RAPHA AND TIMOTHY EVEREST THREE-PIECE CYCLING SUIT

RAPHA AND TIMOTHY EVEREST THREE-PIECE CYCLING SUIT Door Joe Hall • 1st April 2009 12:00am • Gepost in ProductsFrom Bike to Boardroom in http://www.rapha.cc/timothy-everest-and-rapha-threepiece-cycling-suit
Designed for the sartorially-minded city rider, Timothy Everest and Rapha’s bespoke three-piece suit raises the bar for urban cycling apparel. Inspired by gentleman riders of the 1930s (with a nod to country farmers in their Sunday best) the suit is the result of a 12-month collaboration between Rapha and Timothy Everest, the renowned Savile Row tailor. The finished product, a jacket, waistcoat and trousers or plus fours, is characterised by its elegant tailoring and luxury finishing, a formal suit that is at home in the boardroom as it is in on the bike.

Features and fabric

As one of London’s leading fine tailors, Timothy has dressed everybody from cabinet ministers to Hollywood A-listers, a clientele with a diverse range of demands. His choice of fabric for the Rapha suit is an inspired one. Woven in Britain, the luxury wool has a traditional Prince of Wales check but has been created using nanotechnology to produce a material which, in addition to looking good, is extremely water and stain resistant. It is also highly versatile, keeping the wearer cool in summer and warm in winter.

Feature-wise, the suit is packed with innovations for on-the-bike practicality and comfort. A ‘storm collar’ fastens at the jacket’s neck to keep out the elements, while the bottoms can be buttoned inside the front pockets to prevent them flapping when riding. The jacket also has an ‘action back’, a shoulder pleat similar to those found in shooting jackets, and which allows for extra reach on the bike. In cooler conditions the cuffs can be turned to down to provide better protection for the hands and the undersides of both collar and sleeves are pink, a contemporary twist that also makes the rider more visible.

The suit is only available as a fully bespoke garment, this is priced at £3500 for a 3piece and there is a limited number available in 4 cloths

Collaboration, The Ultimate Cycling Suit: 2008 to date
in http://www.timothyeverest.co.uk/rapha
Timothy Everest and performance roadwear label Rapha join forces to bring sartorial elegance to the urban commute. A fitting balance of ergonomics and aesthetics, the three-piece cycling suit meets the needs of the city cyclist who requires his attire to transcend from the bike to the boardroom.

The Bespoke version was launched in 2009, with the Ready-to-Wear version following soon after.

Woven in Britain, the 100% wool fabric features an exclusive check designed by Timothy personally, with just a dash of Rapha pink. Created using nanotechnology, the fabric is both water and stain resistant. It also keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. A two-button jacket when worn with the collar down, when turned up two hidden buttons come into play to provide secure protection from the elements.

The jacket is designed for comfort and practicality and includes a number of innovations, including front hems can be folded up and buttoned to the front pockets to hold them away from your legs when riding; an ‘action back’ with pleats in the rear of the shoulders, allowing for extra reach on the bike; and a storm-collar fastens at the neck to keep out the elements. The sleeves are finished with working cuff buttons, as you would expect in a finely tailored suit jacket, and the underside of the collar has a pink Melton wool trim. Inside, the jacket has two in-breast pockets and an additional zipped valuables pocket. The lining of the jacket is beautifully finished, with elegant pink stitching, pink routing loops for an iPod cable and a pink hanging loop.

The Ready-to-Wear version is available to buy from Rapha.