Rapha Feed (News And Stories)

Rapha Women's Prestige 2013

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:55:06 +0100

~Film: Werehaushewerehaus.com Photography:~ Brian Vernorrianvernor.com/home.html ~Words: Julie Krasniak~ After her piece 'Professional Advice' advising riders ahead of the Rapha Women’s 100, we were delighted to hear that Julie Krasniak rode ...

Made in England

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:55:58 +0100

For a British company focused on quality and innovation, finding the right designers, developers and manufacturers is key. Since the start of the 1980s, UK manufacturing has dropped from 30 to 10 per cent of GDP while much of the expertise has fallen...

Sir Bradley on the Giro

Wed, 01 May 2013 08:27:19 +0100

Ahead of the 2013 Giro d’Italia, Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins talks candidly about his relationship with the sport that made him a household name. In this exclusive film, he discusses childhood inspirations such as Chris Boardman and Miguel Indurai...

Melbourne Gentlemen's Race

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:40:26 +0100

~Words: Christopher Stack Photos: Steven Caddy and Jim Hsu~ A musette, a route card and the best of luck. The rest is up to you; the training, the day’s food and water, and finding your way back if you happen to stray off course. Welcome to the...

Rapha Women's 100: Register a Ride

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:49:16 +0100

On Sunday 7th July 2013 join thousands of women around the world to ride 100km, wherever you are. Across the globe rides will be taking place, including several organised by Rapha. From 3rd May we will list rides created as Facebook Events (exam...

Hills the Shape of Time

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:09:43 +0100

Liège-Bastogne-Liège – the Climber’s Classic ~Words by Tom Southam Illustration by Rohan Daniel Eason~ On the morning of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as our team bus passed through the unforgiving grey industrial outskirts into the city centr...

Tour de France 1962

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:49:09 +0100

~by Graeme Fife~ The French national team, to whom unity of purpose and harmony of spirit were generally alien concepts, had dominated the Tour of 1961. Victory for Jacques Anquetil, his second Tour win, was far from popular. On the queen stage ov...

Team Sky at the Classics

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:50:13 +0000

Ahead of Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem, Rapha caught up with members of Team Sky to learn what it takes to win a Classic. In an exclusive film, the riders talk about their ambitions for the season and we also have in-depth interviews with former Paris-Rou...

City Riding Spring Summer 2013

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:35:03 +0000

The Rapha City Riding Collection for Spring Summer 2013. Featuring new designs for women and updates to existing favourites. Whether you are spinning through traffic on a Monday morning or heading out on a Saturday afternoon, each piece is designed ...

Hell of the North IV

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:04:27 +0000

~Sunday April 7th 2013 – 9:00am~ Rapha's homage to Paris-Roubaix in hellish Hertfordshire is back once again. What with all the beautiful weather we've been having in the UK, the parcours for this year's edition of Hell of the North is looking s...

Rapha Women's 100

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:12:07 +0000

On Sunday 7th July 2013 join thousands of women around the world to ride 100km. The aim is to create a global event, with thousands of women taking to the road to complete a 100km journey. The 7th July is the date of the Etape du Tour, the amateur cy...

Rapha Continental 2013

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:04:26 +0000

The Rapha Continentalrapha-continental/ began in the US in 2007 as an antidote to the clinical aspects of road racing. It was conceived as a more creative expression of road riding, with the belief that you don’t need to pin a race number on to exp...

Festive 500 - The Winners

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:19:23 +0000

The Festive 500 has now become an annual celebration, a festive cycling phenomenon that brings the year to a close with a warm glow and tired legs. Conditions do, of course, vary depending where you are riding but whether in Scandinavia or South Amer...

Not Just Another Sport

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:35:42 +0000

As they gear up for the 2013 season, members of Team Sky talk candidly about their experiences in the world's greatest sport. In an exclusive short film celebrating the launch of the Team Sky and Rapha kit, riders including Rigoberto Uran, Bernie Eis...

13 for 2013

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:36:47 +0000

It has been a momentous year for Rapha and the world of road racing. The exploitsthe-year-in-panache and developments of 2012 are all the more reason to get excited about the coming year. So we present a prelude to our most anticipated races, events,...

Bordeaux—Paris 2013 Challenge

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:10:27 +0000

Race history Last staged in 1988, Bordeaux-Paris is one of cycling’s ‘lost classics’. Its status as the toughest one-day race in France was something of a misnomer, given a significant part of the race dubbed the ‘Derby of the Road’ took p...

Gentlemen's Race – Koshin

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:38:35 +0000

~Photos: Masashi Ichifuru (rider) Film: Ryota Kenmochi Words: Vincent Flanagan~ The first Rapha Gentlemen’s Race in Japan took place on a steaming-hot day. The typical Japanese weather at this time of year is uncomfortably humid and heavy, the...

