Peter Rubijono

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:07:28 +0100

He goes by many names. Hans-Poot, Rubi, and even, when he worked on a fishing boat in Alaska, Billy Crystal." Then there are the various and sundry mispronunciations, but either way you slice it, Peter Rubijono is a character in the truest sense of ...

An interview with Phil Deeker

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:13:10 +0100

For the amateur cyclist, whether racing, touring or just riding, climbing mountains is often seen as the greatest feat and the biggest challenge on a bike, and also the most rewarding. Phil Deeker, a good friend of Rapha, took up cycling some ten yea...

Missoula, MT

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:39:16 +0100

Benjamin Ferencz is the creative behind Freeman Transportww.freemantransport.com/, Tom Robertsonww.tomrobertsonphoto.com/index.phpa=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=2 is a photographer, and Selden Daume is the manager and baker...

Supplesse Style

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:00:42 +0100

Typography by Samuel Huddleston Every rider has their own personal style of pushing the pedal strokes. Cadence, legs, upper body movement, saddle height and natural stance all contribute to the way we ride. The dancing jerks of Pantani, the rumbli...

Weekly Tool Roll.

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:32:33 +0100

Weekly Tool Roll of Blogs. We here over at Rapha North America thought that we should put together a few sites that we look at on a regular basis. It is my hope that we can make this a feature in the coming weeks. Cycling Related: Cervelo Te...

Lightweight for Summer

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:37:58 +0100

Is summer starting to come to a close? Let us certainly hope not. But, that being said the departure of summer means the onset of fall...and we all know what that means, so there should be no complaints yeah? Now, on to the Dog Days of Summer, I'l...

A/W 09 Range: Sneak Peek No.1

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:54:19 +0100

Exhibit A Sticking our neck out for the cyclist who isn’t afraid to show some flair, an adornment for the refined cyclist whose supplesse is as elegant as his attire. New pattern design for 2009 but already a popular product unique to Rapha. ...

Breaking Away with Mellow Johnny's

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:27:54 +0100

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The Look of La Vie Claire

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:14:03 +0100
Inspired by the compositions of De Stijl artist Piet Mondriaan, the panels of blue, red, yellow and grey, broken up by black grid lines make for one of the most distinctive team kits ever seen in the peloton. The original jersey was designed by Itali...

Breaking Away w/ Mellow Johnny's

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:47:30 +0100
BikeRadar and CyclingNews Tour de France podcast and a Rapha Classic Jersey will be give...

People Along the Way

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:39:08 +0100
...

Futurism

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:53:48 +0100
2009 not only celebrates the centenary of the Giro d’Italia, it also marks the 100th anniversary of Futurism – an artistic movement that embraced the bicycle as a symbol of dynamic modernity. The Tate Modern in London is currently holding an exhi...

Music on the Road II

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:15:29 +0100
tunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=322326230 tunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=322326230...

Sketches From the Road

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:27:31 +0100

Onekama, MI

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100
I don't like crashing. I do not like it in any sense. I especially don't like it when it is my fault. One way to look at it is that the more time you spend on the bicycle, the greater your chances are for taking a little sit-down in the middle...

Haymarket, VA

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100
Graeme Raeburn, designer for Rapha is on loan from London to experience heat, humidity and riding in America. Unfortunately for Graeme we are all oddly excited to share some convenient sources of replenishment to beat the heat....

Deep Creek, MD

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100
130 miles, 16,500’ of climbing, 9 hours on the saddle, that’s what makes this diabolical. Not fun per se, but certainly it’s own flavor of “epic”. Our host Kyle the “Savage Man” is a local legend of the 3-sports (triathlon), and eve...

Mont Ventoux

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:13:57 +0100
In 2010 the second volume of Rapha's 'Great Road Climbs' series will be published. Written by Graeme Fife, with photographs by Pete Drinkell, the new volume will cover the climbs of the Southern Alps and Riviera. To celebrate the return of the Tou...

State College, PA

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100
Known as a great college town, the team was looking forward to a night out before the ride at State College. Arriving early enough to shake the travel from their legs, a few of the guys went out for a quick spin. Jeremy and Steve spent more time appl...

Mathias, WV - Film

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100
“The moonshine is from my banjo teacher who is actually a taxidermist. But he won’t sell it to me. It has to be a gift, he will give to me if I ask for it.” – Audrey (girlfriend of ride host, Jay Moglia)