02 INTRO

08 EDITOR'S LETTER

12 BICYCLE COMMUTING
The work culture of Rapha employees who see cycling as their life

16 LONDON BY BIKE
The bond between cyclists as seen through four shops sharing cycling culture.

26 OPINION: ALEX VALDMAN
Alex Boldman, former creative director of Rapha's product design

32 AT THE ATELIER
The experimental spirit and dedication of the R&D and product teams realized through the atelier.

42 COLLECTION
High-quality, beautiful clothing for a generation that enjoys cycling culture.

50 STORY LABEL
A label that leverages fascinating insights into cycling history and culture.

54 OPINION: FRANCOIS CONVERCEY
François Converset, Rapha's global marketing manager

60 THE CYCLING CLUB
Rapha Clubhouse and RCC, where cycling and brand values ​​are communicated

72 OUTFIT
Rapha staff attire that matches their life direction

78 COMMUNITY
What RCC members say about cycling

90 HERNE HILL VELODROME
Efforts to revitalize the oldest cycling venue in the UK, the heart of cycling culture.
94 CREWS
Rapha-sponsored professional cycling teams and their unique stories

100 INTERVIEW: SIMON MOTTRAM
A look at cycling history and the brand's founding principles through the life of Rapha founder Simon Mottram.

108 REFLECTION
Rapha's jersey reflects the history of cycling.

114 BRAND STORY
Rapha breaks new ground for cycling apparel brands with its own unique language.

124 MISSION
Rapha's strategy and rules reflect its goal of growing the entire cycling market.

126 MESSENGER
A creative team that conveys the spirit of cycling through narrative-based visual content.

130 STORYTELLING
Collaborative partners who tell Rapha's story through images and videos

136 CYCLE TALK
Industry Issues Explored Through Cycling Podcasts

140 DIGEST
Five bike-friendly cities and a variety of figures revealing the diverse facets of the cycling industry.

144 ROADMAP
A riding course that lets you see cross-sections of London, Amsterdam, Seoul, and Tokyo.

148 OUTRO

This is the eighty-fourth magazine [B].
I tend to think it's cool when people move their bodies and use their bodies to challenge themselves with specific goals.
It's the same reason I always admire the world of sports.
Sometimes I feel like I'm living a half-life because I haven't trained my body enough to challenge myself.
Because balance in life cannot be unconnected with the body.
While you can certainly find fulfillment in a variety of pursuits and hobbies, nothing seems as purely valuable as using your body to push and overcome its limits.


Another reason I admire and respect the world of sports is that it has clear rules and accurate records of wins and losses.
And both the winner and the loser accept the outcome.
Professional athletes often repeat the process of accepting the outcome as if they were checking their inbox every morning.
Accepting the results and reorganizing them is an act as valuable as using your body.


Simon Mottram, founder of Rapha, a cycling apparel company, also started his brand out of respect for that sporting spirit.
He spent most of his interview with the magazine talking about cyclists who move, struggle, compete with each other and support each other.
Instead of talking about the product's great features, beautiful design, or business strategy.
Simon Mottram had a deep love for cycling, attending every single Tour de France race every year, and he wanted to share that love with others.
Our mission to 'make more people love cycling' remains the same now as it was 16 years ago when we started the business.
But passion alone doesn't make it happen.
He was an avid cycling fanatic but also a discerning consumer.
He himself describes his former self as “a classic example of a disappointed customer (with the glitzy cycling fashion of the pre-Rapha era)”.
The ability to handle both cynicism and passion at the same time is what made his business successful.

In doing so, Rapha has created a new, sophisticated cycling apparel experience, and has broken down stereotypes about cycling by introducing open stores and communities that make the culture more accessible.
Even people who had no interest in cycling became cycling fans after passing through the gateway called Rapha.
What's even more remarkable is that we've established ourselves as a brand recognized and recommended by experts and professional athletes in the cycling industry.
As if the phrases “celebrity’s celebrity” and “guru’s guru” sounded more impressive, Rapha satisfied those with the most demanding standards.
Being able to convince both those who consume bicycles as a hobby or fashion and those who set records with their bicycles is probably the best reputation a brand can have.


This reputation is possible because, as mentioned earlier, he possesses both a keen eye and a respectful heart.
In preparing for the launch of Rapha, Simon Mottram delved obsessively into cycling history, creating designs that paid homage to the golden era of cycling and putting extraordinary effort into creating high-quality films and books that promoted cycling culture.
It's something no one has ever done.
Just as great contemporary filmmakers pay homage to the work of previous generations of masters by creating new creations, Rapha has paid homage to cycling's heritage.
Come to think of it, nothing awakens dormant senses as much as deep respect.
If a result doesn't seem novel or impressive enough, it's time to ask yourself if you've done enough to reflect on what you've accomplished before.


Editor-in-Chief Park Eun-seong