Rapha Windproof Shirt

www.rapha.cc
A utopia mix of form, fit, and function, the Rapha Windproof shirt is ideally suited to the urban cyclist who wants a high-tech medium-weight shell that doesn’t cast the impression that his life is only about biking. The smooth-to-the-touch stretchy poly has been treated with DWR to fend off light bursts of rain, and remains 100 percent impervious to bone-chilling gusts and squalls, ideal for fall and spring morning or evening rides, and suitable as a mid-layer for when the mercury dips into the lower double-digits. On a long trail ride in the mid 50s the shirt,provided the perfect degree of warmth and wind protection when paired with a thin merino layer.

But the little details are where the shirt really shines. We love the fashion-forward tailoring, with the button-down collar, zip and button central closures, and longer sleeves and a drop tail for ample coverage while pedaling. Other cycle-friendly details include wide, glove-friendly loop grabs to access the chest pocket, central zipper, and the small back-right pocket. The front buttons aren’t as glove friendly, however, and the batch of reflective fabric running parallel to the zipper on the back pocket could be a touch too cycle-geek-obvious to casual eye.

Inside you find loving elements like an upper liner decorated with a sly chain link print and pink piping at the collar seam for a pop of color. But perhaps nothing speaks the forward-thinking aesthetic of the shirt (and British-based boutique cycling brand Rapha) than the graphic on the left inner flap: a black-and-white illustration of a heart, with TNT stenciled across it. Below the drawing, a quote worth reprinting in its entirety: “Do you know how we keep going? Look, this is cocaine, chloroform, too. And pills? You want to see pills? Here are three boxes… In short, we run on dynamite.” –Francis Pellisier in Le Petit Parisien July

On sale now at www.rapha.cc for $115

$190

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Elemental Herbs All Good Lips Tinted Lip Balm

elementalherbs.com
Cracked, blistered lips are no fun—they feel bad, and look worse. But most of us hesitate to use chemically-laden chap stick or colors that even a lab rat would shun. The alternative? A tinted lip balm made with non-nanoparticle zinc oxide for ultimate sun protection, with all-organic additives like extra virgin olive oil (yes, olive oil!), comfrey, lavender, yarrow, and peppermint oil (which gives it a lip-smacking flavor). And there’s vitamin E to help with skin repair. The color comes from natural minerals, such as Elemental Herb’s Tinted Lip Balm. And did we mention color? No garish oranges or roller-rink reds here; we like the Copper Canyon, a pale bronzy-brown with a shiny hue. Also topping our list is Red Rocks, which hearkens back to the towering sandstone cliffs of Utah and Colorado. There are six mellow, natural-looking shades to choose from, and the small cylindrical containers slip easily into the small pocket on your running shorts, bike jersey, or ski jacket.

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Rapha La Doyenne Classique Cap

www.rapha.cc
When we say we love the cycling aesthetic, it doesn’t mean we yearn to constantly wear body-hugging polyester adorned with Tour racing graphics. We know that there’s a time and a place for everything. But we also must admit that the British cycling apparel company Rapha makes us wish that tight-fitting jerseys were a bit more socially accepted. Thankfully, appropriateness is less of a question when it comes to their new, limited-edition La Doyenne Classique Cap. This black, all-cotton, three-panel cycling cap boasts classical peloton styling, with a dark green strip racing down the center, a La Doyenne Classique crest on each side panel, and “Rapha” written in subtle cursive under the narrow brim. It fits snugly under your helmet, adding another layer of protection from the sun and rain. And it looks cool—which is sometimes all that we ask of our gear. It comes in one size only–and fits like a cycling cap should; don’t expect a flat-billed baseball hat.

$12

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Rapha Challenges Riders to Join the Tour de France—and Win Big

The Tour de France may not get the national fanfare it once saw back in the Armstrong days, but for cycling purists not even the broken record of doping scandals can sour the sport’s premiere annual event. This year, British cycling apparel brand Rapha celebrates the Tour’s enduring legacy by issuing a call to cyclists everywhere to join the Tour’s peleton (the main pack of riders) by climbing the combined elevations of the Circle of Death. This fearsome loop through the Pyrenees boasts 22,575 feet in elevation gain, including Col d’Aubisque, Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, and Col de Peyresourde—all of it in just four punishing days, from July 15-22. Participants in the challenge will ride on those same days—and those who clock the same 22,575-foot gain (tracked via Strava.com’s GPS app and posted on their site) receive a Rapha Rising roundel, and will be entered to win a limited-edition Trek Madone 6.9 bike.

Rapha also wants to see who can clock the most elevation gain on July 18, the date of the famed Queen Stage of the Tour. The winner will get a Rapha Race Bag packed with a Circle of Death Jersey, Classic Big Shorts, and a pair of Grand Tour Shoes. And, of course, year-long bragging rights.

For additional info, check out the Rapha/Strava Circle of Death info page.

Price: Enduring the Climbs

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Looptworks Noll Messenger Bag

www.looptworks.com,
12.8 ounces
The unavoidable consequence of the gear and apparel industry is the mountains of fabric that‘s left over after the product patterns have been cut. Until recently, that material was trashed. But Portland-based Looptworks has found tremendous value in the trash of those manufacturing warehouses by producing “upcycle” products for the last few years, utilizing everything from remainders from a Malaysian T-shirt factory to transforming left-over fabric from wetsuit makers into laptop sleeves. Their product runs are limited—not to imbue them with a sense of exclusivity, but because limited fabric is the very nature of the company’s business model. Take the Noll Messenger bag, which is crafted from a cache of left-over waterproof fabrics–when the fabric is gone, so is your ability to buy ‘em. The hand-numbered packs boast a plethora of pockets—five interior and two exterior, along with a padded laptop sleeve. The 15-by-14-by-6-inch pack gives you enough space for your commuting kit or in-flight entertainment, along with a small clip on the shoulder strap. The Velcro closures seemed a bit too thin—until we realized we’d been inordinately programmed by other packs on the market to expect an acre of secure/noisy closer; we haven’t had an issue with losing anything from the Noll. The pack sits comfortably when walking or riding, the pockets on the flap are perfect for easily accessing travel documents, and the profile and appearance strike a refreshing pose beyond the typical messenger bags on the market. And the upcycle thing? It wouldn’t work if the bag didn’t. Happily, they both do.

$70

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