With the start of fall Rapha has added a new, affordable waterproof Commuter Jacket to keep us cyclists dry and visible, on & off the bike, around the city. Plus as #crossiscoming threatened all summer long, cyclocross is here. And Rapha has updated their Cross Collection with its familiar color scheme and a new look for this fall’s racing calling back to the origins of cylco-cross.
Rapha Commuter Jacket, lightweight waterproof raincoat
Rapha is calling the Commuter Jacket their first actually designed to keep you safe and dry on the ride to work. The lightweight, semi-breathable waterproof membrane jacket is said to be hard-wearing, with its fabric developed exclusively for Rapha to create an affordable, hi-vis raincoat.
The £100 / $135 / 120€ Commuter Jacket uses a micro-porous fabric with a hydrophobic membrane, plus an outer DWR treatment to keep you dry, with fully sealed seams. The relaxed fit hooded jacket gets an adjustable elastic hem & hood, waterproof offset zip, protected zipped handwarmer pockets, comfortable wind-protecting cuffs, and a strap to secure a rolled down hood.
The slightly extended rear end features reflective printing meant to hang below a backpack for low-light visibility.
The jacket comes in both men’s and women’s cuts and four colors – yellow, orange, pink & black – although for some reason women don’t get orange.
First Impressions – Rapha Commuter Jacket
I’ve done a bit of riding around town in the new Commuter Jacket, even getting caught in a few autumn thunderstorms where it kept me dry. (Now, I just need a matching pair of over-pants.) There is no doubt about being seen during the day. But even thought they are quite reflective, the small dots on the back don’t offer much visibility at night. And I wouldn’t want to ride in this without proper lights (vs. a full retroreflective jacket which fully lights up in a car’s headlights.) Breathability seems pretty limited, as climbing city hills I definitely started sweating pretty quick. But a vented mesh flap on the upper back kept me from overheating too much, even if my arms did start to get clammy.
So far, at this price, the Commuter Jacket seems like a solid value for commuting in cooler, wetter weather, and will likely get packed down for the unexpected cloud burst as well. And even with its bright colors, it doesn’t look out-of-place off the bike.
2018/2019 Rapha Cross Collection
Autumn isn’t only about commuter to work in cold and rainy weather. It’s also the perfect time for hour-long max heart rate efforts racing twisty circles in the mud on barely wide-enough tubulars. Yeah for cyclocross season!
Rapha is back again with another new Cross Collection to have you racing in black, pink, red & light blue. The geometric 1901 print design is a callback to the official founding of cross as a discipline.
This season’s Cross Collection includes a £130 / $180 / 155€ men’s Long Sleeve Aero Jersey, a £130 / $180 / 155€ women’s Long Sleeve Race Jersey, a £130 / $180 / 155€ men’s Cross Long Sleeve Classic Jersey, and a £85 / $115 / 100€ men’s short sleeve Cross Jersey.
From an accessories standpoint, you can also color coordinate a £20 / $30 / 25€ pair of Cross Pro Team Socks, a £45 / $65 / 55€ Cross Bobble Hat, a £15 / $20 / 17.50€ Cross Lightweight Snood (a buff copy), a £20 / $35 / 25€ Cross Cap, the always excellent £45 / $65 / 55€ Cross Merino Scarf (and again cheaper than ever!), or a £30 / $40 / 35€ Cross T-Shirt that hits the 1901 logo on the nose.
Let the muddy racing begin. And it looks like it will be slippery this weekend for the second round of the World Cup still in the states!
