Sore point: Rapha Pro Team and Classic Saddles

Sore point: Rapha Pro Team and Classic Saddles

Desire – A bad saddle can be the bane of a cyclist’s life, finding the right one can be revolutionary. Rapha have taken the importance of comfort one step further and matched their bib shorts to their new seats

Desire Gear kit Rapha Saddle Saddles

Does anyone remember when Rapha rolled up to a bike show with a dilapidated Citroën H Van, half a dozen merino jerseys and a photo exhibition called, Glory Through Suffering? It wasn’t that long ago. Not in the scheme of things. 

Rapha’s rise has been rapid. The company was right onto something back then, like a neo pro latching onto a breakaway and somehow winning a Tour stage. No, winning the Tour! The kit looked unlike anything else. It was different. It lead that understated, invisible on a badly lit street look, which became the norm for road cyclists.

Desire: Stay classy – Sportful BodyFit Classics Jersey

How many people got into cycling because there was somehow a clothing brand suggesting that shaved legs and wearing Lycra was now cool? Who’d even heard of merino wool before Rapha? (Don’t answer that.) 

Where are we going with this? Well, Rapha aren’t finished with just our clothing (on and off the bike). The latest offering from Rapha is entirely practical and focused on arguably one of the least sexy parts of our bike’s anatomy – the saddle.

It’s launched two styles of saddle that have been years in the making. The saddles are designed to work in cahoots with its shorts so they’ve been given the familiar Pro Team and Classic moniker. 

The former, best paired with the shorts of the same name, is for the racers while the latter, designed to be used with Classic shorts, is for long days in the chair. Or lets be honest, any cyclists wanting extra comfort, even if it’s just for the café run.

The brand has been looking at foam density on the sit bones in both the shorts and the saddle and says that it’s nailed the balance by honing this vital contact point. Customers can use a fit calculator on the website to determine their best fit, so it can be tailored to the tush.

 

Where next for Rapha? Pink lane dividers on popular cycle routes? We’re kidding. But then, who would have bet an ounce of chamois cream on these saddles while perusing the Glory Through Suffering collection a decade or so ago?

 

Read: California sole – the making of Giro’s Empire

Read: Is there an enemy in your coffee cup?

 

The post Sore point: Rapha Pro Team and Classic Saddles appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.

Desire Gear kit Rapha Saddle Saddles

READ MORE

Portrait of Lukas Nerurkar

‘An altitude camp at the age of seven’ – Lukas Nerurkar on the power of doing things differently

The British rider had a unique upbringing, spending his early childhood in Ethiopia and learning from his marathon runner father – he tells Rouleur about...

Read more
Women's UAE Tour

Women’s UAE Tour 2025: Who will win the four-stage race in the Middle East?

The third edition of the Women's WorldTour race will begin on Thursday, February, 6 2025 

Read more
Rob Stannard

Robert Stannard: Lost, fined, and fighting for redemption

The Australian rider speaks to Rouleur about his turbulent past 18 months 

Read more
Wout van Aert says winning Flanders and Roubaix isn’t an obsession – but it is

Wout van Aert says winning Flanders and Roubaix isn’t an obsession – but it is

All eyes will be on the Belgian rider as he tries to finally win two of the biggest one-day races in the sport

Read more
Frank van den Broek: hobby DJ, part-time florist, and Tour de France star

Frank van den Broek: hobby DJ, part-time florist, and Tour de France star

Frank van den Broek hasn't had the most conventional rise to the top

Read more

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE