
In the world of high-performance sportswear, few connections manage to balance technical innovation with cultural intention. But Patta x Rapha, now on their second outing together, do just that—and more. Their newest collection is more than just cycling gear. It’s a movement, a mindset, and a challenge to the status quo of who gets to ride, where, and why.
This is about breaking stereotypes as much as breaking a sweat. It’s about shifting gears—culturally and literally—and reminding people that cycling isn’t just a numbers game, it’s a human experience. It’s not all FTP tests and KOMs. Sometimes, it’s just about pedaling around your neighborhood, wind in your face, feeling free.
The Collection: Built to Move, Styled to Stay
At its core, the Patta x Rapha drop is a tightly curated line of cycling-ready essentials and street-adjacent staples. It’s technically sound, as you’d expect from Rapha’s Pro Team collection—a range trusted by elite riders across the globe. But Patta injects it with streetwear DNA and an inclusive design philosophy that flips the traditional cycling narrative on its head.
Key pieces include:
- Aero-fit jerseys with moisture-wicking fabric and ventilated panels, engineered for serious performance but reimagined in Patta’s bold color palette and graphic language.
- Cargo bib shorts with multi-use pockets, equally suitable for training rides or urban commuting.
- LOBI LIBI hoodies and tees that deliver off-bike comfort and a deeper message.
- Cycling caps and Rapha x Patta Reis sunglasses, rounding out the fit with precision and personality.
But what makes it stand out isn’t just the tech—it’s the intention. Every item serves both function and expression. You can train in this gear, race in it, hang out in it, or walk into a cafe and not look like you’re cosplaying a Tour de France dropout.
The Message: LOBI LIBI
At the heart of this campaign is a phrase that resonates beyond cycling: “LOBI LIBI.” It means “love life” in Surinamese, a language that reflects Patta’s roots and community focus.
The words appear subtly on the jerseys, boldly on tees, and almost spiritually throughout the campaign. This isn’t about hitting numbers—it’s about being present. It’s about riding not because your coach said so, but because the sun came out and you felt like moving. It’s a celebration of motion, not metrics.
Anna McLeod, a creative force at Rapha, captured it uniquely: “Cyclists often obsess over stats, but this collab is a reminder to enjoy the ride for what it is.”
In a space that often skews elite, fast, white, and male, LOBI LIBI is a reminder that cycling is, and should be, for everyone. Not just the ones with carbon bikes and FTP trackers, but the ones rolling single-speed in hoodies, hauling groceries, or cruising after work with music in their ears.
The Campaign: Candid Over Curated
Instead of glossy action shots on alpine switchbacks, the Patta x Rapha campaign goes low-key, low-ego, and deeply local. Shot in urban settings with a documentary edge, it feels more like street photography than sportswear promotion.
We see riders weaving through city traffic, chatting on curbs, laughing mid-ride. It’s unscripted and warm. It’s not about dominating segments—it’s about making space. The message is simple: cycling doesn’t have to look one way. And riders don’t have to fit one mold.
This visual approach hammers home the belief that representation matters. When you see people who look like you riding in style, owning the road in their own rhythm, it makes space. Space to ride. Space to belong.
The Backstory: Why This Collaboration Matters
When Patta first linked with Rapha, it wasn’t just to co-sign a look. It was to co-create a new energy in the cycling world—one rooted in community, culture, and visibility. Patta’s Creative Director, Vincent van de Waal, has long championed the Patta Cycling Team, an initiative grounded in expanding access to the sport.
For Rapha, it was a chance to challenge the perception of elite cycling as something closed off to “outsiders.” By teaming up with a brand known for its connection to hip hop, streetwear, and grassroots cultural organizing, they tapped into new audiences, and new values.
The message? Cycling isn’t just for the privileged few—it’s for the many. And that’s not a slogan. It’s a statement of intent.
As van de Waal says, “The P is Still Free.” In other words: the door’s open.
The Context: Cycling, Culture, and Change
Zoom out, and this collection hits at a key cultural moment. Interest in cycling has exploded post-pandemic, but the barriers to entry—economic, social, cultural—remain high. Gear is expensive. Group rides can be intimidating. The visual language of the sport still leans heavily on whiteness, maleness, thinness, and affluence.
What Patta x Rapha offers is a real, tangible counterpoint. Not just new designs, but a new vibe—one that says, Come as you are. Ride how you want. You don’t need to shed your identity to belong here.
This merge makes it clear: cycling can reflect your culture—not just absorb you into its.
The Drop: Details That Matter
The Patta x Rapha 2025 cycling collection launches June 5, 2025, available through both patta.nl and rapha.cc. Quantities are limited, and pieces from the first collection sold out fast, becoming cult favorites on resale platforms and in the urban cycling scene.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Pricing: Jerseys at $180, bib shorts at $240, tees and hoodies from $60–$120, accessories from $30.
- Fit: Tailored, performance-oriented silhouettes on cycling gear; relaxed, true-to-size fits on lifestyle pieces.
- Functionality: Ride-tested construction with breathable fabrics, anti-chafe seams, and stash pockets built into shorts and jerseys.
- Design: Deep blacks, rich greens, accent reds, and the phrase LOBI LIBI woven into select seams and prints.
But more than the drop, it’s about the ripple effect. Every rider who wears this gear, every photo shared, every conversation sparked—it all moves the culture forward.
Final Word: Ride Yours
Patta and Rapha didn’t just drop a collab. They carved out space.
They reminded us that riding is about joy. That gear should elevate—not alienate. That community trumps competition. That culture is not a costume. And that cycling doesn’t need another gate—it needs more open roads.
So either you’re crushing hills or coasting to the corner store, this collection invites you to ride on your own terms.
Because loving life doesn’t mean chasing stats.
It means showing up. It means moving forward. And above all else, it means just getting on the damn bike.
LOBI LIBI.
No comments yet.