The 6 Best Rapha Cycling Kit for 2026

Bib shorts are where cycling kit earns its money, and the Core pair is the sensible place to start. They are 79% recycled nylon and 21% elastane, with a dense knit on the main panels, flatlock seams, laser-cut silicone leg grippers and a single-density Rapha chamois. Rapha rates them for 12 to 20°C, so they are a spring-to-autumn short in Britain. Several colours were reduced to £75 or £87 when we checked.

Owners rate them highly, and only a few reviews are negative. The one that matters is about the pad: a rider found the chamois uncomfortable after two or three hours and preferred cheaper Van Rysel and dhb shorts. Another was advised to size down and could not get them on. If your rides are long, the pad is the thing to weigh up.

The Core Jersey is the cheapest way into Rapha’s riding kit: 100% recycled polyester, set-in sleeves, three rear pockets, a lighter shaped collar and a regular fit that Rapha says is less compressive than Pro Team. It is honestly labelled as a warm-weather garment, rated for 18 to 32°C and one out of five for wind and water resistance. It came in a dozen colours when we checked, and a few were reduced to between £53 and £62.

The low ratings come mostly from loyal customers. Several say the current version is smaller and less carefully finished than older Core jerseys, citing single stitching on the arms, a lighter hem band and no zipped pocket. Others found a large short in the body. Try the size guide against a jersey you own.

The Pro Team III is the bib short Rapha’s reputation was built on. The main body is 78% recycled nylon and 22% elastane in a woven Italian fabric, the chamois is a 15mm pad built without seams, with denser foam than before, the hem is laser cut, and a men’s medium weighs 186g. Rapha rates them for 10 to 35°C and describes the fit as compressive. A long-leg version adds 3cm.

Reviews are strong and the complaints few. One rider found the pad not comfortable enough for three hours or more, the same criticism levelled at the Core pair, which is not what £250 should buy. Another received a ripped pair, and their replacement order was cancelled by mistake. Because the cut is tight and returns must be unworn, read the size guide twice.

The Core Rain Jacket is a woven, seam-taped waterproof in recycled polyester, made from lightweight Japanese fabric that packs small. A two-way AquaGuard zip lets you reach the jersey pockets underneath, and the armband and logo are reflective. Rapha rates it for 1 to 15°C and five out of five for water resistance. It is not Gore-Tex, and the page gives it three out of five for breathability.

There were no one- or two-star reviews when we checked, but the three-star ones agree: it runs small. Riders who are a small in other performance kit found the small figure-hugging, and a medium was tight across the chest over a base layer. Others miss outside pockets and a hood, and one found it sweaty. Size up if you will wear it over winter layers.

These are Rapha’s everyday winter bib tights: a brushed-back nylon and elastane fleece, lightweight stretch bib straps, contoured seams and the single-density Classic chamois, with reflective tabs for dark evenings. Despite the name, Rapha rates them for 6 to 12°C, which makes them an autumn and spring tight in most of Britain rather than a deep-winter one.

They are well reviewed overall, but the low ratings repeat two complaints. Several riders found panels and seams that bunch around the knees, and a few disliked the pad, calling it hard or too small. One noted they are not usable much below 5°C, and another found they fit larger than the same size in Core shorts. Wear them with a base layer and overshoes when it is properly cold.

A cotton cap is the most Rapha thing you can buy for the least money. The Cap II has the quartered design, a grosgrain stripe, embroidered logos and a reshaped brim that keeps rain and sun out of your eyes under a helmet. It is cotton, machine washable at 30°C, and comes in two sizes: small-medium for heads of 53 to 58cm and medium-large for 58 to 64cm. Two colours were reduced when we checked.

Its average rating is the lowest of the picks here, and almost all of the complaints are about size. Buyers with heads inside the stated range found both sizes tight, a few cut the elastic, and one found the ribbon at the brim left a welt under a helmet. Measure the recipient’s head first.