Review: Rapha's New Performance Trailwear Clothing

A month ago, if you had asked me what comes to mind when I hear someone say Rapha, I would have described fit and fast-looking roadies wearing pricey black kits with a dash of white or pink. And probably some oversized and overpriced glasses to boot. And maybe an extravagant coffee shop if I was feeling snarky.

The general consensus is that it's nice stuff, sure, but it's also on the expensive end of expensive, which makes their new 'Performance Trailwear' mountain bike range even more interesting. Relatively speaking, it's priced competitively with other high-end mountain bike clothing. It's been far too hot to even think about the jacket, but here's what I make of the bibs, shorts, and tech t-shirt.




Trail Shorts


The cargo pockets are both angled back enough to keep your phone from swinging around and also big enough to fit a full-sized phone into. They even put tiny pockets in those pockets to help hold the phone in place, as well as two normal pockets up front so you have somewhere to put your hands while standing around awkwardly at the trailhead like a mountain biker.

Fit-wise, my size small gets a 30.5" waist and 13" inseam. That leg length grows 0.4" (or 1cm) for each size, and Rapha says the leg openings are cut to play nice with knee pads. They also come with a repair kit with matching fabric.




Review

The Trail shorts aren't what I expected, which was a lightweight, shorter length short that's maybe just a couple steps away from Lycra. I mean, it is Rapha. Instead, the fabric is thicker and heavier, also known as "more durable over time," and more in line with what I'd want as an enduro or all-mountain short, whatever those are. Personally, I'd prefer a lighter-weight material, especially for long rides or in the heat, but I have to concede that almost every short I've ever owned hasn't lasted long for that same reason; they're all torn open and patched at the crotch. It's early days, but I doubt that'll happen to these.

Rapha might have come up with the perfect pockets. The two zippered ones are angled back just so as to keep your heavy phone from swinging around (the phone spot inside helps as well), and they're large enough that even the biggest will still fit. One small detail that counts: the zipper pulls are not just easy to grab, but can also be yanked close without the fabric bunching up, making it easier to get your whatever back in while on the move. The integrated belt works well, too.

Fit-wise, they're a bit long for my tastes, although the leg openings feel a bit baggy when you're not wearing pads. They're just right when you do, though. For what it's worth, fellow editor Mike Kazimer says these are his new favorites, and he's been extremely happy with the material, fit, and durability. If you're a trail rider who usually wears knee pads and needs something that won't rip after only a few months, these are worth looking at.





Trail Cargo Bib Liner





Review

While bib shorts are a relatively personal thing, they really just need to nail two things: fit and function. I want my undercarriage to be able to survive 6 hours of pedaling on a hot day, and they need to have useful pockets for me to put candy in on those same days. Rapha gets high marks on the first, and a meh grade for the second.

I'm 5'10" and weigh 150lb, which puts me in a medium Cargo Bib Liner that felt bang-on fit-wise, so Rapha's online sizing chart can be trusted. I've had a few pairs of bibs that felt like the straps could have been half an inch longer, or maybe that much shorter, which can lead to them either feeling like they're pulling or the straps slipping down your shoulders. The Cargos do neither while you're hunched over on the bike or just standing around, and the legs are just the right length. The chamois pad is probably the most comfortable thing I've sat on this side of a velour La-Z-Boy, and they quickly became the only bibs I'd wear for my longest of long rides. And even on those days, I can't remember a single time when I had to reach down to move something or shift to a different position because of discomfort. The chamois is quite thick, but it avoids that 'hot diaper' feeling that I expected, even on the warmest, sweatiest of rides. Speaking of warm, don't buy the Cargo bibs for the mesh material on the sides of the legs that's claimed to help them breath better. I have no doubt that it's not entirely useless, but they don't feel any cooler than anything else.

Also, don't buy the Cargo bibs for their cargo'ing ability, because they can't carry much. Given their name, I'd love to see some mesh pockets on the legs like Rapha uses on some of their pricier bibs (which would make these cost more as well), but I'm more perplexed by the shallow rear pockets. It's not that I actually want to carry anything important, big, or heavy back there, but I found myself always reaching back to check if my rusty multi-tool, glasses, or candy had bounced out. It always seemed like they would, but nothing ever did fall out, to be fair. Regardless, why not make the pockets at least as deep as found on some other bibs? Sometimes I do need to carry something important, big, or heavy back there.





Trail Technical T-Shirt





Review

I've never understood why I'd want to pay so much money to look like a rolling billboard, but that's not the case here; it's very nice and I like the understated style. And you still get the (great-looking) strip on the sleeve to let people know you're Rapha-certified. It also fits well, with a casual cut that makes sense for those of us who like to keep it relaxed. The quality is top-notch and the fit is what I'm looking for, but I wish there was more functionality to it. I'd like to see a small pocket for a key, cash, credit card, or something to set it apart from other fancy t-shirts, even if it did add to the price. It's a nice shirt, but this one would be a harder sell for me if I was spending my own money.



Pinkbike's Take

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