Gentlemen’s Race – Sydney

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:54:12 +0000

~FILM: Kintaro Studiosintarostudios.com~ Southern Highlands, NSW 20 teams started and all 20 finished the second Australian Rapha Gentlemen’s Race. A testament to the preparation, commitment and teamwork of each group of riders, it was another ...

Women's Winter Cross

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 13:00:02 +0000

~WORDS: Kati Jagger PHOTOS: Andy Waterman~ In the early morning light, the trees are frozen and silent. Wrapped in layers of wool and Lycra, winter hat pulled down over your ears, you swing slowly on to the road. Flexing fingers and toes as the c...

Winter Training

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Winter training is a major part of honing your abilities as a rider and the more time you spend perfecting your regime, the better the results will be. Once again, we present a guide to winter training, drawing on the opinions of some seasoned riders...

Oakley Auction 2012

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:27:15 +0000

Starting on Tuesday 27th November and running until Tuesday 11th December, Rapha will be auctioning a limited number of custom Rapha-FOCUS team edition Oakley sunglasses. Two styles of glasses will be available, Oakley Radarlock and Oakley Frogskins,...

Per Francesca

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:05:22 +0000

~Written by: Tom Southam~ ~“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”~ – ~Ernest Hemingway~ Sometimes you just walk into a bar and fall in love with a girl. It happens all the time to m...

City Riding Rogues

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:20:31 +0100

Rapha styles three gentlemen in a three part series, with new products from the latest autumn and winter City Ridingshop/city-riding collection. Perfect gents both on and off the bike, we can vouch for the fact they cut a fast path through London's c...

City Rain Jacket

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:39:30 +0100

~NEXT »~long-sleeve-shirt-1 ~Products shown:~ City Rain Jacketcity-rain-jacket - in Orange Track Toptrack-top-1 - in Grey City Trouserscity-trousers - in Navy Grand Tour Shoesgrand-tour-shoes - in Black...

Made in Italy

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:01:23 +0100

~WORDS: Joe Hall PHOTOS: Gavin Campbell~ The words ‘Made in Italy’ are often associated with expertise, craftsmanship and quality. Obvious examples could be sports car manufacturers such as Maserati, coffee machine marques like Marzocco or sh...

Super Cross 2012

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:55:18 +0100

MUD. SWEAT. FRITES. COWBELLS. FOAM. Quite possibly the most entertaining three days of racing the UK has ever seen. The groundbreaking Rapha Super Cross Series returns, bringing three days of super-charged cyclocross racing to venues around th...

Rapha Northwest Gentlemen's Race 2012

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:52:55 +0100

~Race Photos - Jon Humphriesww.jonhumphries.com Team Photos - Dave Rothww.dmroth.com/cycling.html Film: Droptree Productionsww.droptree.com Words: Simon Robins~ The starting point for this year’s NW Rapha Gentlemen’s Race was the small ski ...

Rapha Super Cross Melbourne

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:36:04 +0100

~Words: Andrew Pike Photos: Wade Wallace~ A Sunday afternoon in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The place: Brunswick East Velodrome, one of the oldest outdoor cycling tracks in the southern hemisphere. In years past many champion cyclists star...

The Tunnel

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:47:53 +0100

Rapha’s new collection for autumn/ winter includes some seriously stylish hi-vis outerwear, a selection of which features in The Tunnel, a new short film by Ben Ingham. And to mark the launch of the new Long Sleeve Brevet Jersey, James Fairbank loo...

Giro Donne

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:12:59 +0100

In June, five women rode six classic stages of the Giro Donne, two weeks ahead of the official 2012 race. Currently the only Grand Tour in women’s racing, this year Marianne Vos defended her 2011 title from Italy’s barren, dusty south up to the D...

Team Rapha-FOCUS 2012

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:42:55 +0100

For all of us, there's gonna be some moving and shaking this season." - Jeremy Powers Team Rapha-FOCUS begin their third season with all riders returning plus the addition of two new racers, bringing the Men-to-Women and American-to-European rat...

Twenty Four Hours Later

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:31:25 +0100

With Bradley Wiggins securing Olympic gold in the men's time trial on the roads around Hampton Court, we look to a time trial of a slightly different kind. On Sunday 22nd July, Ultan Coyle rode 488.993 miles in the Mersey Roads 24 Hour National Time...

2012 Rapha NE Gentlemen's Race

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:13:06 +0100

Film: Ben Silberfarbttps://vimeo.com/user943919 Photos: Chris Millimanhrismilliman.com/ Written by: Joy Stark Leading into the North-East Gentlemen’s Race, a debate sparked among friends. Is it a race? Is it a ride? What escaped the provocateu...

Rapha Rising: The Circle of Death

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:33:58 +0100

Challenge now ended 10426 Participants – 33,441,037 Total Metres Climbed On 15th July 2012, the Tour de France enters the Pyrenees. The scene of countless historic moments in the race’s history, on the 18th the peloton will tackle the infamo...

