Rapha Classic Review

The Rapha Classic has a pretty interesting design for a modern road shoe. It's simple in that it uses a seamless microfiber upper with a humble polyester lining fastened together with lacing to get a snug, comfortable shoe. It definitely harkens back to the shoes of the early days, except now it uses a carbon fiber sole with a protective TPU outsole. The remainder of this review will look at the design and performance of these shoes as we break them down across our performance measures after spending hours riding and researching them.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

This area is very hit-or-miss for the Rapha Classic. It depends on how your foot and ankle are configured. This shoe has a good deal of thought and design going into creating a stylish, comfortable upper that seems to work for a lot of riders. It's a snug fit, largely owing to the double-wall lacing design that pulls the upper together around the whole foot in a hug. Rapha says that the toe box is roomy, but that's not something we'd necessarily agree with, especially for riders with longish toes. Still, if you prefer a snug ride, it's a nice fit.

Our view is that lacing isn't always the best fastening choice because it shifts and can loosen as you ride. They're certainly not as precise as a BOA dial, but it's a personal preference, of course. Lots of riders just love laces. Most of us are also runners, hikers, walkers, and cross-trainers, and there's just something so familiar and comforting about lacing up. Plus, lacing does allow you to push and reapportion slack at just the right spots over the toes and top of the foot - as long as you can get it to hold. You'll get the set-it-and-forget-it experience, though, which robs you of giving away your intentions to other riders when they hear your shoes clicking as you tighten them down ahead of climbs and sprints.

The flaw for some of us is in the rigid neck of the upper that saws against the ankle, even with thicker socks. Rapha actually went out of its way to design an upper with a lower cut to save the ankles from grinding, so it's doubly unfortunate that some riders still get the chafe.

The other point of discomfort here is with the coarse tongue. It's a design that a lot of road bike shoe companies use for some reason. Most riders wear thin cycling socks that don't protect against serious abrasion, and the hard-edged tongue conducts both of those assaults against the top of the foot and ankle. Riding in low-cut socks down the block or on the trainer is right out.

Power Transfer

The sculpted heel cup is important here. It's a deep cup with a good lip of padding to catch and gently clasp the heel. You still get a bit of slippage, but not enough to be a problem. Rapha does a good job of mitigating energy loss without sacrificing comfort with this design.

The sole is also really solid. It's not perfectly inflexible how some of the high-end models are (well, they tend to allow a certain amount of ergonomic flex), but it is stiff enough that you're not really feeling the watts sap away like you would in a nylon composite sole. We should also mention that the microfiber upper and lacing come together to hug the foot and press out any excess space that might reduce efficiency. There's very little sliding around in these shoes, making for a pretty efficient ride.

Durability

While laces themselves have limited longevity, they're the ultimate replaceable fastener. There's nothing as heartbreaking as having to replace an entire pair of shoes because a fancy buckle or dial breaks and can't be replaced. If the lacing frays, you can simply and cheaply replace it. The only structural concern would be the eyelets that anchor the lacing, though they're well-reinforced.

Another great design they use is covering their carbon fiber sole with a layer of thermoplastic polyurethane. This protects the carbon from abrasion and also provides a little more traction when you're off the bike walking around in coffee shops, breweries, and lobbies. With its polyester lining, microfiber upper, lacing, and velcro toe strap, we expect the Classic to last a few years with typical use but might see a little more wear than some of the premium models.

Weight

22.8 ounces in Men's size 45 (Euro sizing) is slightly heavier than the other competitors in its price and performance range, but it's also a little more supple. There's also a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole protecting the carbon fiber sole. That adds some weight, but it's a good tradeoff for durability.

Should You Buy the Rapha Classic?

The Rapha Classic didn't win any of our awards, but that's not to say that they aren't cool shoes that bridge the straightforward simplicity of early designs with the new era of advanced high-performance materials. They are and do. While we think these shoes are worth the price, there are a few conditions. Your heel and ankle need to be shaped to fit the collar. Otherwise, you'll get some chafing and discomfort. You should prefer snug, warmer shoes, love laces, and place a premium on retro style.

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