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TECH NEWS

Rapha launches Transfer off-the-bike clothing

Hoodie and sweatpants are designed for post-ride use... or just lounging around the house!

Rapha has released a new collection of relaxed Transfer clothing that's designed for off-the-bike use.

Rapha has had Transfer clothing in its range before but everything in the collection is new. Although Rapha is naturally keen to give the Pro Team Transfer Hoodie (main pic and below) and the Women's Transfer Hoodie (both £120) a cycling edge, they are essentially loungewear made from a waffled cotton/polyamide fabric.

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Hoodie - hood.jpg

"Super soft next to the skin, the fabric’s variation of textures means it sits away from the body and improves airflow," says Rapha. 

Rapha Transfer AW 2019  - 4.jpg

"The main fabric boasts excellent mechanical stretch which, together with shaped seams under the arms and a slightly different texture on the side panels, allows for complete freedom of movement. 

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Hoodie - pockets and hem.jpg

You get two pockets and logos that are knitted into the fabric.

Check out Rapha's new Mechanics off-the-bike clothing 

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Sweatpants.jpg

The Pro Team Transfer Sweatpants and Women's Transfer Sweatpants (both £120) are made from the same fabric. They come with a broad elastic waistband and a drawcord. As well as two hand pockets, there's a zipped pocket around the back.

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Sweatpants - waist.jpg

The Pro Team Transfer Shorts (£100) use the same fabric again.

The range also includes limited edition clothing that's much more expensive.

"Designed in collaboration with Amsterdam textile innovation studio Byborre, our Limited Edition Transfer collection takes rest and recovery to the next level," says Rapha. 

"We’ve used the most advanced fabric technology to create comfortable, breathable and insulating panels with all the hallmarks of a signature Byborre engineered knit and added our own fitting expertise to create a collection ideally suited to the needs of cyclists."

Rapha Transfer AW 2019  - 2.jpg

The Limited Edition Transfer Sweatpants (£300) use a lightweight, insulating polyester filling yarn knitted together with two cotton face fabrics. 

"The lining has added merino wool for softness and natural antibacterial properties while the outer adds nylon for durability and features a knitted in contour line design celebrating Marco Pantani’s favourite climb, Monte Carpegna," says Rapha.

Read our story on the Cippo di Carpegna climb 

Rapha Transfer AW 2019  - 1.jpg

The matching Limited Edition Transfer Hoodie is a whopping £400. It is reversible and features hood padding that's designed to make for more comfortable sleeping on the move.

Rapha Transfer AW 2019  - 3.jpg

The Limited Edition Transfer Long Sleeve T-Shirt (£190) is reversible too. 

Even if you can handle the prices of the Limited Edition clothing, the fact that it's dry clean only might make you think twice.

Rapha says that the collection has been tried and tested throughout the 2019 season by the EF Education First and Canyon//SRAM pro teams. 

We've been using the (non-limited edition) Pro Team Transfer Hoodie and Sweatpants and the Women's Transfer Hoodie and Sweatpants here at road.cc for the past few weeks. We don't review off-the bike clothing but we can tell you that, as you'd expect, the sweatpants are a loose fit and they're very comfortable with no restriction of movement.

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Sweatpants - side.jpg

There's loads of stretch so they're easy to pull on/off over shoes while the ankles are pretty close fitting – not tight, but road.cc staffer Tass was reassured that no midges would get to her legs while she was relaxing between legs of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain recently. 

Rapha Pro Team Transfer Hoodie - cuff.jpg

While you'll probably want to keep the sweatpants exclusively for chilling out in, you might get more general use from the hoodie. It's certainly something that you can wear around the house or while travelling, but it doesn't look out of place when worn with jeans.

As mentioned, the fabric and the textured knit are similar to those of the sweatpants. It's a fairly loose knit which is great for breathability although that does mean that it doesn't keep cold air out as well as a jersey hoodie.

We'd say that the clothing performs as it's supposed to and the build quality is high throughout.

For more info head over to rapha.cc

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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11 comments

Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
0 likes

It looks like Rapha is trying to redefine the prices of clothes to their customers.. or just find new customers.

 

FWIW I quite like the jumper and hoody that look like carpet underlay.

Avatar
ex_terra | 5 years ago
1 like

Coming soon from Rapha.. "technical" boxer shorts at £149... Allowing "full range of movement" and 50% less compression on the waist 

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to ex_terra | 5 years ago
1 like

ex_terra wrote:

Coming soon from Rapha.. "technical" boxer shorts at £149... Allowing "full range of movement" and 50% less compression on the waist 

They sound great. Just what I need for my dancing lessons.

Avatar
demondig | 5 years ago
3 likes

A hoodie that allows for 'complete freedom of movement' - a new age of apparel has dawned!

Avatar
Daddogus replied to demondig | 5 years ago
0 likes

demondig wrote:

A hoodie that allows for 'complete freedom of movement' - a new age of apparel has dawned!

 

I never buy Rapha but, as a remain voter, I might need to now consider that hoodie.

 

Avatar
gazzaputt | 5 years ago
1 like

I have last years transfer top and it's fantastic bit of clothing. Love the waterproof\windproof front and the fit is spot on. Wear it regularly.  

The fleece hoodie Rapha produced was A1 as well. Excellent quality.

Avatar
Awavey | 5 years ago
2 likes

£300 for sweatpants, £400 for the matching sweat jacket both that look made out of carpet cutoffs and £100 for a scarf. I admire Raphas optimism they actually think people will buy this stuff,let alone wear it in public, but seriously what are they thinking here ?

What's happened to just producing decent quality cycling kit that's just a bit more expensive,but it does its job very well, to producing stuff that looks like you fell in a bin outside Allied Carpets that's basically haute couture cost,that's not a sustainable business model in my view

Avatar
Glov Zaroff replied to Awavey | 5 years ago
2 likes

Awavey wrote:

that's not a sustainable business model in my view

 

I'm sure that Rapha, the decade (and a bit) old multi million pound Pro team sponsoring company, have a better idea of a sustainable business model than a random like yourself.

 

 

Avatar
fennesz | 5 years ago
2 likes

No mention of the £100 scarf. 

Expect to see Drake rocking this stuff - it's proper baller stuff.  Stone Island will need to up their prices.  

Avatar
crazy-legs | 5 years ago
0 likes

I've got an older pair of those Transfer tracksuit/sweatpants things (bought in the sale) and I have to say, they're brilliant. I mostly got them for a long touring trip (lighter and easier to fold down than trousers) but they're great just as something to wear round the house or put on after a race, super warm & comfy.
Wouldn't pay £400 for a hoodie though. Could have a week in Spain for that price!  3

Avatar
Nick T | 5 years ago
0 likes

I just wouldn't want to wear any Rapha branded casual clothes any more than I would 3Sixteen or Iron Heart branded cycle wear

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