Grand Designs

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:40:53 +0100

~WORDS: Max Leonard~ On the Outer Circle’s northerly drag towards Camden, the eighth time today – the 15th time this month – visions of mountain roads run through the mind. Yet so does another thought: without John Nash, cycling in central L...

The Art of Climbing

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:58:44 +0100

~WORDS: Phil Deeker PHOTOS: Ben Ingham~ To climb the mountain cols is to earn one’s stripes as a ‘proper’ cyclist. It’s also the best school to learn the art of climbing. I’m not a racer. I like riding hard but I tend to ride quite a...

Escarabajos Rise Again

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:19:28 +0100

~Words: Klaus cyclinginquisition.comww.cyclinginquisition.com/ Photos: ©Horacio Gil Ochoa~ A presidential matter The phone rang in a nondescript hotel room in Vals-les-Bains, France. Martín Ramírez had just won the 1984 Dauphiné Libéré and...

Gentlemen's Race Australia

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:33:19 +0100

~WORDS: Wade Wallace PHOTOS: Veeral Patel~ Sixteen teams began the inaugural Australian Rapha Gentlemen’s Race and, we’re pleased to report, all 16 teams finished. Teams set off in a staggered start from the country town of Lang Lang, in Sout...

Mercury Rising

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:46:09 +0100

Two men who've ridden under the hottest of midday suns, Wade Wallace and Ben Lieberson reflect on the challenges of cycling in the heat. ~Wade Wallace, Rapha Australia, Melbourne~ In the depths of their winter, riders in the northern hemisphere...

Rapha Women's Prestige 2012

Thu, 03 May 2012 16:20:40 +0100

~WORDS: Abby Watson PHOTO: Jake Stangelakestangel.com/ FILM: What We Dohatwedofilms.com/ ~ I don’t have any harrowing tales from the recent inaugural Rapha Women’s Prestige. Run along the same lines as the Rapha Gentlemen’s Race,...

A Day In The City Round 2

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:39:53 +0100

If there is one thing that we have learned here in our first year at the Rapha Cycle Club San Francisco, it’s that this great city has a lot to offer in the way of cycling. It’s so understated and so rideable that I’d go so far as to suggest th...

Defining Pro

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:29:18 +0100

bq. “You have to know how to look good when you’re riding. To look good is already to go fast.” – Paul Fournel We all want to be pro to some degree. From your socks to your sunglasses, the beauty of road riding comes in many forms. Surel...

Sella

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:23:09 +0100

~Directed by Andrew Telling~ Brought to you by Rapha and Condor and named after the arduous climb in Spain, Sella is a highly atmospheric and visually arresting insight into life at a pro team training camp. Shot during Rapha Condor Sharp’s rece...

Caped Crusaders

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:44:04 +0100

~BANNER PHOTO:~ Timm Köllnww.timmkoelln.com/ The rain started near the Aubisque, then a dense yellow fog settled over the mountains: visibility nil. The roads were awash with glacial rain and layered with gluey mud. The wind howled at gale force ...

La Chèvre et La Doyenne

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:15:22 +0100

~Words by Phil ‘the Goat’ Deeker Photos by Claire Deeker~ There is definitely a bit of goat in me – a road winding its way up a hillside holds an irresistible attraction. I used to keep goats, as did my dad. They are stubborn, free-spirited...

Knock for Knock

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:52:59 +0100

bq. "We thought of this as a sequel to 30 Century Man [Crook and Bowthorpe’s last collaborative film] - a journey again… Knock For Knock looks inwards, into memory, into fear and fighting it." - James Bowthorpe Shot in Tokyo by Antony Crook, ...

Roger Hammond on Roubaix

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:57:23 +0100

My oldest memory of cycling is sitting at the kitchen table having watched the 1980 Paris-Roubaix and letting my parents know, with the authority only a six year-old can have, that one day I would win Paris-Roubaix. I’m not sure what captured my im...

Continental Shift

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:38:53 +0000

~FEATURED FILM: Rapha Continental The Movie~ The Rapha Continentalrapha-continental was established in the United States in 2007. A unique adventure, it was driven by a simple idea. In an age when road riding has become increasingly sanitised, the...

Negronis in the Desert

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:02:17 +0000

~WORDS: Slate Olson~ The Rapha and Giro partnership was clinched by the third or possibly fourth round (I can't quite recall) of Negronis in a corner booth of King's Highway, a former Denny's Diner transformed to a classic dive bar. This bar is pa...

Tim Little Interview

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:48:31 +0000

The Tim Little flagship store on the Kings Road in Chelsea has the feel of a townhouse sitting room rather than a shop. A place where you can go in, sit by the fire in a leather armchair and try on some of the finest styles of handmade shoes in the w...

