Rapha Super Lightweight Jersey

Rapha, that Marmite of cycling brands, make the Super Lightweight jersey for the heat of summer. I rode in it on a few hot days in the UK in July and August. With temperatures up to 30°C it handled the conditions it is designed for with aplomb. It feels like a base layer with pockets; light and comfortable, perfect for hard riding on sunny days.

The Rapha Super Lightweight jersey is all one colour, a very bright yellow in this case, with different fabrics used in specific places. Rapha say these are proprietary synthetic fabrics developed exclusively for them. They have treated the fabric with anti-bacterial coating, which means it doesn't start to smell like a plain polyester jersey can do in summer.

The materials are really comfortable and the jersey fit my body well and stayed in place with a decent gripper on the base. The sleeves are a looser cut than I expected and hemmed, rather than being the laser-cut close-fitting fabric of more racy jerseys. The sleeves contribute to the light feel of the jersey and they don't seem to flap noticeably when riding. Under the arms there are large sections of mesh to aid cooling and the jersey is noticeably shorter in the body compared to a regular jersey, which keeps your midriff cooler.

There are the usual three pockets on the back and these are taller than normal pockets, making up for the lightweight nature of the fabric. So a pump is easily contained in the middle pocket without the typical Rapha pump pocket. I found the carrying capacity of the jersey a bit compromised compared to jerseys made from a heavier material. Items in the pockets of any jersey have a tendency to pull it down at the back. The lightness of the fabric exacerbates this and the jersey can pull at the front of the collar, which is quite tight and is quite high compared to a stock summer jersey. There is an unfortunate trade off between having things in your pockets and having the zip done up, but given the hot conditions it is aimed at, this is less of a drawback than expected.

I felt cool and dry wearing this jersey in situations when I know I would normally be feeling hot and bothered. Whether working hard on my own on a hot summer's day in the Essex lanes; pretending I'm in Le Tour; or fast loops at the local road circuit the jersey felt comfortable.

The only real problem is that, because of the mesh construction, the jersey is not rated for sun protection, unlike most jerseys that have an SPF 50 rating. This means that you do need to put on sun screen on your upper body, especially the shoulders and upper arms. Remember those pictures of a sunburned Chris Froome earlier this year? He was using a skinsuit made from a much lighter fabric but there is still a risk of sun burn from the mesh fabric used in this jersey, especially on the bony areas of the shoulders.

The Rapha Super Lightweight jersey is also somewhat see through. I tested the Chartreuse or fluorescent yellow colour, though, which doesn't suffer from this as much as the white version. It's also available in pale blue and there are matching lightweight bib shorts for each colour.

Verdict

Light and comfortable jersey for hot days