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rapha check classic wind jacket

it seems likely that everyone has a seminal moment that brought them to cycling in the first place. that moment perhaps took place in the very early years, on discovering that being able to ride a bicycle meant a hitherto unseen amount of freedom from mum and dad and if balance arrived early enough, a certain degree of bragging rights amongst one's peers. or it could have been the inadvertent witnessing of a bike race and thinking 'how cool is that?'

i was a very late starter, unable to keep my balance for any meaningful number of centimetres, let alone metres. i borrowed a small red bicycle from a friend and spent many a frustrating hour falling off in our large(ish) back garden before gaing both the ability and confidence to ride further afield. once cycling nirvana had been achieved there was, to quote a well-worn phrase, 'no looking back'

however, it is of eternal regret that i had no earthly idea that mere minions such as myself could enter the competitive realm. there may well have been posters in local bike shops, advertising cycle clubs in the area, but the link between clubs (to which i have an inbuilt aversion in any case) and racing or time-trialling was never realised or pointed out by any well-meaning friend or relative. so ignorant was i of such matters, that even in my early twenties, when riding to work on the weekends, yellow-jacketed marshals positioned at roundabouts on the dual-carriageway, keeping a lookout for fast moving, numbered cyclists, didn't switch on any light bulbs.

along with many, my first real introduction to the competitive arena, was channel four's half-hour recap of the tour de france. sadly, they were one year too late to capture robert millar (philippa york) achieving britain's (scotland's) highest ever placing in the 1984 tour while acquiring the polka dot jersey. but then again, it's always possible that the impetus to have gary imlach impart the day's proceedings came as a result of millar's success. suddenly, the tour de france had some relevance to those of us across the channel.

in mitigation, had that coverage commenced in 1984, my perceptions may have been subtly altered. as a complete newbie, relating robert's climbing prowess with that of the now iconic chequered peugeot jersey may well have been missed, considering the number of stages he spent riding in red polka dots.

it would be naive of me to attribute that black and white chequered hoop solely with millar's tour success, for the jersey had existed in one form or another for a number of years, most notably on the shoulders of tommy simpson and subsequently, eddy merckx. but both those riders were before my time and neither provided the impetus for an ill-advised blast up dundonald hill on a bicycle less than equipped for the attempt. the innocent thinking there was entirely based on the premise that if glasgow born millar could climb whacking great mountains in france, then glasgow born me could dispatch the ascent of dundonald hill with similar ease.

that was lesson one.

so, no matter the inpsiration behind rapha's new season check range, consisting of a short-sleeve classic jersey, socks, gilet, a cap, and this reviewed variation on the classic wind jacket, a chequered hoop will always bring to mind robert millar.

after yesterday's appreciation of richard mitchelson's any weather cyclist t-shirt, it seems almost trite to make mention of the 38mph winds that did their level best to trouble this admirable wind-jacket. you can take my word for it that the wind does not permeate its black and white constitution and rather comfortingly, while the water resistance proved considerably better than expected. it wouldn't be the first garment i'd reach for if the rain was teeming down outside, but after an hour or so in wind-driven showers, we all lived happily after.

despite its wafer thin scrunchability, the wind jacket offers a degree of pragmatism by way of a cleverly concealed, zipped valuables pocket and adjustable cords in the hem. the joints between sleeves and torso are of a fine mesh to aid breathability and the elasticated lycra cuffs do a fine job of preventing ingress of draughts when the north wind doth blow. the only bit missing, as far as i can see, is an accompanying ability to climb like robert, but that might still be hiding in the zipped pocket.

rapha's check classic wind jacket is available in sizes ranging from xs to xxl at a retail price of £155.

rapha checked classic wind jacket ii

sunday 11 march 2018