A Day in the City

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:56:43 +0000

~WORDS: Jeremy Dunn PHOTOS: Steven Nereo~ If you’re planning your spring and summer travel this year, consider the fine city of San Francisco, California. The Rapha Cycle Club serves as a great base for the incredible road riding in this part o...

Hell of the North 3

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:48:15 +0000

SUNDAY 8th APRIL 2012

Rapha's Hell of the North will be a great social ride with a gathering at the finish to watch Paris Roubaix 2012 and enjoy beer and frites.

Our homage...

La Maglia Nera

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:13:20 +0000

Since its launch, the Rapha Classic Jerseyclassic-jersey has brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘black sheep of the family’. Not only is it made from a fabric rich in merino wool (baah…) but it’s also a product we at Rapha couldn’t b...

Our Favourites

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:35:33 +0000

A collection of some of our favourite female riders and their favourite Rapha products. These are cyclists from many walks of life from all around the world. Women that have been riding in Rapha apparel for some time including doctors, writers, racer...

National Fabric

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:17:33 +0000

Sponsors logos and corporate colours have been the dominant influence on road racing livery since the early 20th century. The trade teams that wear them today consist of riders from all over the world. Yet between 1930 and 1961 the Tour de France was...

Coffee Talk with Emily Haddad

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:10:15 +0000

~PHOTOS: Steven Nereo~ In the nine months since it became a permanent fixture in the Bay Area, the Rapha San Francisco Cycle Club has become the go-to destination for the city’s cycling (and coffee) aficionados. Rapha recently caught up with SFC...

Hasta La Vista

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:07:42 +0000

~Rapha Condor Sharp have established themselves as a dominant force in UK racing over the last few years. In 2012, the emphasis is on developing young talent, with the introduction of a group of U23 riders. Among them is Felix English, the Irish trac...

Winter Training Revisited

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:46:21 +0000

~WORDS: Joe Hall~ Like most riders, I struggle in the battle to become the cycling maestro I occasionally imagine I am. While there is evidence to suggest some success in my pursuit of effective winter training, it’s not because my legs are burn...

Cross Continents

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:26:30 +0000

~Words: Joe Hall Photos: Jeremy Dunn~ Last weekend saw the climax of the international cyclocross season when the legendary venue at Koksijde played host to the 2012 World Cyclocross Championships. Koksijde is renowned not just for its punishing ...

Play it as it Lies

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:17:52 +0000

~INTERVIEW: Jeremy Dunn~ ~PHOTOS: Tom Robertsonww.tomrobertsonphoto.com/ in Belgium~ Zach McDonald has had a pretty good year. He might still be getting beat up by the older kids at school (just take a look at Jonathan Page accidentally T-bonin...

Chris Jones: A Man for all Seasons

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:31:55 +0000

~INTERVIEW: Tom Southam~ ~PHOTOS: Jeremy Dunn at Jingle Cross, Iowa City~ All my life I have been something of a road racing purist. In 17 years of racing, I have never taken part in any races that weren’t on the road. I considered mountain bik...

Twelve for 2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:17:54 +0000

1. Worldwide Road Rides As road cycling continues to engulf the planet with more people discovering uncharted roads and terrain, Rapha will be leading the field with a global expansion of the Rapha Continental. Expect to see films and tales of exp...

Tour Down Under 2012 Passport

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:05:22 +0000

To celebrate the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under, which begins on Sunday 15th January, Rapha have devised a group of rides around Adelaide. Led by experienced local riders, the five routes will explore some of the most spectacular riding in the world. It...

Best of the Festive 500 2011

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:24:30 +0000

Please note: There will be a public vote to decide our final top three via Facebook on Friday 20th January. The 2011 edition of the Festive 500 saw nearly 4000 people take to the roads. What started in 2009 as one man’s insane ambition to escape...

Rapha Condor Sharp Film Competition

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:09:35 +0000

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED Win the chance to shoot and direct a short film, following the Rapha Condor Sharp Team at their training camp in 2012. Rapha and Condor are offering a young filmmaker the chance to shoot and direct the 2012 Rapha Condo...

Festive 500 – Ride to Redemption

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:19:33 +0000

Rapha are challenging riders across the globe to go the distance and escape the clutches of holiday indulgence by riding 500 kilometres between the 23rd and 31st of December. Clock your kilometres however you can and then post evidence on our Faceboo...

Alpe d'Quiz

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:42:38 +0000

In honour of the 21 famous hairpins of Alpe d’Huez, Rapha is counting down to the holiday with a multiple-choice question every day for 21 days, beginning on midnight UTC/GMT, Sunday 4th December and ending on Saturday the 24th. Every day a new ...

KTC China

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:29:36 +0000

Today, a number of Rapha products are designed in London and made in China. This may seem like a contradictory statement, but it's not. The creative vitality of the UK and London’s network of talent means it is one of the world’s great design hub...

