Rapha Pro Team Flyweight Jersey

Rapha's race-inspired Pro Team range continues to expand. This season it has added this new Flyweight jersey, which uses a lighter and more breathable fabric to provide superb cooling on very hot rides.

The Flyweight joins the Lightweight jersey, already a part of the Pro Team collection, and a new Midweight model, providing you with even more opportunity to tailor your clothing to match the conditions.

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The Flyweight is the lightest in the range and is designed for the hottest weather. The first thing you notice about it is its weight – or lack of. It's seriously light, although even at 104g it's still giving away 7g to the same sized Sportful R&D Cima jersey (review to come).

Ignoring that, this is still one very light jersey, and almost disappears once you pull it on. The superb panel shaping and fabric stretch contribute to the great fit. Rapha has been really finessing the Pro Team jerseys since they first launched a handful of years ago, and I have to say they are about as good as it currently gets.

Rapha has cut the weight down by using a very thin 75gsm (grams per square metre) polyester fabric for the front-facing panels. It feels startlingly thin between the fingers and has a nice degree of stretch, which serves to enhance the fit. The jersey is constructed using bonded hems and folded sleeves and the number of seams has been reduced to a minimum.

To enhance the performance of the jersey in hot weather, there are perforated holes under the arms to improve ventilation and a panel of mesh fabric underneath the rear pockets. A full-length Vislon zipper obviously provides the option for extra ventilation and it works smoothly and easily with one hand.

Despite the lightness of the jersey, the three generously sized pockets can be loaded up with enough food for a long ride without the back of the jersey drooping down over your bum. They're reinforced on the inside for good measure too. The waistband has a thin film of silicone tape to help it stay in place.

Rapha has conceded a little weight penalty in the form of a side zipped pocket, which is an ideal place to safely store keys and money. It's a small sacrifice to the weight weenie gods that I'm happy to make.

The black jersey looks sleek and everyone knows black is a flattering colour, but if you're worried about visibility be minded that there are reflective details on the back. Grey, light blue and orange versions are also available if you want a brighter colour, and the size range covers XS to XXL.

The jersey's performance in hot weather is very impressive. It feels cooler than the regular Pro Team jersey, less stifling on long, draggy climbs when sweat is beading on your forehead. The breathability of the fabric and those perforated underarms do help reduce heat build-up, leading to a more comfortable ride when the mercury rises.

On cooler rides you can feel the chill a little more than the regular Pro Team jersey, which is to be expected, so a lightweight gilet is useful when the weather forecast isn't as hot as you'd like.

Fit and shape are excellent, and as with all Pro Team clothing it's cut on the slim side and works best when hunched over the handlebar. It's not as restrictive a fit as some other very lightweight race jerseys I've tested, but it's still a jersey for riding rather than sitting around in cafes.

It's not an aero jersey, but there's no excess fabric to flap in the wind, and the figure-hugging fit likely enhances its aero credentials. The sleeves are fashionably long and sit comfortably on the arms with a stitched hem that isn't at all restrictive. The curved collar has a neat zip guard to cut out irritation of the puller against the neck.

In terms of value, it's hard to say £130 is 'good' for a jersey with a pretty limited range of use, but if you can afford it and you know you'll need it... You can always save a tenner by going for the Assos SS.equipeJersey_Evo8 but it's another 22g. Or there's Sportful's £95, 97g R&D Cima, which I've been seriously impressed with. (Full review will be up very soon.)

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For coping with hot weather or long mountain climbs in sweltering heat, the new Pro Team Flyweight is an easy jersey to recommend. It might not have the all-round versatility of the regular Pro Team jersey, but if you want a top that will keep you cooler on the hottest days, it's well worth a look.

Verdict

High-performance hot-weather jersey with a great fit, if not the absolute lightest in this lightweight category