apha cycling wear was created in 2004 by ex-accountant and branding consultant Simon Mottram and Luke Scheybeler, a designer who worked for prestigious London design firms like Rufus Leonard. Rapha is currently riding a wave of popularity with their products being adopted by both randonneurs and commuter cyclists.

Rapha’s attention to detail and well-curated selection of riding wear ranges from tailored city riding jackets designed in collaboration with the bespoke London tailor Timothy Everest, to high quality performance pieces that makes other cycling brands seem a little antiquated in their approach to product design.

All too often cyclists are presented with product offerings that appear overly technical, with an overt sense of day glow sports styling that is out of place on the rider with a design eye. Rapha’s referencing of cycling’s rich visual heritage and vintage aesthetics from the 50s and 60s.

Their use of horizontal colour banding on their basic jersey and subtle logo application on the sleeves, combined with the use of high-end merino wool makes it ideal for cyclists who yearn for something more.

Recently releasing a collaborative range with Paul Smith featuring caps, a reinterpretation of Rapha’s soft shell jacket, detailed leather gloves and jerseys, cycling no longer needs to be all about the technology and can be now be more about the aesthetic.

Rapha is available at Northside Wheelers on Greville Street in Prahran, and through the website.

www.rapha.cc