Check out this series that Muc-Off did with Rapha Condor Sharp JLT during the Tour of Britain. It’s a bit long of a watch, but worth it. Besides, I know you’re not actually working on a Friday afternoon…
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Rapha: The Collector
N+1 is an endless equation for how many bikes you can or should own. Ah Joo just takes it to another level.
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Rapha’s New City Riding Line Looks Great!
Year after year, the Rapha City Riding line expands and evolves into a full range of practical garments. My favorite this year is the Merino Gilet and of course, the Town Gloves. See the full lookbook at Rapha. You can also purchase the new City Riding line at Rapha.cc.
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Rapha’s Bordeaux-Paris 2013 Challenge Auction
In a huge push to raise money for Ambitious about Autism, Rapha is auctioning off 41 products, during their Bordeaux-Paris 2013 challenge, ranging from signed Ben Ingham photos, to a 1986 Tour de France white jersey from Andy Hampsten, various Oakley products, two days at a Majorca training camp with Team Sky, various bikes and other rarities from cycling’s history.
See more at Rapha!
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Firefly Bicycles: Rapha Continental Road
In the spirit of the Rapha Continental, the guys at Firefly have added their ‘glow’ to the list of builders who’ve contributed black bikes with a pink letter. Personally, I love that the guys use SRAM Force on most of the Continental machines. It’s like they’re meant to be ridden hard, on gravel and whatever else might be thrown in the rider’s path. Check out more photos at the Firefly Flickr!
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The Rapha Continental and Mercian Cycles
Here’s a nice video from Rapha, featuring Mercian Cycles.
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The Rapha Continental: 2013 Pacific Northwest
Over the years, some of these guys have become good friends of mine and I’ve enjoyed watching their lives change in the time that the Rapha Continental has been around. Since its inception, the Continental not only influenced the lives of the members, but undoubtably cycling as a whole.
Watching this video from the 2013 Pacific Northwest Rapha Continental ride, all I can think about is doing something similar with a group of close friends. The PNW really is gorgeous.
See more incredible photos at the Rapha Flickr and read Jeremy Dunn’s thoughts on the ride at Rapha.
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Rapha Rising 2013 Infographic
Rapha‘s Strava challenges are always a lot of fun. Ever look to see what the competitors are riding? Personally, I always enjoy clicking on the leader’s stats and seeing where they rode and what kind of elevation they can hit on their home turf. For the Rapha Rising 2013, people came out of the woodwork:
“30,841 riders worldwide took to the hills and mountain roads as part of the eight-day Rapha Rising Challenge. The challenge, in conjunction with Strava, was to climb the combined height of the Alpe d’Huez, Peyresourde, Ventoux and Col de Sarenne. A total of 7, 235m was the target but, of course, many went above and beyond that figure.”
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Salute
Cycling truly is, not just another sport.
Radar
Rapha Women’s 100 In Numbers
I am very stoked on the Women’s 100 event that Rapha organized. Here’s the break-down on this successful event:
“Sunday 7th July was a big day in road cycling: the Tour was in the Pyrenees where Team Sky’s Christopher Froome was defending the yellow jersey for the first time. Simultaneously, thousands of women cyclists were riding their own ‘big loop’, participating in something called the Women’s 100. Rapha’s idea was to encourage as many female riders as possible to go out and bag 100 kilometres on the same day as the Etape du Tour, where a merry band of women cyclists, some new to the sport and some experienced, would ride the 130km from Annecy to Mt. Semnoz.
It was a roaring success and a great day for riders worldwide. We’d like to congratulate all the people involved, particularly those who had never achieved that distance before and the people who organized the rides, chapeau. And our message now is a simple one: keep on riding.
Additional photos can be found in the Stories section of rapha.cc
Reports from rides across North America can be found on the Rapha blog here.”
Check out a few more infographics below.
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The 2013 Rapha NE Gentlemen’s Race
With the 4th almost here, what other inspiration do you need to get riding than the newest from Milliman and Rapha? Slow motion gravel explosions!
Reportage
Cali is Not California™ – Los Angeles Ride with Geoff McFetridge
At a glance, Los Angeles might not feel very bike-friendly, but scratch the surface like a lottery ticket to find an intertwined network of very open, majestic roads, many within the city itself. If you don’t have time for Dirt Mulholland, or the Angeles National Forest, Griffith Park and the famous Observatory will do just fine, especially if you start your ride out at the Trails for a coffee and pastry.
This particular morning, a solid group of people gathered to ride with LA-based artist and creator of the fabled Mudfoot racing team, Geoff McFetridge. No one was half-wheeling, no personal records were set, we all just chatted as we climbed Griffith Park and took a quick loop through “La La Land”. The ride ended at Geoff’s studio where we were given insight into his daily operations…
See more in the Gallery but first…
During the Tour of California, Rapha North America and PiNP got together once again for a series of stories from the road. Under the guise Cali is Not California™, I took photos and Jeremy Dunn of Rapha North America told the tales, all relating to the thing we love: riding bikes with friends.
