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rapha reflective quarter zip knit

rapha reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey

in 2004, rapha released their first merino jersey (the classic) upon a market almost wholly inflitrated with often garish polyester. i confess that my sunday garb, at that time, had been a landbouwkrediet colnago jersey, which, as that of a pro-continental team, was festooned with sponsor's logos and most certainly not the sort of garmentage worn to blend in with a crowd, while partaking of a double-espresso and a sliver of carrot-cake. arguably, rapha's classic jersey changed all that.

of course, there is a certain degree of artistic license involved in such a statement, one that depends on relativity (not the einstein kind) and a wholesale suspension of belief. that early rapha jersey still featured a front zip, three rear pockets and a contrasting hoop on the left sleeve. in comparison to my landbouwkrediet jersey, its subtlety was impressive, but i seriously doubt that anyone, for even a miniute or so, was fooled by our faux civilian personas. mind you, it could have been the clickety-clack shoes that gave the game away.

rapha reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey

the early releases from imperial works were predominantly in similar vein, but distinctly geared towards the racing fraternity. however, it wasn't too long before this originality was followed by what was originally referred to as the fixie or fixed range, so called to identify with the courier fraternity or the hipsters who rode fixed gear as a fashion statement. it's what we'd now recognise as the city riding range, one that has grown along with rapha's classic, pro-team, brevet and core ranges. and one of the more recent additions to the city riding selection is the reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey. up here we'd call it a jumper, though this example is a tad too luxurious (and expensive), to drop on the grass as one half of makeshift football goals.

around this time two years ago, rapha brought to our attention, their shadow jersey, a highly waterproof pro-team jersey almost precisely geared towards the spring classics and scotland. but i surely need not point out that this is january, a month not renowned for its high temperatures and warm, sunny days. who in their right mind would commence selling a short sleeve jersey, however waterproof it might be, in january?

rapha reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey

the merino jumper, if i might return to that specific subject, has what marketers would likely refer to as a unique selling point; a highly reflective thread knitted into the the top and bottom of both torso and sleeves. while in daylight this appears to be simply a finely hooped pattern in a quality shade of grey, after dark it is in fact a superb means of advertising your existence to either following or oncoming traffic. but while it is a beautiful jumper and cosily warm, it's hardly the jumper to wear on a january evening while out on the bike. it's not waterproof, it's not windproof and though it's nice and warm when fettling the bicycle in the bikeshed, i've a notion that hypothermia might still get the better of you were you to ride home from work, after dark at this time of year.

so have rapha taken leave of their senses with first a short-sleeve january jersey and now a reflective jersey that makes little sense out in the dark at this time of year?

rapha reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey

that would be an unassailable argument were rapha solely concerned with the uk or even the european market. but while many of us brits were struggling manfully and womanfully through freezing and precipitative weather, to accumulate the necessary festive kilometres, the chaps and chapesses in the southern hemisphere along with their cousins on america's west coast, were probably sweltering their little asses off. when it get's dark in sydney or seoul, this jumper would be just ginger peachy.

however, leaving aside any whys and wherefores, never mind the much promoted connected fabrics recently discussed, this might well be the current state of the pragmatic art. it's a merino jersey that need not necessarily go anywhere near a bicycle; it would be every bit at home advertising even a pedestrian existence on the way home from an evening engagement. in fact, though i can't think why you'd want to spend this kind of money (£250) simply to slouch about the house or inhabit the coffee shop downstairs in the sauchiehall branch of waterstones (which offers a remarkably tasty date crumble slice, now that you come to mention it), it wouldn't even hint at appearing out of place in either situation.

rapha reflective quarter zip knit merino jersey

when the weather warms up a smidgeon (around mid-august, i'm led to believe), i'd be more than inclined to pair it with a shadow lapel jacket for that smart-but-casual look and a soupcon of waterproofing. but to offset the engendered warmth of pedalling, even after dark, i'd let it reflect in its own personal glory. roll back the outer black cuffs and discover a bright pink that outdoes any bright pink you care to mention.

so, while i shan't be wearing my monogrammed short-sleeve classic jersey to the office anytime soon, i've spent the last week slouching in my ergonomic chair in front of a large-screen imac, luxuriating in the joy that arrives with quality knitted merino. and every now and again, depending on how the light caught it, i could make my work colleagues blink.

rapha's reflective quarter zip knit merino jumper is available in small, medium, large and xl at a retail price of £250. how you deceide to wear it is entirely up to you.

rapha reflective quarter zip knit

monday 8 january 2018

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................