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review
£85.00
VERDICT:
Good looking jersey made with high-quality materials, but check the fit around the arms and torso
High quality materials
Secure and spacious pockets
Stylish design and colourscheme
Design of sleeve cuffs
Short in the torso
Weight:
123g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
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The Rapha Men's Pro Team Training Jersey lives up to its name, being ideal for long training rides, and it delivers on style, but the fit will suit some better than others.
The design of this training jersey really stands out from Rapha's usual offerings. The two-tone navy with the instantly recognisable white stripe on the left sleeve looks really smart in my opinion – and it's available in five other colourways.
The materials suit its purpose of being a versatile training jersey well. The fabric is soft and breathable, the jersey very comfortable to wear, with the seams well positioned to avoid any irritation.
I wore it without a baselayer or vest in temperatures between 15 and 25°C and didn't feel like it was ever too hot or too cold. On warmer days and when you're going harder, it's good at wicking sweat away. It also feels durable, and has continued to perform consistently well after several washes.
As the name suggests, it's not a super-aero 'racing' jersey' but it is tight fitting; I did have some issues with the fit, though, which became apparent on the bike. (It's not me in the photos; that's Adam, who's 6ft 2in and generally a medium in shorts and jerseys.)
I found the sleeves very slightly baggy, not helped by the silky elastic material of the cuff, which doesn't have any element of grip to it, meaning the sleeves can bunch up a little. Rapha describes the sleeves as having 'wrap around grippers for stable fit' but there was no element of grip to them.
I also had a slight problem with the hem of the jersey: despite there being a good amount of grippy material on the inside, I found that the jersey would ride up towards the waist – not as significantly as some jerseys I've worn, but enough that I would want to pull it down whenever I stopped at traffic lights or after a spell in the drops.
The jersey might simply be slightly too short for me, although it fitted correctly around the chest and waist, and according to Rapha's size guide, based on chest, waist and hip measurements, a small jersey should be right for me. Rapha also gives the example of a 191cm rider wearing a medium jersey, and I'm 181cm. It would therefore seem that the jersey simply has a shorter torso length than suits me; I would certainly prefer something longer, but appreciate it is tough to custom fit all shapes and sizes.
One thing I do like about the jersey is the pockets. They're spacious enough to fit an inner tube, CO2 canister, phone and flapjacks, but also tight enough that you don't feel like they're sagging down with weight. One of my pet hates is jumping out of the saddle only to feel your spares and phone bouncing around in the pockets behind you. Here, the jersey's pockets stay in position really well while riding – a big thumbs-up.
In terms of value, its rrp of £85 is in line with the competition, such as Castelli's Prologo, also £85, and La Passione's PSN, which has an rrp of £80, but you can also pay more: for example, 7mesh's Horizon is £99.99 – and Stu pointed out that the Horizon was quite well priced compared with some.
> Buyer’s Guide: 24 of the best summer cycling jerseys
Overall, despite some issues with fit around the arms and torso, I did like this jersey, particularly the design and colour scheme. It's decent value for the quality and performance, and if it fits you better than it fits me then you'll like it even more.
Verdict
Good looking jersey made with high-quality materials, but check the fit around the arms and torso
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Rapha Men's Pro Team Training Jersey
Size tested: Small
Tell us what the product is for
This jersey is designed for long training rides, in a range of temperatures. It features lightweight, breathable fabrics to prevent overheating and good pocket space to cater for your needs on any ride.
Rapha says: "The latest addition to the Pro Team collection, our Training Jersey is made with a lightweight, open-structured fabric on the front panels for wicking and breathability. On the back, a close-knit fabric provides added sun protection and improved support for full pockets. A thicker elastic trim on the pockets keeps the contents secure, and a gusset at the bottom expands to add extra volume. Since comfort trumps all on training days, wrap around elasticated grippers are positioned on the sleeves and at the hem for a firm but comfortable fit. The hem gripper features internal silicone applications with negative space Pro Team logos to keep everything in place during tougher efforts. The full-length zip features an easy-glide, lockable puller for easy adjustments on the fly while a subtle zip garage at the neck prevents irritation. Contrast sleeves and RAPHA logo on the rear pocket completes the training day look."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Rapha lists these features:
Contrast sleeves with wrap around grippers for stable fit
Three gusseted pockets carry all ride food and tools
Open-structured fabric on the front for ventilation
Close-knit fabric on the back for sun protection
Snaplock, easy-glide zip for on-the-fly adjustments
Negative space Pro Team bars
RAPHA logo on rear pocket
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
The fabrics do exactly what they're claimed to; this is a versatile jersey that performed well in a range of temperatures.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Early days, but it feels robust and construction quality is high.
Rate the product for fit:
6/10
The sleeves were slightly too large for me, and would bunch up, and the jersey felt a little short. However, the fit around the chest and shoulders was good.
Rate the product for sizing:
6/10
According to Rapha's size guide the small should be right for me, but I found it a little too short in the body.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
7/10
I wore it without a vest or baselayer underneath and it felt comfortable on the skin.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
It's around the same price as others – Castelli's Prologo is £85, La Passione's PSN is £80 – and although you can buy cheaper jerseys, you can also pay a lot more. I would expect high quality materials and design for this price, so I don't think you're paying over the odds.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Very easy; the fabrics aren't super-delicate like some jerseys. It came out of the wash exactly as it went in.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Reasonably well. I used it on long training rides and it was comfortable, not too warm, and I could fit plenty in the jersey pockets.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
I liked the look, especially the two-toned navy colourscheme. I also liked the material of the jersey and how secure the pockets were.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The fit around the arms wasn't great on me, and the torso was just a bit too short.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's a good jersey and decent value for the quality. It's stylish and comfortable to wear, but could do with being just a little longer in the torso and tighter in the sleeves for my liking; if it fits your body shape I'd say it's very good/8.
About the tester
Age: 29
I usually ride: Specialized Tarmac Pro My best bike is: Specialized CruX Expert
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, club rides, Gravel on a CX bike
Nick hails from the west country and combines riding bikes with hitting balls with cricket bats and golf clubs. You'll find him riding a mix of road, cyclocross and XC MTB.
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