Oil Slick

The confluence of creativity and competition, this special edition design embodies absolute velocity. The pattern is a revival of one of Rapha’s most eye-catching performance designs, its iridescent and reflective print inspired by crit racing after dark. 

First created in 2018 and inspired by the energy of city circuit racing in London, the Oil Slick print was a sharp aesthetic turn for Rapha, representing the dynamism of criteriums and kermesses. Elite-level racing after dark was something Rapha established in the capital with the Smithfield Nocturne in 2007, a festival atmosphere where crowds watched pros hurtle around the City’s ancient meat market. 

A brand new innovation for 2024, the Pro Team Roadsuit fuses the 2024 Pro Team Aero Jersey and a lower section derived from our Powerweave Bib Shorts. The Roadsuit achieves an optimal locked-in fit to feel like a second skin, balancing comfort with streamlined functionality. This is our fastest, most advanced design for elite-level bike racing.

Like every Pro Team innovation, the Roadsuit was built in collaboration with our athletes and teams, namely EF Pro Cycling – putting it to the test most recently at the Classics and the Giro. However, throughout the 2024 season you will see riders of Team AMANI and Tekkerz riding full gas in the latest iteration of the Roadsuit. Tested at 46kmph – the power saving of this Roadsuit versus the older model, the Aerosuit, was recorded at 12 watts. 

An evolution of the Pro Team Aerosuit, the brief was that it needed to satisfy both the need for optimum aerodynamics and the comfort and functionality required when on the bike for over four hours. So the perfect fit, a pinnacle chamois pad, storage for additional layers, and a flap for easier bathroom breaks were all essential components.

So why a Roadsuit? The benefit of wearing a suit like this over the more common combination of jersey and bib shorts is fewer distractions and that ‘locked-in’ feeling it gives as it forms to your body and bike harmoniously. The high waist of the bottom section ensures that engaged fit all the way around your core.

The super contoured aero fit locks you in to feel like a second skin. A longer sleeve length and added compression in the fabric and cut makes your whole body more aerodynamic. A lot like when you put on a well tailored suit, it alters your posture, and even your mindset. You feel good, look good and are dialled in to ride fast. There is consistent engagement with a superior fit across both your upper and lower even when the jersey section is unzipped. The front flap on the upper section also makes bathroom breaks much easier and quicker as it offers more vertical stretch and a greater range of motion as a result.

The Roadsuit prototype was tested in competition throughout 2023 and has already clocked up a number of wins - including Sean Quinn's last gasp victory at the USA National Championships by the finest of margins.

The Pro Team Roadsuit is created to win races and keep you performing on big days out. Balancing comfort with streamlined functionality, this is our fastest, most advanced design for elite-level bike racing.

The WorldTour is the ultimate testing ground for the fastest, most comfortable race apparel  and this progressive design is a result of continuous development, being tested and refined by riders at the peak of the sport. Now you too can lock in to this latest innovation, tailored for total speed.