I have a confession to make. I think that these two items of clothing might be my favourite of all time. The tank in particular is incredible and it is in my esteemed opinion that every commuter should invest in one asap!
I cycle everywhere. To work, to dinner with friends, to get my grocery shopping – you get the picture. The sweaty back syndrome is one to which I have become accustomed to. It is a small price to pay for all of the joy that commuting by bike brings after all.
Thankfully I have been able to minimise the discomfort of such issues by wearing technical clothing on my commute to and from work. But not wanting my friends to think I have completely transformed into a bike obsessed freak, I do try and turn up to dinner and other social engagements looking as ‘normal’ and ‘put together’ as possible.
But this for me is often a challenge. Choosing the right clothing can be a royal pain in the backside. Tops need to be long enough to hide my muffin top and jeans need to be flexible enough to allow me to pedal. First world problems or what?!
But thankfully Rapha have come to the rescue. Amongst their stylish city range lie 
two items of clothing that no girl on a bike should live without – the merino tank top and merino t-shirt. Both look far from technical but instead look great with a pair of jeans. The tank top in particular has become a real wardrobe staple. It can be slipped under everything giving me a glorious solution to my sweaty back problem.
Made from 100% merino wool, both are of exceptional quality. It is soft and as you would expect from merino, it regulates temperature brilliantly. It efficiently wicks away sweat while being brilliantly breathable. And as we all know – the very best thing about merino wool is that is thank to the fact it is a natural fabric, it remains completely pong-free. Good news for your friends and colleagues.
In addition to this, both tops feature flatlock stitching to the dreaded chaffe issue is kept at bay.
I have worn these tops non-stop since I got them and am happy to report they have washed well and there is no evidence of wear on the tops from lugging around a heavy backpack everywhere I go.
VERDICT:
Looks great, performs brilliantly – a big thumbs up for Rapha!
PROS:
The tops wick away sweat and look great when worn as ‘everyday’ clothes.
CONS:
They are not cheap, but well worth the investment.
Price: Tank top: £50, T-shirt: £60
Stockist: Rapha
Also worth a read:
Review: Rapha City Bomber Jacket
