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Rapha colors in kit and bikes for the Canyon-SRAM women

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Just a few weeks ago the new Canyon//SRAM launched to take on the inaugural 2016 Women’s WorldTour. While we don’t cover pro news very much, it’s great to see more technical development being put into women’s kit at the highest level that is being made available to everyday riders right away.

Rapha teased at that November launch with a stylized graphic that we didn’t anticipate would actually have just been a close-up of the final striking team kit design. Now they’ve released images of the team training in Mallorca in the design they developed to stand out in the bunch. Take a closer looks at the team Canyon Ultimate WMN CF SLX and the full Rapha kit…

Canyon-SRAM_womens-team_bike_photo-by-Tino-Pohlmann
all images courtesy of Rapha & Canyon. photo by Tino Pohlmann

Canyon and SRAM backing the team as title sponsors was a big move for women’s cycling, ponying up not just money but cutting edge products so the team will race on the newest and best gear, something that hasn’t always been the case in the pro women’s peloton. Canyon will provide their new carbon Ultimate WMN CF SLX as the team’s primary race bike, that combines light weight and stiffness in an aero package. SRAM will also supply the team with their new sought after Red eTap groupset and a selection of Zipp wheels.

Rapha_Canyon-SRAM_womens-team_kit_Tiffany Rapha_Canyon-SRAM_womens-team_kit_riding Canyon-SRAM_womens-team_bike_photo-by-Tino-Pohlmann_Mallorca-Training

With the team partnership, Rapha is moving a big part of their R&D to the design of top-level women’s racing kit. By essentially getting a new development pool of some of the best women riders in the world, Rapha is looking to step up their game by refining their well received men’s Pro Team line, and expanding it into their women’s Souplesse clothing available to consumers.

From a practical side, Rapha wanted to make sure that the women of Canyon//SRAM stood out in the peloton, so the striking design makes a lot of sense. Rapha’s in house designer Ultan Coyle talked a bit about the unconventional kit design:

“We wanted to create a design that wasn’t gender specific, just a strong visual that had energy. I’ve long been drawn to the warning tape you see used on building sites and along the street; specifically when there are multiple layers wrapped around scaffolding poles or broken lamp posts to highlight potential dangers. I liked the idea of wrapping the body in the tape to suggest an athletic threat or danger to add attitude and which would come in handy when racing….so the tape formed the basis for the print which we then we re-coloured, or electrocuted it, to make it more striking.”

For those looking for an escape from productivity today, a few riders of Canyon//SRAM will be hosting a Periscope session to take live questions at 14:00 GMT. Follow the team’s Twitter @WMNcycling to join the live video stream.

WMNcycling.com

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Rob
Rob
8 years ago

Is that an Aerolink direct mount caliper in the first pic?

Dark
Dark
8 years ago

I really like it, nicest team kit I can remember seeing in a while.

shore
shore
8 years ago

No, just a regular centre mount caliper.

js
js
8 years ago

With two Canyon-sponsored teams on SRAM this year (Katusha is the other), I suspect/hope we’ll see a direct mount brake from SRAM pretty soon. Katusha had Aeroad bikes at their launch, but I couldn’t make out what front brake they had on.

WG
WG
8 years ago

Wow! Lovely colors, I wouldn’t mind riding in these myself as a male.

CJ
CJ
8 years ago

Not a fan of the Rapha, but they deserve full credit for sponsoring a top women’s team. Nice work and also great to see this amazing team continue.

Ck
Ck
8 years ago

I’m a dude and i’d rock this or the Strava-SRAM kit that Elle Anderson wears.

pmurf
pmurf
8 years ago

Liv it up! Digging the graphics on recent women’s stuff.

Stendhal
8 years ago

Sigh … the more excellent work I see from Canyon, the sadder it is that I can’t buy it in the USA. Kudos for Canyon, SRAM and Rapha supporting women’s cycling, which, by the way, rocks.

goulash prakash
goulash prakash
8 years ago

It’s a good looking kit, would wear, 8/10.

dG
dG
8 years ago

very refreshing to see a kick-ass bike and kit for these ladies. Rapha can be tiring, but putting their $ on women’s cycling is a fantastic idea. btw, this team and katusha have the best looking and best-bestest bikes, period. canyon + sram wireless + zipp=goodness.

Roy
Roy
8 years ago

Stendhal, it is known that Canyon has already hired people here in US for their move here. What isn’t known is exactly when you can buy one here, but 2017 is spoken of by more than a couple in the know. Start saving !

Stendhal
8 years ago

Roy, that’s great news! Actually I am at a multinational firm and could ask overseas colleagues for help in purchasing a Canyon, but it’s best not to be selfish and root for all Americans to have the same option.

LateSleeper
LateSleeper
8 years ago

Nice to see the boys getting jealous about girls high-end kit, rather than the reverse. OTOH, those of us with spouses/so’s are looking at this and going “hmm, this could cost me!”

Andrew
Andrew
8 years ago

Wow…. best kit I’ve seen in a looooooong time!

haromania
haromania
8 years ago

Cute girls in great shape rocking some awesome colors! Ummm, YEAH!

Matt
Matt
8 years ago

Yep best new kit and bike color combo I have seen in a long time. Huge props to Rapha for sponsoring a women’s team and kitting them out spectacularly.

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