At the risk of hijacking your blog some more – just got back from another early lunch-break ride on what the forecasts are predicting to be the last road riding day of the year in these parts:

I. LOVE. THE. WINTER. JERSEY.

Same combo top layers as yesterday (clean baselayer obviously), about the same temperature (5C) but no wind and no cloud. Pristine – though typically forgot the camera. Threw in some more sustained climbing (around 1000′) to assess the Winter J in a more rigorous light and I’m totally delighted with the result.

In addition to providing itch-free warmth, the merino layers whipped the moisture off my skin and popped it right out the jersey. On closer inspection, there’s a little bit of ‘beading’ on the inside of the chest – right by the zipper, but my other layers are/were essentially dry. The paired layers obviously work. (Fast descents have left me feeling not 100% convinced about the windproof-ness of the Winter J, but I certainly didn’t chill to any uncomfortable degree).

And I have to say I was skeptical about the bonnet – I tend to run quite hot so doubted I’d ever need it on the bike. After this morning’s ride, I’m converted.

Whatever they’re up to, it’s working.

::M

So OK, they might be a little more expensive than other brands. But what keeps me coming back for more, is the fact that in my experience at least, the stuff just lasts forever and keeps on looking great, ride after ride, wash after wash.

I’ve been ‘collecting’ Rapha kit for a good few years now. There’s a certain ’something’ about the Rapha brand story that hooked me very early on – as weird as it sounds, it was like being into an amazing band that no-one else seemed to have heard of. I think the fact that such obviously talented and creative people (like Mr Wakefield Pasley) want to work with Rapha because the stuff is brilliant speaks volumes about the brand. One gets the feeling that Rapha’s all genuinely by and for cyclists. And their enthusiasm for, and influence on what makes excellent cycling clothing is certainly evident in every single bit of kit I own.

Whatever those boffins are up to, it’s working.

First of all congratulations on having a housekeeper. At the risk of being labeled even more of an elitist THAT is outstanding. Recouping some of the time spent doing chores would be welcomed around here.

I’m no expert on Cross bikes, having never ridden one until I borrowed Slate’s Seven last week (and he’d swapped road wheels and tires for whatever he normally runs on it). The Vanillas at the show looked beautiful, were kitted out with good componentry, and come with a solid pedigree. I’d bet they’re fantastic. You should arrange an appointment with Sacha to see one and report your impressions.

::M

I was speaking with Daniel Wakefield Pasley last night and we both think in terms of “collecting” Rapha kit. He works there BECAUSE he’s an unapologetic fan of the brand, and NOT the inverse… a fan because he works there, which is usually the norm.

He was just as excited about getting his Winter Gilet this week as we are about our acquisitions.

Glad you liked the two new pieces. Did you get the Winter Jersey in Blue or Black?

::M

Took delivery of the Winter and Cross jerseys today – superb order turnaround. Was in two minds about which jersey to go for so ended up getting both (largely due to the ace reviews the Winter j’s received on these pages) and stuck a multicolored cap on top of the order for good measure.

So, out and about in the Kootenay cold today with a Rapha baselayer, a Fixed jersey and the Winter jersey on top was just about perfect. Clear-ish skies, a 20-30kph wind and ambient temps of around 4C / 39F.

Moisture wicked away like nobody’s business and I remained toasty without overheating – the vents on the Winter jersey are a great detail and work perfectly. It’s a tremendous bonus that it also feels amazing to wear and looks good off the bike too.

The pockets on the Winter jersey are roomy enough for my middle-of-nowhere self support system – meaning I could leave the musette behind. And perhaps worthy of a mention is the pump pocket nicely concealed within the left rear pocket. That the Rapha site doesn’t appear to mention this excellent feature was one of the reasons I was in two minds about getting it.

Very happy I did though. Top marks all round.

All the fall/winter gear is great but you’d probably get the most wear out of the Stowaway jacket year round. I’ve got the black one, but the acid green is cool too.

That’s too bad about the tights. I’ve managed to avoid damaging any Rapha gear but I remember leaning on the seat in front of me on a Calmac ferry wearing a new Briko jersey. They’d long since removed the headrests from the seats but left the rough velcro strips in place. When I pulled away I had ruined the finish of the jersey front. I was pretty annoyed.

You definitely need the winter hat to go along with the tights for the next hunting trip. I mentioned in one of the posts that it has duck hunter written all over it when the flaps are down.

No thoughts of becoming a continental rider (not fast enough), no thoughts of becoming a Rapha model (not thin enough), no thoughts of a marketing position (they’ve already got great people and they couldn’t afford me . I wanted to do a long form piece in the blog… I love Rapha… have a closet full of their clothes (nothing else comes close) and so that’s what I’ve done. Ultimately what I write and photograph is to please myself, I’m happy if others see merit in it but I’m entirely comfortable in my own skin, and don’t need validation at this point in my life.

If you’ve followed the series so far you know I’ve covered a lot of ground that’s not entirely Rapha centric. Hang in there with me. Next month I’ll be back to slagging Garmin, detailing a new single speed conversion and covering a product or two I got to review at Interbike.

Oh, and did you bag any ducks?