Rapha Rides Oslo Film

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:12:52 +0000

Norway’s capital Oslo offers a different take on urban road riding. The city’s quiet roads, green spaces and buildings painted in muted colours are juxtaposed to the vibrant chaos of London or New York. But it’s also a city of fronts: where imp...

Winter Training

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:50:32 +0000

By Joe Hall The road to a successful winter of riding is paved with good intentions, but inevitably so is the road to idleness. The manual I have says, “to see yourself as the cycling maestro that you have always dreamed of becoming […] do the...

Return of the Mac

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:18:32 +0000

Few pieces of apparel provide as compelling a chapter in the history of British tailoring as the story of the waterproof overcoat or ‘mac’. The back story for what long ago became a quintessential piece for autumn and winter brings together pione...

Turkey Takeoff

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:17:39 +0000

This Thanksgiving holiday, don’t sit around and pile on the calories, ride them away with Rapha and Strava’s Turkey Takeoff. Thanksgiving usually means eating and drinking as much as you possibly can. But Rapha and Strava are challenging you ...

Oslo City Guide

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:45:19 +0000

“There were angels dining at the Ritz… ” A brass band was playing ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ as we cycled up to the roof of the Oslo’s Operahuset. Rising like pack ice out of the mirror- still waters of the Oslofjord, the ...

The Style of Rapha Condor Sharp

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:01:23 +0100

~WORDS: Tom Southam PHOTOS: Jon Bergman~ We used to be such a good looking team. When I first joined Rapha Condor (as it was known then) in 2009, we didn’t have a disagreeable face amongst us. However, there must be some sort of correlation bet...

Women’s Winter Riding

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:12:36 +0100

Collyn Ahart, a London-based cyclist, writer and brand strategist, has recently tested Rapha's latest Autumn Winter products for women. Here she discusses and reviews three key pieces in the wider context of her winter riding. Temperatures have pl...

An Interview with James Holliday

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:30:04 +0100

Rapha's luggage collection offers products for use in every mode of a cyclist's life: whether it's scavenging around the city, travelling abroad for a riding weekend or commuting to the office. The philosophy was to create a collection that, like all...

Super Cross 2011

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:54:42 +0100

MUD. SWEAT. FRITES. COWBELLS. Quite possibly the most entertaining three days of racing the UK has ever seen. ~Film by Pete Drinkell~ The inaugural Rapha Super Cross Series brought three days of super-charged cyclocross racing to venues around...

City Scopes

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Limpet Ian Cleverly Six-time national sprint champion Stuart Brydon used to train at the Herne Hill track after moving to London from Scotland in the 90’s. As sprinters go, he was not the largest of the species, but he was darned fast, and ...

Oakley Auction

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:34:48 +0100

With the new cyclocross season well underway, Rapha and Oakley are offering you the chance to own an exclusive pair of Oakley Jawbone glasses. The custom-made Jawbones have frames painted in the candystripe livery of the Rapha-FOCUS team kit and the ...

Rapha Rides Little Switzerland

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:43:58 +0100

~film by Ertzui°filmargocollective.com/ertzuifilm ~ The Fränkische Schweiz (aka Franconian Switzerland or Little Switzerland) is a delightful place to ride in the summer. Its landscape made up of forests, jagged rock faces, brutally s...

USA Cross Recap: Week One

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:02:15 +0100

~WORDS & PHOTOS: Jeremy Dunn~ The cyclocross season is now in full swing. The hot fluorescent lights of Vegas have died away and been replaced by somewhat muddier conditions. Gone, but not forgotten as we take a look back at a few of the thing...

2011 Rapha NW Gentlemen's Race

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:32 +0100

~Video: Droptree Productions Words: Gerben Gerritsen Photos: Max Ralph~ The Oregon summer had a very late start this year. Cool and wet were prevailing themes right up into the month of August. However, the bright spot in all of that was the...

World Championship 2011 Events

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:41:23 +0100

It’s no coincidence that Copenhagen is the first city to be designated an official UCI Bike City by road riding’s governing body. From 19th-25th September, the city will play host to the UCI World Championships with some of the best riders on the...

The Hidden Alps

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:11:25 +0100

~Directed by Ben Ingham~ Length: 18.6 km Height gain: 1694m Maximum gradient: 12 On the photoshoot for the new Rapha Autumn/Winter range we took our riders on to the steep, scarred and historic slopes of the Colle delle Finestre, the 'H...

USA Cross Preview

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:43:54 +0100

~WORDS & PHOTOS: Jeremy Dunn~ The addition of Jeremy Powers to the Rapha-FOCUS squad makes for a nice little attack trio for the men in black and candystripesww.rapha.cc/shop/cyclocross ahead of the upcoming pro cross season. And while we have...

An interview with John Herety

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:06:57 +0100

John Herety, Rapha Condor Sharp team manager, is one of the most experienced and respected men in British cycling. Having raced on the Continent and on the burgeoning domestic scene in the 1980s, John has successfully managed Rapha Condor Sharp for t...

