Surely you can’t think Norrona to be similar company as Rapha, former is founded 1930s and latter in 2004?
Both do make some nice kit though and Norrona usually makes stuff in normal colours too. Pricing is bit steep and seems that Rapha sales stuff is now bit more limited since they sell old stuff in their store?

That freeride suit thing looks like something that one would wear in a BSL IV lab to culture goat plague/cat aids.

There is. The image of MTB isn’t as important as the act of just getting out and riding.

Have you ridden an MTB in the last 10 years. Whilst there are a lot of people who start out riding in trainers and tshirts, the same applies to road cycling. Equally there are loads of MTB riders who wouldn’t be seen dead in old kit without the latest helmet, goggles, shorts, jersey, whatever. Kitsbow and 7mesh are exactly like Rapha to all intents and purposes.

Unless of course your comment was tongue in cheek.

As is normal for threads that contain the word Rapha, yes it is expensive, but yes also it is very very good kit, despite the “fool and his money” jibe that’s often levelled at it’s buyers

This. Of my favourite road kit, my Rapha kit is about the best. In particular, the Rapha 3/4 winter bibs I have are superb and the new Transfer jacket is lovely. Yes, I could have got something much cheaper (I have some DHB bibs which are good) but that’s the thing about choice, you get to have one. Some of their stuff I find a bit silly but they’re reining SOME of that in (i.e. the helmets and shoes are priced more or less the same as their Giro twins excluding sale pricing) but overall they produce high quality items at a high price. They do deliver on the quality though, and high-end Assos or Castelli are equally spendy but don’t attract the hatred.

I have an Acre Supply backpack, POC pads and ride a Canadian-made Chromag. I strongly suspect that whatever else I wear is therefore “the Rapha of MTB”. So, for the record:

swrve
PedalED
Patagonia

🙂

I also forgot about Findra for the ladies.
https://findra.co.uk/

Actually, forget I said anything about Rapha’s occasional silliness. 420 euros for this

It’s reflective though…

high-end Assos or Castelli are equally spendy but don’t attract the hatred.

That’s because ‘proper’ riders wore those brands long before Rapha appeared on the scene and sold to MAMIL’s, plus they don’t try and sell some retro image but tend to be forward looking and innovative.

On price Assos has always been costly, but the exchange rate with the Swiss franc means their stuff is insane in the UK now. Shame as their shorts were generally considered the best money could buy.

CFH your pic on the last page shows exactly how little heritage mtb has, it’s just ‘some bloke’ in a pair of jeans.

Then on the other side of the coin is Rapha; nothing says “I’m a born again middle aged cyclist with a massive income and only fifteen hundred Kilometers to my name this year” quite like Rapha.

I have a lot of rapha kit, wear something rapha most days when riding, ridden 8,545kom this year, although I’m not so pretentious to talk in km, drink from a bottle not a bidon and wear a cap under my helmet in winter rather than a casquette.

Where’re they at now it’s gone cold and the nights have drawn in? Not grafting away on the moors, that’s for sure. Probably sat on a Zwift in their garage with their socks pulled up, taking photos for instagram.

Ridden 160 miles this week so far (all outdoors), sorry 256km.

I know you’re trolling but just thought I’d respond.

I’ve never found an MTB or road brand who always get it right. I have plenty of Rapha, castelli etc etc gear and some is great and others bits total shite.

I think they key is the value of the item. Some bits are spendy but they last years and they’re used constantly, the price is justified.

I like cheap MTB tops as they get snagged and cut. My old road bibs become MTB bibs. The old rab soft shell becomes my MTB shell etc etc.

As for the MTB aversion of Rapha. It has to be POC. On the surface of it, overpriced but great value for money when you consider how long lasting it is and how well ( most of it ) performs.

That’s because ‘proper’ riders wore those brands long before Rapha appeared on the scene and sold to MAMIL’s, plus they don’t try and sell some retro image but tend to be forward looking and innovative.

Maybe in the UK but in mainland Europe they’re much the outfits of choice of new, wealthy cyclists as you obviously consider Rapha to be. Castelli certainly have a clean, “race oriented” brand although with Millar jumped the shark a bit with some of their special edition kit. Assos in particular have started to shift their shitty, somewhat misogynistic brand image as their new owner seems horrified about what it says about his company and customers. They’re at least as **** as Rapha but in a different way.