See more on this afternoon at Rapha’s blog, including Geoff’s illustration for the La Centieme Poster Collection at the Cycle Club SF.
Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4
Fuji Pro400H
Previously:
Recent Roll: Cali is Not California™
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Rapha Continental Hidden Europe Summer
The world is a big stage for cycling and the Rapha Continental asks: “where would you ride?”
Reportage
Summer Essential: The Rapha Lightweight Bib Short
It’s usually hotter than hell in Texas come this time of year but lately, we’ve been lucky. The 90’s have only just now crept in, but with all the rain and cloud cover, the roads and trails are still busy, even at the peak times. Naturally, with rain comes water holes, rope swings and excessive #Corndogging, meaning you’re usually spending some wet chamois time on the ride home. My usual kit of choice comes from Endo, but I’ve also been enjoying the Search and State bibs and these Rapha Lightweight Bib Shorts. All of which get heavy rotation from me, as I usually ride in the morning and evening come the summer months.
For the past few weeks, I’ve had the Rapha Lightweight bibs on more than I expected. As the name implies, they’re lightweight, super comfortable, fast drying and quite minimally branded. The signature asymmetrical leg band and classic fit can mesh quite well into any jersey combination and with a few extra details, you can tell Rapha took some time to think of the people who live in miserably hot conditions. A high-wicking mesh, more breathable fabric, SPF protection and a “thank god” cut-away back section keep your spine cool and ready for a cold water bottle squirt.
But my favorite feature of these shorts is how fast they dry. With all the rain we’ve had in Austin, a mid-ride dip in the Greenbelt, Barton Springs or other hole is inevitable, and sometimes a creek crossing depending on how dialed your route is. Regardless as to how you find yourself getting wet, these shorts dry out faster than any other bib I’ve had and that goes for the post-ride wash as well.
One concern is the fit. Since they’re a bit stretchy, you might consider going down a size, depending on how tight you like your shorts. The fit on the Lightweight bibs is a lot like the Classic bibs, with a little more room than the Pro line but since the fabric is lighter, I find it stretches about 30 minutes into a ride. I wear a large here, but could probably squeeze into the medium. This is also probably do to my own weight loss as well though. Bottom line is: try them on first if you can.
Bibs are one of the most essential items in one’s kit. Options are great and all the bibs I mentioned above are worthy of anyone’s drawer, so next time you see these in your shop, feel them, try them on but don’t be afraid to pull the trigger… Check out some more narrated photos in the Gallery.
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The Rapha Continental: Exploring The Road Less Traveled Exhibition
I wish I could be everywhere at once, especially with all these great events approaching in the coming weeks. The Rapha Continental undeniably changed cycling in the USA. As part of their First Thursday Rapha Exhibition series, Rapha will be presenting select pieces from the Continental, as well as a group ride on Friday:
First Thursday Rapha Exhibition – Exploring The Road Less Traveled
The exhibition will feature photographs, films, journals, the riders themselves and their individually handmade steel bicycles.
Thursday June 6th
6-9 PM
Nossa Familia Coffee
1319 NW Johnson Street
Portland, OR 97209
Lunch Ride With The Rapha Continental
On Friday June 7th, Rapha North America will host a group ride with the riders of The Rapha Continental at 12:30 PM. The ride will depart from and finish at the Rapha North America offices at 1915 NW Kearney Street in Northwest Portland. The ride will be approximately 35 miles and will include Skyline Road, Rock Creek Road and Old Germantown Road. All levels welcome, the ride will take place rain or shine.
See more information below!
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Rapha: The 2013 Women’s Prestige
Photos by Brian Vernor
The 2013 Rapha Women’s Prestige looked to be a brutal course and with coverage like this, few will argue. Check out the full write-up by Julie Krasniak here and more photos by Brian Vernor here.
Now get off the internet and get outside.
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My Photo Show at the Rapha Cycle Club SF
This weekend kicks off the 2013 Amgen Tour of California and to get everyone in spirits for the event, I’m having a photo show at the Rapha Cycle Club SF. The show is being hung tomorrow (Saturday, May 11th) and will be up all week. Then, come Sunday, May 19th, we’re throwing an all-day “opening party” event.
So if you’re in SF next weekend, come down Sunday and say hi.
I’ll be covering the 2013 ATOC again this year, but a little differently, so stay tuned!
Radar
Rapha UK Continental: The Bryan Chapman
It’s almost the weekend and while most of you don’t have to worry about snow for the next few months, there are plenty of people who do. Brrrrrr… Here’s the latest from the Rapha Continental:
“The UK Continental’s first journey of 2013 took our riders to Wales to investigate the route of the Bryan Chapman Memorial, a 600km audax and uniquely British type of endurance ride. The event is named after the late Bryan Chapman, an intrepid long-distance cyclist who often rode across Wales and back just to visit his mechanic.”
Seriously. Wow. What a fucking rad story.
