Rapha tweed cap

The whole urban cycling movement thing has taken a sartorial turn upmarket with the arrival of clothing brand Rapha.

Last year the brand launched its fixed line, a kind of casual collection aimed at the about-town rider who would rather not look like he'd just finished a stage of the Tour De France.

The showpiece of this line was the tweed softshell cycling jacket, cut from Prince of Wales check fabric and backed with a waterproof, windproof, breathable Schoeller material.

It should have been an instant sell out so I can only put the fact that it's still available down to the prohibitive £450 price tag.

For spring summer 09 Rapha has taken the tweed look, reminiscent of bygone days free-wheeling down country lanes with the wind in one's hair, a lady by one's side and a pipe in one's mouth, and added a tweed racing cap.

A much more accessible option, and one I have already taken advantage of.

Rapha did release a tweed cap a while back, in collaboration with Paul Smith, which is now, thanks to its limited release, highly collectible. Whether the new range will prove as wise an investment is anyone's guess.

Whatever happens, this is the only racing cap to be wearing while you're cruising the Hoxton highways this summer.

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