Home > Other Fun Stuff > Advocacy & Industry News > News

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost Kit – Built to Beat the Heat

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost jersey
7 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

It’s the dog days of summer, and it’s time to bust out any light and airy kit you have to survive the heat. A subtle, breathable panel in a jersey or shorts can be the difference between a comfortable ride and a soggy slog. High-end cycling kit connoisseurs (and EF Education–EasyPost’s kit supplier for 2025), Rapha, has just dropped its most extreme hot-weather race kit to date. Dubbed Pro Team Ghost, the new collection includes a jersey, bibs, and race skinsuit engineered specifically for blistering race days when the sun is melting the road.

Built with input from EF Education–EasyPost and pressure-tested in the sport’s real-life furnace, the Tour de France, Ghost is Rapha’s answer to racing in the era of heat domes and rising core temps.

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost full guy
Photos: Rapha

Designed for the Heat

If you’ve ever watched a Tour stage in July, you know: it’s extremely hot. But it’s not just the temps, it’s the radiant heat bouncing off tarmac, crowds, and cars. EF’s Tom Southam sums it up best:

“There’s less space for riders to cool down, both physically and mentally. The side of the road’s packed, the asphalt’s baking, and helicopters are buzzing overhead. It’s intense.”

So Rapha turned to the lab (and the wind tunnel) to come up with something radically different. Something, well… ghostly.

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost back

The Ghost Approach: Ultralight, Seam-Smart, Heat-Hunting

The Ghost line is built around open-weave fabrics, Rapha claims “breathe like nothing we’ve released before.” We’re talking the lightest, thinnest woven material the brand has ever used. Think second-skin fit, 360° stretch, and airflow that doesn’t shut down when soaked in sweat. What’s the trade-off? Don’t hit the deck or brush up against anything sharp, because this material is sheer. However, it’s all about hot weather performance, keeping core temperatures as low as possible, and ensuring the athletes’ comfort to achieve the best results.

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost side

“We trialed a bunch of prototype fabrics in climate chambers at a 48°C heat index,” says Senior Materials Developer Anne Weir. “We landed on one that increased airflow and heat loss—but also felt lighter, more natural.”

Rapha Ghost skin suit front and back model

Rapha’s Atelier team took it from there, reducing the panel count and flipping the seams to the outside to minimize skin irritation. Building a jersey, they say, “looks fast, feels weightless, and disappears once you zip it up.” The Ghost Suit, a one-piece skinsuit (something you’ve seen on riders like Team EF’s Ben Healy), uses a single-panel upper—no darts to snug the fit, no distractions, just high-speed, sweat-shedding comfort.

“You don’t feel it’s on,” says Atelier Head Sam Towner. “That was the goal—total balance, distributed stretch, and zero friction.”

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost full rider on bike heat waves

Real-World Use Case: Ghost in the Peloton

EF riders are already racing in Ghost at the Tour, putting it to the test on days where the peloton looks like it’s riding through a convection oven. Paired with pre-stage ice vests and mid-race cooling tactics, this kit plays a key role in keeping core temps manageable when watts start to spike.

Rapha Ghost skin suit back

Rapha says this isn’t just about comfort—it’s about performance at the limit. Better thermoregulation means more consistent effort, sharper focus, and a real edge when the going gets scorched.

Rapha Launches Ultralight Ghost top

Key Features & Pricing – Rapha Pro Team Ghost

  • Supernatural airflow – Lightest open-weave fabric Rapha’s ever used, optimized for max breathability, even when soaked
  • Second skin feel – 360° stretch and direct-to-skin fit for enhanced evaporative cooling.
  • Minimalist construction – Fewer panels, flatter seams, and anatomical shaping reduce weight and friction.
  • Race-proven – Used by EF Education–EasyPost riders at the 2025 Tour de France during the season’s hottest stages
  • Weightless compression – Strategic fit and panel reduction equals equalized tension without bulk
  • Prices: Jersey (mens/womens) $300.00, Bibs (mens/womens) $325.00, Ghost Skinsuit $600.00

www.rapha.cc

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Whodee
Whodee
8 days ago

Somebody at Rapha saw what Porsche does with their GT cars and got dollar signs in their eyes like Scrooge McDuck.

And they’ll probably sell the heck out of them.

Oli
Oli
8 days ago

I’ve got an Attaquer jersey made out of very similar material. It has just about the worst breathability and ventilation of any jersey that I’ve ever worn, despite being insanely thin and light. It’s total crap.

Andreas
Andreas
8 days ago

“Used by EF Education–EasyPost riders at the 2024 Tour de France”. I thought the point was they are using it now in 2025.

Greg
Greg
8 days ago

“Photos: Raphi”

satanas
satanas
8 days ago

No mention of UPF, so presumably it’s zero. 🙁

Nate
Nate
7 days ago

$300 for a jersey that you can get for $60 from Gore, Black Bibs (with summer bibs), etc. Hard pass. Rapha is a Walmart brand charging Gucci prices.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.