Takeaway: High-quality gear blended with OV’s sunny style makes for a pretty and useful kit for any kind of ride.
- Comfy, flattering fabrics, with earthy colors and patterns
- Ample storage in the cargo shorts, jersey pockets, and handlebar bag let you load up for a full day in the saddle
- The line features my personal new favorite bra to ride in
- As goes with both of these brands, the products are on the pricey side
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In a past life, Rapha advertising mostly depicted images of dudes fiercely riding through shitty conditions—which speaks to only a particular group of people. But the company’s recently launched collaboration with activewear company Outdoor Voices resonates much more with those of us looking for a bit more whimsy and happiness on a bike.
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Featuring nine pieces of women’s kit, the line includes a jersey, wind jacket, high-waisted shorts, cargo bib shorts, bar bag, light-support bra, cap, socks, and a cropped T-shirt. The products offer a blend of Rapha’s high-quality cycling-specific technology and Outdoor Voices’s practical, vibrant style. Overall, the pieces are more fun and approachable to women who are new to riding or who have a less-serious approach to bike fashion.
The Jersey
The summer-weight jersey is made from high-quality fabric that keeps you cool and dry during hot, sweaty rides. Stiff taping holds the pockets in place so you can load them up without them sagging or twisting. The middle rear pocket, which features a removable coin pouch, unzips on both sides to create a kangaroo-style pocket for easily slipping a jacket into. It’s available in three colors: terra cotta (shown), pale blue, and emerald green.
The Shorts
The padded bib shorts feature a full-coverage front panel that comes up and over your shoulders to hold them in place. They have two large side pockets (deep enough to stash a phone) and one in the rear, and are available in one color: navy blue. The high-waisted, non-bib shorts have a shorter inseam than the bibs and are designed to fit comfortably and securely without pinching your stomach. They’re available in a color-blocked pattern in emerald green and navy blue. Both shorts have a comfortable, long-lasting women’s-specific chamois.
Rapha + Outdoor Voices Cargo Bib Shorts
Rapha + Outdoor Voices Cargo Bib Shorts
The Bra
Based on Outdoor Voices’s Tech Sweat Bra, this bra is now my all-time favorite one to ride in. Its higher neckline is great for the on-the-bike position, and the bottom extends lower on your ribcage for a supportive but lightweight fit that is comfortable and high-coverage enough to even wear on its own. Sweat-wicking fabric keeps it dry so you don’t have to wrestle your way out of a soaking wet bra at the end of a ride.
The Jacket
We didn’t personally test this one, but it’s designed to be lightweight, offer lots of storage for your stuff, and is easy to pack down small and store when you take it off midride. It has a large rear pocket, a snap pouch for small items, and an elastic loop for carrying another layer. A deployable drop tail with a reflective speckle pattern adds visibility and coverage in case you run into rain.
Everything Else
Rapha + Outdoor Voices Cap
Rapha + Outdoor Voices T-Shirt
The line also includes a cap, a cropped cotton tee, a handlebar bag with a shoulder strap for easy carrying off-the-bike, and a pair of Rapha Pro Team socks that match the collection.
The Inspiration Behind the Collab’s Colors
Since the partnership began on a ride in Mallorca, Spain, two years ago, designers opted to use colors and patterns inspired by the Spanish island, specifically a terrazzo-style print. “We wanted an earthy palette to complement the terrazzo print, so throughout the collection you have all of the elements: earth, wind, and fire,” said Rapha graphic designer Jess Money in a press release. “These elements come together to create rocks, just like the garments in this collection come together to form the layered effect of the terrazzo.” But layered together or purchased as separates, these products offer a fun and accessible addition to Rapha’s high-end gear options, and we are stoked to see it.
Riley Missel is an experienced road racer, mountain biker, national champion on the track, and a former Bicycling editor. She is a USA Cycling-certified Level 1 coach, a loud and very stoked Spin instructor, and she will definitely stop the ride to pet that dog.