All brands have supporters and detractors.

Actually, forget I said anything about Rapha’s occasional silliness. 420 euros for this

Only 75 actually made which pretty much accounts for the price straight away. Add in the fact that you’ll get 3x that on ebay for it in a year’s time and it’s probably not a bad investment.

And it’s reflective. 😉

^ me too pretty much – no one brand, some eye wateringly expensive stuff that gets used for specific conditions.

Assos bib shorts – last about 5 years

Castelli Nanoflex – arm warmers and knee warmers – fantastic, 5 years and patched.

Merida gilet – pertex with side elastic material – just brilliant

Jerseys – don’t give a shit only time I wear anything decent is racing and that’s the shop kit

Long sleeve jerseys – as above

Waterproof – Gore – expensive, hardly ever gets worn and in reality a bit of a waste of money

Softshell – Endura windchill – foul weather favourite

Gore gloves – toasty

I also like to look unfashionably reflective/bright on the road so that rules Rapha out.

I buy rapha stuff (in the sales) for two main reasons – 1. They have an excellent warranty and have fixed stuff for me that is well over 2 years old 2. They also have a crash replacement policy. I’ve had stuff from Endura, Gore, Castelli which is also good but rapha stuff feels better made to me.

Furthermore, I’ve sold jerseys that I’ve used for a year or so for pretty much the price I’d paid originally. I think the stuff looks great, and I’m more than happy for small minded people to call me a **** just for wearing a particular brand. I just give them a wave and a smile and ride on.

I buy rapha stuff (in the sales) for two main reasons – 1. They have an excellent warranty and have fixed stuff for me that is well over 2 years old 2. They also have a crash replacement policy.

I call this the Snap-On effect; I had a similar experience with Oakley. You pay a premium for a genuinely good product, but one where there are arguably cheaper versions of that will do the job just – or nearly – as well. However, when there’s a problem it’s sorted with the minimum of fuss for the customer.

I had a set of Oakley M-Frame frames Fed-Ex’d from the US to Grenada while guiding there. All I’d done was ask Oakley UK if there was anyway of sorting my broken frames. But since then I’ve been positively vocal about Oakley and would buy again.

Surprised nobody has mentioned Mavic who make decent MTB kit and promote it with nice pics too.

Rapha is hardly a part of the UK or world road cycling heritage is it? Its been around for 10-12 years and is lucky that a. Sir Brad, b. sky and c. pompous media and websites align with its roady is the posh/elite end look.

Pearl Izumi make some nice mtb stuff

Norrona, Sweet Protection & POC all represent [Scandinavian] high quality outdoor gear companies that have branched out into the MTB market.

Norrona also does specialised hunting apparel, but that notwithstanding, I’m not sure any of them can be compared directly with Rapha! 😉

Norrona & Sweet Protection are more like Arc’Teryx or Patagonia.

Kitsbow looks about like the closest MTB version of Rapha, although I’ve never had the pleasure of wearing any of their gear.

I’m sure I read somewhere that Finisterre (‘A cold water surf company’) are backed by the same private equity company that own Evans and Rapha.

Edit:

Yes I thought so:

http://apeq.co.uk/what-weve-done/

Yep, 7mesh is one. I have a pair of their glidepath shorts. Compared to my endura singletrack 2 they’re clearly a much higher quality product in every way to the extent where they make the endura shorts feel like a rip off rather than the other way round.

http://www.kitsbow.com/

$130 for a tshirt? Is that Zimbabwean dollars?

Yes I thought so:

http://apeq.co.uk/what-weve-done/

That is interesting. Helps explain why both companies have expanded very quickly.

Helps explain why both companies have expanded very quickly.

Slightly off-topic perhaps, but it does seem to be part of the modern way of many businesses when there is a desire to raise capital etc to expand, particularly in the Outdoor sector.

Take for instance ‘Amer Sports’ (originally tobacco & shipping etc) whose ‘portfolio’ now includes Salomon, Arc’teryx, Mavic, Suunto, who have all very recently expanded beyond their original core products in order to increase market share etc

I’m after a road helmet and looked at the POC Octal – how is it twice the price of the equivalent MTB helmet? Is that just because roadies are prepared to spend more so will support those prices?

Bonkers!