Shop of the Week: Rapha Cycle Club
Road riders rejoice! Rapha, the London-based company renowned for stylish, high performance cycling gear, has parked itself on Bowery. For the next three months, Rapha Cycle Club is offering NYC more than just the industry's best bike apparel and accessories – the pop-up serves as a hub for riding enthusiasts, with a gallery, a Third Rail Coffee cafe, weekly group rides, and live daily screenings of the Tour de France (on now).
"Rapha's retail presence is primarily online, so it's really nice to be able to try on and feel the brand's clothing here," said Mike Spriggs, the shop's manager. The Bowery outpost stocks Rapha's retro classic-looking jackets, tees, jerseys, shorts and pants, along with their hats, gloves, socks, warmers and assorted cycling accoutrement. All products are developed and tested by active riders, resulting in smart technical details and fabrics. Innovative as the design may be, however, the Rapha look is sharp and understated as opposed to space-agey. Celebrated bespoke tailor Timothy Everest created a jacket for Rapha, and avid cyclist Paul Smith collaborated with the company on a beautiful series of leather accessories and bags emblazoned with iconic road racing imagery.
Rapha Cycle Club is outfitted with a gigantic communal table for sipping Third Rail's award-winning java, watching the race on flatscreen televisions, browsing the selection of cycling publications, or simply mingling with fellow riders. The gallery in the back of the store features rotating cycling-themed artwork, while ephemera – including cool prints and original jerseys – decorates the rest of the space. The best vintage piece at Rapha, though, has got to be the Broom Wagon parked in the back. The original 1960s Citroën H-Van, brought in from France, doubles as the dressing room.
Rapha Cycle Club
352 Bowery
New York, NY 10003
July 2010
Paper Magazine