Rapha Woman’s Classic cycling shorts review

Living up to their namesake by delivering a simple and traditional pair of shorts.

Made from eight panels the shorts contour the legs well, and, thanks a healthy band of silicone around the inner circumference of the leg cuff, secured the legs of the shorts well, without over clamping the thigh.

The front and back waistband sections are constructed wider than the sides, and sat a little low at the front, which, when combined with the narrow sides, did create a ‘muffin top’ look when on the bike. A couple of extra inches of fabric at the front would help prevent this.

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While I initially really liked the dark grey colour of the Rapha Woman’s Classic cycling shorts, it soon became apparent that it’s not the wisest of colour choices, not only did it make it difficult to co-ordinate with the rest of a cycing wardrobe, but it darkened with wet patches.

Fortunately the discovering was on a wet day and not a hot sweaty ride or spin class, so practical nature says the black version would be a better purchase.

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For me, the biggest stand out was the £130 swing tag. While they are a good pair of shorts, they aren’t exceptional and I just couldn’t justify the price tag.