Rapha unveils "The Vault” for testing new clothing in a controlled atmosphere room

Trying on new cycle clothing is really important before you hand over your hard-earned cash, but other than getting the right size and fit, you have no idea how your investment is going to work on the bike until that first ride.

To help its customers, Rapha has unveiled The Vault at its second Cycle Club in London’s Spitalfields Market. This room aims to allow customers to try potential clothing purchases in a temperature and wind controlled chamber on a static bike.

The temperature in this chamber can be adjusted between 0 and 30 degrees and the wind speed can be dialled right up to 50kph. There’s no mention in the press release of simulated rain though, maybe they throw buckets of water at you?

The Vault may provide some idea of how different clothing works in a reasonably wide range of conditions, but it remains to be seen how effective it really is in helping you choose the right clothing for your riding style and preferences.

It’s an interesting idea though. Gore Bike Wear once had a small wind-tunnel setup at a bicycle show that they were inviting people to stand in and see the difference between a regular cycling jacket, and one of its Windstopper jackets. It was quite an effective demonstration and really highlighted the difference between the two garments.

That was a publicity gimmick, though. Rapha’s Vault does look like it might help someone choose the right clothing. Rapha, as with most clothing brands, offer a huge range of jackets, jerseys and tights designed to protect you in all sorts of typical weather conditions. Which all makes choosing the right outfit sometimes quite tricky.

Use of The Vault is free but do have to be booked in advance, with appointments lasting one hour. More info at https://pages.rapha.cc/clubs/rapha-cycle-club-spitalfields

What do you think?