Rapha Super Lightweight jersey review

The Rapha Super Lightweight jersey attains its stripped down feel without losing its ability to function as an everyday jersey. Rather than going for out-and-out weight reduction they have chosen a slightly more robust material and a cut that leaves the Rapha Super Lightweight jersey looking more like a ‘normal’ jersey.

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This practice will certainly appeal to the full spectrum of riders regardless of body shape. Certainly you won’t need to be a 55kg racing snake to feel comfortable in the jersey.

The heavier construction puts it out of sub 100g jersey territory but clever design and material choice still allow it to function very well in hotter conditions. The main body material is a close weave, light mesh fabric that moves moisture well and never felt too restrictive or suffocating when climbing on still, hot days.

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The Rapha Super Lightweight jersey also manages to not feel too chilly at lower temperatures or higher speeds although a gilet is still recommended for longer descents, especially if you are really sweaty.

A great design feature is the use of a more open mesh fabric on the side panels and also for the rear pocket area – typically an area that can heat up quickly if your pockets are loaded. Taped seams run the length of the back panel, in line with the pockets to reduce movement when loaded. Storage is good, although the middle pocket is quite narrow, making accessing smaller items difficult.

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As stated before, the fit is not as restrictive as some and if you turn up to the café stop or club run you shouldn’t get as many odd stares as with some of the more extreme hot weather jersey styles.

The fade print on the Rapha Super Lightweight jersey is great but having the white part at the bottom is, I feel a mistake. It is quite easy to end up with oily marks around the pocket areas after mechanicals if you are not careful.

For more details visit the Rapha website.