Rival cycling clothing brand calls Rapha’s new bib shorts for women “thoughtless and lazy” – but British company says shorts designed by all-female team

The founder of British cycling clothing manufacturer Kostüme has branded fellow UK brand Rapha’s latest women’s cargo bib short design as “thoughtless, lazy, and formulaic” due to its lack of a “simple toilet break solution” in a scathing public critique posted on LinkedIn, described by some on the platform as a “cheap” dig at a competitor.

Responding to the criticism, a Rapha spokesperson told road.cc that the company’s products are “tested on real rides with real people” and that its women’s clothing range was designed and developed by an all-female team.

This month, Rapha is set to launch its latest Brevet collection for 2025, a range the premium cycling clothing brand says is “inspired by and designed for the long distances and varied weather conditions of ultra-endurance bicycle racing”, and for “riding from dawn to dusk”.

However, in a LinkedIn post, Ed Bartlett, the founder of Bristol-based Kostüme, questioned the collection’s all-day riding capabilities, pointing out that the range’s women’s cargo bibs fail to include a pull-down function for answering the call of nature, while also criticising other products produced by Rapha.

“I don’t normally fire shots at other brands, but honestly, come on Rapha – a brand new ‘Brevet’ collection launching in April 2025 with Women’s Cargo Bibs with no simple toilet break solution,” Bartlett posted on the social media platform.

“Brevet in cycling essentially refers to riding a long distance (typically 200km or above) and their own copy says ‘for riding further with everything you need’. What about needing to, you know, use the toilet? Perhaps, I don’t know, in nature?”

He continued: “All Kostüme bibs have from day one featured a clipless/zipless pull-down function allowing both men and women to answer the call of nature without the hassle and discomfort of removing all their upper layers, whatever the length of ride.

“And there is no excuse that it can affect performance of the short, because ours actually score higher than Rapha’s, both in press and customer tests.

“It’s just thoughtless, lazy, formulaic design. Oh, and long-distance gilet with no pockets too? The development of these pieces would have pre-dated the new CEO appointment, but the release is surely not going to help their cause,” he wrote, referring to Fran Millar’s appointment as Rapha’s CEO in August 2024.

“The Brevet range is the only Rapha kit I’ve actually bought in recent years – the Pro Team gilet I bought I had to return because the shoulders flapped so badly.

“I want Rapha to succeed, not fail, for many reasons. But based on the current evidence it feels like a tall order.”

> Kostüme raises £116,000 in crowdfunding investment campaign

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the post divided opinion on LinkedIn.

“Thanks for highlighting Ed! So many brands still haven’t cracked this,” Stephanie Kitchen, outdoor designer for mountaineering brand Nimsdai and former design manager at Wiggle, wrote in response.

“What’s even worse is winter bib tights with no toilet break feature. That dreaded moment when you have to take off your gloves, layers of jacket/gilet, long-sleeve, and bibs mid ride in the winter or pouring rain. Brutal.”

“They do have detachable bibs within their range,” noted marketing professional Adrian Quester. “I’d guess their product research was that this feature wasn’t so important versus cost? The cargo bibs come in at $100 less that the detachable version.”

“This is incredibly frustrating,” added carbon and sustainability consultant Victoria Hatch. “Assos have also done this with their new women’s gravel shorts, only having the comfort break feature in one pair (their most expensive) of bib shorts.

“It just feels like these companies aren’t reading the market when it comes to the average riders want in cycling clothing (pockets and comfort break features!).”

> Cycling clothing brand Mamnick accuses Rapha of “stealing brand message” by using term first popularised during the Falklands War

However, not everyone agreed with Bartlett’s public critique of a rival British brand’s new collection.

“That’s very cheap to fire at Rapha here,” wrote Luka Burda. “You should mention all other brands that do not have the feature as well.

“If you were a customer, I’d understand. But if you are a competitor, it is just a no go. Let the customers do the talking.”

When approached by road.cc for comment, a Rapha spokesperson said the company’s designs were based on extensive feedback from a diverse range of cyclists.

“Women have diverse and differing needs, preferences, and personal styles so choice is important,” the spokesperson told road.cc.

“Rapha launched its detachable bib shorts six years ago and also makes a variety of shorts without straps, padded skorts, and a pair of riding trousers with a chamois pad. There are also options without a chamois pad.

“Our products are tested on real rides with real people; women all over the world take part in the Rapha Wear Test programme, giving feedback on new and evolving designs.

“Last year’s Rapha Women’s range was designed, developed, and marketed by an all-female team after focus groups and market wide studies into what consumers are looking for.

“Our goal is to keep innovating with products that make people want to get out on their bikes – however they like to ride.”

> 20 years of Rapha: Co-founder Simon Mottram on tiffs with Team Sky, MAMILs and cycling’s skin-suited future

Rather remarkably, Bartlett’s LinkedIn criticism isn’t the first time that a British cycling clothing brand has attempted to engage Rapha in a social media dispute.

In February 2024, Thom Barnett, founder of Sheffield-based “fine products” and clothing manufacturer Mamnick, accused the brand of stealing its ‘yomp’ branding for a US-based bikepacking event – despite the term originating outside cycling, notably in a military context and made famous by the Royal Marines in the early 1980s when referring to a march with heavy equipment over difficult terrain during the Falklands War.

Rapha rejected the accusations and insisted the project was created by North American staff who “never came across Mamnick and their use of the word”.

More generally, it’s been a turbulent few years for Rapha, whose losses doubled to £22.7m in 2023-24, the seventh consecutive year the iconic British brand has posted a loss.

The clothing company, which celebrated its 20th birthday in 2024, noted at the time that it was impacted by the expensive closure of two regional warehouses and consolidation of stock and operations in a single UK distribution centre, a project Rapha says “drove an exceptional cost” but which has improved supply chain efficiency and removed “significant” overhead from the business.

Those losses came just a few months after the appointment of former Ineos Grenadiers boss Fran Millar as Rapha’s new CEO, replacing Francois Convercey.

Founder Simon Mottram said in August that Millar’s appointment “marks a significant milestone” for the company and that her “deep understanding of the cycling industry, combined with her proven track record in leading high-performance teams and brands, positions her uniquely to guide Rapha into its next chapter”.

Meanwhile, in January we reported that Kostüme had raised almost £170,000 through a crowdfunding investment campaign which saw 114 investors buy shares in the Bristol-based company.