PBP 2011: Four Journeys

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:14:25 +0100

After more than six months of arduous training and qualifying rides, four Rapha riders headed to Paris in August 2011 to participate in Paris-Brest-Paris. The oldest and certainly one of the longest road races still in existence, the 1,200km plus jou...

Lunch With JPow

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:51:34 +0100

Jeremy Powers, or JPow as he is widely known, is the latest rider to join Rapha Focus, Rapha and Focus Bikes' fledgling pro cyclocross outfit. Jeremy is an established talent on the US cross scene with a wealth of ability and character to match. Slat...

One Thing Led to Another…

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:31:47 +0100

TINA BRUBAKER ~INTERVIEW by Heidi Swift~ Two years ago on a cold day in January, I found myself on a team ride climbing a steep, quiet road called Old Germantown. Up ahead a very fast, impossibly light Cat 1 climber was pinning a pace that could ...

The Audax Diaries: The 24 hour TT

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:38:50 +0100

~WORDS: James Fairbank, Ultan Coyle and Max Leonard FILM: Basia Lewandowska~ On July 23rd Ultan Coyle and James Fairbank took on the Mersey Roads 24-hour Time Trial to prepare themselves for the PBP in August. 60 riders on bicycles, tandems and t...

2011 NE Gentlemen's Race

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:31:13 +0100

~VIDEO: Paper Fortressaperfortressfilms.com/ WORDS: Gerben Gerritsen PHOTOS: Chris Millimanhrismilliman.com/ ~ There are great juxtapositions in cycling: the tougher the ride, the greater the rewards; the further you go, the more unkno...

Massif

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:40:10 +0100

The Massif Central, whilst unknown to many, could be described as the heart and soul of France. Made up of nearly twenty départements including the Loire, Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme, the overall area comprises two regions, the Auvergne and the Limousin...

Galibier

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:59:17 +0100

bq. “Have they not wings, our men who have been able to climb up to heights where even eagles don’t fly? … Oh Sappey, Oh Laffrey, Oh Col Bayard, Oh Tourmalet! I shall not shirk from my duty in proclaiming that beside the Galibier you are nothin...

Étape du Tour 2011 Acte II

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:08:38 +0100

~Issoire > Saint Flour: Sunday 17th July 2011~ The Etape du Tour Acte II is a very different experience to the grand Alpine stage of Acte I. We’ve referred to it as ‘The Real Tour de France’ because, as in the early days, the race travels...

Étape du Tour 2011 Acte I

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:02:54 +0100

~Modane > Alpe d'Huez: Monday 11th July 2011~ This route will be, to quote Henri Desgrange, “an act of adoration”. For many the Alps and in particular the Col du Galibier and the Alpe d’Huez are the grandest stadia of the world’s mos...

The Bicycle Collection: An Interview with Tony Pereira and Ira Ryan

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:28:01 +0100

~PHOTOS by Dan Sharpww.danielsharpphoto.com/ INTERVIEW by Jeremy Dunn~ The next ordering period for the Ira Ryan / Tony Periera Continental bike is closing July 1st. This is a unique collaboration in the world of handmade bicycles. We sat down la...

Rapha Rides the Victorian Alps

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Back in March, before the snow fell on the ski fields of the Victorian Alps, we set out to ride some of the most magnificent roads in Australia. A 235km loop featuring three mountain passes with nearly 5,000 vertical meters of climbing was thankfully...

The Audax Diaries – Bryan Chapman 2011

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:27:45 +0100

~WORDS: Phil Deeker PHOTOS: Wig Worland~ The suffering served up during the 1,200km of Paris-Brest-Paris starts long before the riders arrive on the start line. Of all the BRM (Brevets des Randonneurs Mondiaux) rides needed to qualify (200, 300, ...

Rapha Rides North Sealand

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0100

~WORDS: Jesper Grundahl PHOTOS: © Fredrik Clement~ With the forthcoming Road Race World Championship being held in Copenhagen, Rapha will be staging several rides during the week of 19-25th September 2011. Preparations for riding with the Dan...

Randonnée Appennini 2011 Report

Tue, 24 May 2011 11:58:50 +0100

~WORDS: Simon Clark PHOTOS: Ross Muir~ Che Bello/content/uploads/2623-02.jpg/content/uploads/2623-03.jpg Even though fatigue had started to show, our morale was boosted by the presentation to our guests of the Rapha Randonnée Appennini Tricolore...

Ethan Suplee Downsizes

Sun, 22 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

~PHOTOS: Steven Nereohematerialtrip.com/ ~ You may know Ethan Suplee from his work on the big screen, starring in movies American History X, Remember the Titans, Blow, or even more recently the hit television show, My Name is Earl. Rapha...

Le Cycle Ardennais

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:53:59 +0100

When Phillipe Gilbert secured his third Ardennes classic last Sunday, he became the first Belgian to win the ‘classic triple’ and only the second rider to do so in history. Given that I live within an hour's drive of the start of ...

Balearic Bicycling: Cycle Club Mallorca

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:50:10 +0100

WORDS & PHOTOS: Joe Hall The Balearic islands, the Islas Baleares , are a desirable destination for many. Known as the “naked islands” (perhaps due to the agreeable climate), some travel to Ibiza for house music and hedonism, others to Min...

Roubaix Recce: Hors Course

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:53:28 +0000

~WORDS: Phil Deeker PHOTOS: Joe Hall~ To watch a Grand Tour champion escape from the pack and up a mountain is to witness grace, beauty and perfection on a bike. To watch a Classics champion float over the cobbles evokes very different emotions. ...

Hell of the North 2

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:49:11 +0000

PHOTOS: Gavin Campbell WORDS: Joe Hall Rapha’s second edition of the Hell of the North took place on Sunday 10th April. Beneath heavenly blue skies 250 plus riders (many of them just having toiled up the hill that leads to the north London encl...

Paris Roubaix Challenge

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:03:34 +0000

Rapha and ASO Partnership Rapha and ASO, organiser of the leading road races in the world, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Nice and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, have signed a two year partnership deal to create the best one-day sportives...

Rapha Rides for Tohoku

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:28:25 +0000

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National Perspective

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:13:29 +0000

Few sports expose their stars to the heady cocktail of pressure experienced by pro road racers. The 24/7 media circus riders negotiate in their everyday lives comes with the territory but in what other sport does the pressure ratchet up to such inten...

Women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2011

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:31:13 +0000

~WORDS: Natalie Creswick PHOTOS: Steve Davidson~ All the ingredients for a brutal introduction to one day pro racing were there, wind, rain, mud, cobbles, cold, narrow twisty Belgian farm tracks, bad road surfaces, short sharp flandrien climbs a...

Denim

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:15:26 +0000

A descendant of a fabric known as Serge de Nimes (shortened to des Nimes), denim is a robust cotton material that has made an indelible impact on modern clothing. The fabric dates back to the 17th century, where it was used for making sails, upholste...

Chris Newton interview

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:38:00 +0000

Former Rapha Condor Sharp rider and Olympic silver medallist, Chris Newton, worked closely with Rapha in developing the new Pro Team products. Here he discusses the evolution of race clothing and why the Pro Team range represents the cutting edge of ...

Geoff Proctor interview

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:00:50 +0000

PHOTOS by Tom Robertsonww.tomrobertsonphoto.com/ INTERVIEW by Jeremy Dunn Geoff Proctor has been doing this cyclocross thing for a long time. After racing a hand-full of World Cups in the mid-nineties and three World...

Tweed – The original performance fabric

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

“Lots of fellows have asked me who my tailor is,” Bertie Wooster once remarked of his favourite tweed suit. “Doubtless in order to avoid him, Sir,” replied the ever-reliable Jeeves. Not a remark a chap’s ever likely to hear if he’s riding...

Rapha Bicycle Collection

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:30:13 +0000

bq. ~You buy a bike because it looks good; you choose it carefully, and then you sit on it and you don’t see it anymore.~ ~- Paul Fournel, Need for the Bike~ Beginning January 2011 and for the next two years, Rapha has partnered with four maste...

Rapha Rendezvous

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:20:42 +0000

Rapha's free iPhone app, Rendezvous, is no longer in development and is no longer available from the iTunes Store. We are unfortunately unable to provide support for users. If you still have a copy of the app on your iPhone and are having log-in issu...

Eleven for 2011

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:44:34 +0000

(floatRight)paris-roubaix-challenge 1. The Paris Roubaix Challenge: Welcome to Hell This coming year sees Rapha teaming up with ASO, organizer of the world’s biggest races and sportives, to bring a new and enhanced experience of riding the Que...

Rapha Continental 2010 in review

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:46:41 +0000

Wanderlust is at the heart of the Rapha Continental. What started five years ago simply as summer riding with friends in a lets hope we find some gravel roads" quickly, unexpectedly became an ever-growing exploration of riding in North America. Soon ...

Cent Cols Challenge 2010

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:17:21 +0000

WORDS: Phil Deeker PHOTOS: Phil & Claire Deeker Sunday morning, the day before the 2010 Cent Cols Challengeentcolschallenge.com/. Almost oblivious to the stunning view over Lake Annecy from the hotel breakfast room, the CCC 2010 began for me ...

GORC

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:57:15 +0000

A couple of months ago we had the pleasure of taking part in the third annual Great Ocean Road Classic - GORC for short. The first rule of the GORC is DON’T TALK ABOUT THE GORC. The second rule of the GORC is …well, you know the rest. That GOR...

