Rapha adds yet another category with saddles

Rapha adds yet another category with saddles

Made by Selle Italia, Pro Team and Classic saddles come in two widths

Courtesy Rapha

Published: May 15, 2018 at 7:00 am

Rapha now has its own saddles in Pro Team and Classic models. Made by Selle Italia, the saddles come in two widths.

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Created in 2004 as an upscale cycling clothing brand, Rapha has since expanded into a few other categories, from sunglasses and skincare offerings to shoes and helmets. Some of these products are clearly a rebranding of an existing piece from another company, such as the Giro Synthe helmet. Others, like the sunglasses, show more independent design.

The Rapha Pro Team and Classic saddles were designed by Rapha and Selle Italia.

All the saddles have a carbon base and carbon rails - Courtesy Rapha

Rapha has been working on an online fit calculator to help steer riders toward the either a 'Narrow' (130mm) or 'Wide' (145mm) model in Classic or Pro Team. The calculator takes into account rider weight, waist size and style of riding. Specialized, Trek/Bontrager and other companies that sell many saddles have their own tools for helping people select the right seat, but those usually involve measuring sit-bone width and flexibility.

For Rapha, the company suggests that the Classic saddles are for "longer days on the bike" while the Pro Team is for "a more aggressive, speed-focused riding position." The two designations already exist in the company's clothing line, where Pro Team is race cut while Classic is slightly more relaxed.

The Pro Team also comes in a cutout version.

The Rapha Classic special edition for the RCC - Courtesy Rapha

All the saddles have a carbon base and carbon rails, with foam densities selected with the padding of the corresponding bib shorts' chamois in mind.

Weights and prices are as follows. Click or swipe through the gallery above for a look at a few of the saddle designs, including the Rapha Cycling Club editions.

Rapha Pro Team and Classic saddles

And the Rapha Classic in black - Courtesy Rapha

Classic Saddle £180 / $250 / €215

Narrow (130mm): 179g, Wide (145mm): 197g

The Rapha Pro Team Carbon comes in a few colors - Courtesy Rapha

Pro Team Saddle £295 / $395 / €345

Narrow (130mm): 144g, Wide (145mm): 159g

This is the Rapha Pro Team Cutout saddle - Courtesy Rapha

Pro Team Cutout Saddle £295 / $395 / €345

(130/Narrow): 141 grams145mm/Wide): 147 grams