Whilst my wife has been watching masterchef I found myself wandering the internet and came across the Rapha website! Whilst I know all about the mamil/sportive comments about them….I am still finding myself very tempted by the classic jersey!

I think I need to give myself a good slap and a talking to, plus my wife would KILL me if I spent that much on a jersey…….still tempted though 🙂

wait a week, there should be a 15% off code if you enter the liege bastogne liege comp

It’s very nice kit, backed by good exchange and warranty/fixing service and the cut is very good. If you use it then you will probably love it though best to wait for a sale. There was a thread a few days ago which basically covers the opinion range (aldi is better, makes you look like a wannabe, best kit I’ve owned) take your pic and ignore the haters who have never tried it.

Gahhhhhh not helping 🙂 ….. how do you enter the comp?

Decathlon. Same functionality, fraction of the price.

bin bag. Same functionality, fraction of the price.

If you mean covers your nipples and stops your back getting sun burnt…

La passion is getting quite popular amongst the snobs.

some good stuff here

http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk

La passion might be liked by snobs, but I have just had a quick look and it is definitely not to my taste, it is cheaper than Rapha though which is a plus 😀

Decathlon. Same functionality, fraction of the price

Same ‘free repairs for life’ policy?
Same ‘if you lose weight and need a smaller size we’ll swap it for you’ policy?
Same 30 day no questions asked returns policy, even if youve worn it every one of those days?

If all that’s true ill eat every single piece of Rapha kit I own.

Yes it’s expensive stuff, but it is the last of whatever it is you’ll need to buy. Just avoid all the daft unnecessary stuff they do, like the leather pouches and stuff

Completely agree, I’ve used the repair service a few times, it’s very very good. Also I’ve bought items in the sale, used them for a coupe of years and sold them on eBay for what I bought them for….like the bags, Paul smith and rapha range….the residuals are excellent!

Do it..
I’ve one in each Colour they do.
Lovely bits of kit imho.

You really need to add a linky, I’ve recently made several purchases having not long been parading around in figure hugging attire, it started with Howies 3/4 bibs, it’s moved on at pace

torn make nice jerseys too.
guess rapha’s cut is great if you’re rapha shaped. if you can afford it and it fits, why not?

Completely agree, I’ve used the repair service a few times

See, I’d like something that doesn’t keep needing to be repaired. This is also why I can’t bring myself to buy reverb

And there’s a sample sale nearby preview today

I ought to qualify, it wasn’t because it fell apart it was because of what I did with a particular long sleeve jersey a couple of times. They repaired it no problems. The kit and service is quality, if not expensive.

The sale is pretty good, might be worth waiting for that if you’re in two minds.

Repair – crash damage, not from wear and tear. Got 2 SS and 3 LS jerseys, all their merino/sports wool stuff. All bought in sales so cheaper/better value than many other brands, great fit and finish, and if I put the tags back on they’d pass as brand new.

You’ll find the haters haven’t actually owned or worn it. I used to be one…

It is fairly expensive because it is very good quality. It can’t be compared with cheap stuff if any way.

Yes it could be a bit cheaper I guess but so could most higher end things. I tend to get a good few years wear out of my cycle clothes so it works out pretty good value in the long run for such nice stuff.

There’s pretty much no need to buy at full price as there’s either a sale or discount code floating around somewhere. Whilst I can’t comment on the classic too the bib shorts are a thing of beauty. Putting them on is akin to having Rachael Riley caress your nethers.

its easy to dismiss Rapha as riding kit for overpaid Mamils?

but its actually very good quality, technically very good and the service is second to none.

they also make damn good coffee in their London “club houses” in Soho and Spitalfields, and their staff are very friendly and passionate about riding road bikes

and for us in the bike trade, they have a trade discount deal, which is easy to apply for and operates through their website

I should admit I don’t actually own any (I get lots of Santini through our trade account with Fishers at work), but my missus does and loves all her Rapha kit

Decathlon – Same ‘free repairs for life’ policy?

They replaced my rucsack after 5 years hard use when the zip broke. Part way there…. 😉

It always seems to squeeze you so hard a beard pops out. Not sure I want that

See, I’d like something that doesn’t keep needing to be repaired

My repairs have been through crashing, not down to faults with the garments (those are covered by customer service anyway). Quite happy my new bibs got fixed rather than them having to go directly into the bin.

This is also why I can’t bring myself to buy reverb

mine’s fine after 3 years.

Rapha stuff is lovely, I’ve only got a hard shell for roadie duties (I daren’t wear it off road), but after a couple of years, as Crashtestmonkey says, stick a label on it and it would look like new.

Torm jerseys are pretty similar for nearly half price.

If you can afford a good bike and good kit, why on Earth not? There’s so much pleasure to be had from riding a good bike, fast while wearing great clothing that’s designed for the job.

As for comparing Rapha with Decathlon, that’s a joke. Decathlon stuff is cheap for a reason – has the person who posted that actually tried any of it on? It’s tailored for Mr/Ms Average and it’s not flattering.

I have Rapha kit, and Decathlon kit, and Aldi kit, us a few other brands.

Rapha are the nicest jerseys I’ve had. Comfy, well thought, clever details, good fit, and durable. My favourite short sleeve top must be 8 years old.

If you can afford it, try it.

But I only buy it in sales or eBay. And eBay prices can be mental as well!

Had a similar experience, dismissed Rapha as overpriced tosh, then got talked into a Classic jersey, it’s by far and away the best all round Jersey I’ve ever owned and so far it’s lasting very well indeed.

The suffer-porn marketing is a bit wearing but at least they’re not from the “lycra-up a chisel-jawed chump who’s not sat on a bike since they were 8 years old and tell them to act natural” school of bike clothing promotion.

So yeah, if you like nice kit and don’t mind paying for them, Rapha is a long way from the worst way to spend your money.

Had a similar experience, dismissed Rapha as overpriced tosh, then got talked into a Classic jersey, it’s by far and away the best all round Jersey I’ve ever owned and so far it’s lasting very well indeed.

This ^^. I don’t have much of their stuff but what I do have is some of my favourite kit to wear. The winter base layers are very good.

suffer-porn marketing

😆

To echo what others have said, the only people I know who have used the repair service from rapha are people who have crashed and damaged the kit, never from it wearing out.

I haven’t needed to use it *touch wood*

Worth taking a trip to an outlet store if you’re close to one – the only Rapha things I own is a long sleeve jersey and a cap, both decent but not worth the full RRP IMO (they were 50% off at the outlet store – I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of stock they had and the range of sizing, wasn’t all just for giants and hobbits). Not saying the kit in general isn’t worth it, the more technical stuff probably is but the l/s jersey is basically just a nice quality merino jersey rather than anything particularly special.

The suffer-porn marketing

you win the internet today… 😆

It is a little bit tiresome, and I think goes a long way to putting folk off their stuff

Archive store in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The Boy sometimes finds some bargins.

It is a little bit tiresome, and I think goes a long way to putting folk off their stuff

Is all a bit odd. I wonder if it’s meant to be ironic sometimes. Reckon it loses them more customers than it gains.

Reckon it loses them more customers than it gains.

Really or is it more like when people here say they won’t be buying a Maserati after the full page ads.

Still tempted 😀 I am doing my normal thing of waiting at least a week once I have seen something, to make sure that I actually want it, and am not just falling for my impulse spending habit!

I checked with my wife, and she thought it looked a lot better than most of my current kit, so she said go for it!