Wet Weather Riding

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:04:21 +0000

It’s been said there’s is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Andy Hampsten, who famously battled a snowstorm during the 1988 Giro, might beg to differ but Rapha understands that products that perform brilliantly in wet and...

Rapha + Paul Smith: A Conversation

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:49:00 +0000

In this exclusive short film, Rapha founder and CEO Simon Mottram talks to Sir Paul Smith about the celebrated designer’s love of cycling. A revealing and engaging portrait of one man’s enduring passion for the sport, Paul Smith recalls his da...

Rapha Rides Monti Pallidi

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:51:22 +0000

~PHOTOS: Ben Ingham~ The Dolomites, in northern Italy, are known locally as the Monti Pallidi, the Pale Mountains. The precise origin of the name varies. Legend attributes it to a magical creature, who spun a ball of moonbeams to give the mountain...

A Tale of Two Cycling Cities

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:45:09 +0100

p. WORDS: Matt Seatonww.guardian.co.uk/profile/mattseaton Every city has its indigenous bike culture, the result of a subtle interaction of people with transport infrastructure, built environment, traffic regulations an...

Evolution of a Classic

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:16:18 +0100

The arrival of the cold weather gives us the chance to celebrate one of the truly iconic Rapha products, the Rapha Classic Softshell Jacketclassic-softshell-jacket. First launched in 2004, it’s a product that sums up perfectly the Rapha philosophy....

Cyclocross. Three Ways.

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:44:31 +0100

~WORDS: Slate Olson~ Portland, an Oregon Point of View The first time I did a 'Cross race was 2002. It was at the now-infamous North Portland Cross Cathedral called Pier Park. I showed up in a pretty legit Clif-Bar Racing Team kit, bright red, an...

2010 NW Gentlemen's Race

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 03:16:32 +0100

VIDEO: Droptree Productionsww.droptree.com/ WORDS: Slate Olson PHOTOS: PDX Crossww.pdxcross.com/ Be careful what you wish for. It's a saying that comes to mind when talking about racing the Rapha Gentlemen's Race. Last month's race was made espe...

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. ...

The 1910 Challenge

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:43:42 +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 the 2010 edition of the race. As well as the special edition Tourmalet Jersey, Rapha honoured the first ever Tour sta...

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...

Two Broad Arrows

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A film by Adrian Moat with Ridley Scott Associates for Rapha bq. The idea was to make a short film that reflected the spirit and drive of Sean Kelly. I wanted to capture a sense of possibility by using him as an example of a man that knows how to ...

Of Steel

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A film by Ben Ingham with Ridley Scott Associates for Rapha bq. Passion is something that can’t be produced, can’t be invented. Real passion is something that comes from within. - Dario Pegoretti dacciaio-of-steel An accompanying book D'A...

A Throw of the Dice

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A film by Nick Livesey with Ridley Scott Associates for Rapha bq.. Historically, 'The Hell of the North' was not referring to the sheer pain and torment the cyclists of the Paris-Roubaix must endure to complete the 275km race. It was a newspaper c...

24hr TT 2010

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:14:34 +0100

~WORDS: Ultan Coyle iPHONE PHOTOS: Ben Ingham, James Fairbank FILM: Damon Peacock~ Why the f would anyone do this? A step into the unknown. Can I? Will I be able to double the longest I've ever ridden and some more in a one'er? The Buck Moon ...

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 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...

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 ...

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...

1910 Challenge film

Sat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

~Directed and shot by Pete Drinkell~ In 2010 four Rapha riders set out to follow the first ever Tour stage route into the high mountains. This 326km journey took them into the very heart of the Circle of Death, battling with the Aspin, Aubisque, P...

Burfields & Co

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:02:00 +0100

~WORDS: Joe Hall PHOTOS: Kasper Daems and Joe Hall~ The village of Martock, in Somerset, is the West Country as it used to be, a landscape of cider farms and 13th century hamstone buildings. It is also home to Burfields Glove Factory, the family ...

Col d'Aspin

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:43:24 +0100

~WORDS: Charlie Pearch PHOTOS: Janet Pearch~ The Col d'Aspin has been featured many times in the Tour de France. Although not as famous as its larger neighbours, the Aubisque and the Tourmalet, it is an essential part of the Pyrenean landscape an...

Rapha Rides Siracusa

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:21:06 +0100

Sicily took its time to earn a place in the annals of Italian cycling. Ignored for the first 17 editions of the Giro, the island first featured in the great race in 1930. In 1949, a chapter of the epic duel between the incomparable Fausto Coppi and h...

The Rapha Top Ten for 2010

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:51:52 +0000

2010 promises to be a spectacular and action-packed calendar of road riding, events and products. Here's what we are looking forward to this coming year. Our long awaited women’s range launches this March. Finally, female riders will be able ...

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 ...

Gentlemen's Race Northwest

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