[Closed] Rapha moving into mountain bike gear

I'm sure it'll be excellent stuff. I currently use one of their commuting waterproof jackets for MTBing and it's awesome - as you might expect for something that was £240 RRP.

Looking forward to reading the marketing copy for their enduro stuff.

I’ve been using their bibs, in various lengths and thicknesses for years on the MTB

super value in the sales

Err, just no.

Looking forward to reading the marketing copy for their enduro stuff.

I expect it'll be incredibly closely aligned to Santa Cruz

What do we think?

It'll be very expensive. They're not idiots though, so if they do some decent research into the market, it might be very good. Or it might be utterly dreadful. I think the issue they'll have is that mountain bikers are happy to spend thousands on a plastic frame, but expect, say, a top-notch riding jacket to be less than 50 quid. I think they may be in for a surprise 🙂

We've been using the Road range for CX for years, then they came out with Ginduro stuff thats adapted to moar pockets... but essentially the same stuff.

The only thing I can think they'd release is a pair of baggies in XXXX...

Here's a prototype of their one piece Enduro, dirt suit

only £1750

Will be interesting to see what their take is.

NB Their latest touring line looks appalling IMO...

Yet more cyclists who will blank me .
😉

Rapha’s eyewear collection will have a complete relaunch in June, including a gravel-specific frame

Gravel-specific sunglasses?

Gravel-specific sunglasses?

You...you haven't been riding Gravel in Road-specific sunglasses have you?

Will that mean we'll all have to ride our bikes in grainy black and white, accompanied by a simple san serif typeface?

And finish our rides with Americano's at a cafe bar in the northern quarter instead of the pub?

And finish our rides with Americano’s

Lord no man. Cold drip only, you might be northern but you're not actually living in 1970.

Gravel-specific sunglasses?

Take bigger lenses, more suited to use off face than your existing sunglasses, weigh more and cost more but ultimately will be used for exactly the same thing by 99% of people who buy them.

Ah yes, even more ways to rinse the sheep who fall for all this...good luck to them, there are so many people now who want the badges without the actual effort that they'll sell sheds of the kit...

I am sure they will do well hopefully it will not effect prices from other manufacturers. I will still stick with Endura & Mavic.

even more ways to rinse the sheep who fall for all this

Bitter much?

ah the holy trinity of Audi, Santa Cruz and Rapha is finally complete

That will be their tag line 🙂

I only have a couple of Rapha pieces but they are way better than other stuff I have and not a lot more expensive, softer fabrics, more comfortable visibly better made.
I have a jersey that I wear every ride through autumn and spring on its own and with a windproof or waterproof shell on top in coldest winter days. Been wearing it for 3 years now and still looks almost like new.

Too many words not enough pictures in that article...

Possibly am, but not with people spending their own money...more on the rather state mountain biking has become. The latest trends appear to be recycling stuff and giving it a fancy name. Totally up to the individual what they spend a d how much they spend on stuff. I'm just sorry to see how low the MTB companies have gone to make as much money as they can (which, as a business is what they are there to do)...

So yeah, I'm bitter but probably not for the reason you think.

Rapha is good value for money.

I can think of several more expensive and/or pretentious options.

Be interesting to see their take on MTB kit

My commuting gear is Rapha. 4 years old, used in every kind of weather, with and without guards with thousands and thousands of KM in it and it still looks, feels and wears great. My Endura shorts are a year old, have been used maybe 15 times and are literally coming apart at the seams.

Rapha gear is expensive, but its good kit and the Classic stuff is very long lasting.

ah the holy trinity of Audi, Santa Cruz and Rapha is finally complete

Sorry to disappoint, my Bronson is generally flung in the back of my 12 year old civic. With my discounted Madison bike clothes.

Hell no. I’m going to carry on falling off my bike and in to rocks, stones, boulders, brambles, mud, grass, trees and possibly dog shit. I’ll carry on buying stuff in the sales or second hand and wearing it until it’s see through.

You know that the name Rapha is an abbreviation. don't you?

It's short for Rapha; I got it in the sale.

The sale prices for Rapha are about twice that of the new prices of the things I’d contemplate buying in a sale.

My commuting gear is Rapha lidl and aldi. 4 >4 years old, used in every kind of weather, with and without guards with thousands and thousands of KM in it and it still looks, feels and wears great.

Be interesting to see their take on MTB kit

And if they’ll still offer free repairs.

One of the very few things roadies do better than mtb's is understand kit is just as important as components, if not more so.

Rapha isn't cheap (even in the sale) but it is mainly well designed and more importantly lasts. You do have to pick your items though, They seem to excel in base layers, winter jerseys and padded shorts/tights.

They do lighter summer jerseys well but I reckon you can get better else where for less.

I'm not sure about mtb though....their explore range was total gash and the anti-rapha force is strong with the knobbly brigade. Gravel on the other hand will probably do well for them as they can just expand the succesfull brevet range.

I have loads of cycling clothing but my favourite jersey and base layer are Rapha - and they are several years old.

(yes they were both bought in the sale......)

Edit  I also have lidl/aldi kit and while it lasts......its truly awful in every regard compared to properly designed kit from Rapha,Castelli,Assos,Mavic and even Altura.   Obviously its still better than Endura.

Choice eh? The bastards!
Lol.

Bitter much?

Good lord no, some sort of boutique IPA perhaps?

tjagain

Member
My commuting gear is Rapha lidl and aldi. 4 >4 years old, used in every kind of weather, with and without guards with thousands and thousands of KM in it and it still looks, feels and wears great.

Isn’t you’re commute around 1 mile? Not the most stringent of tests

It will be interesting to see which direction they go. I pretty sure I won’t buy any, but I’m intrigued.

What always surprised be about Rapha is how they became, apparently, a success overnight whereas Assos always existed and are high quality, but didn’t capture the imagination. Marketing, I suppose.

I’ve not seen it in the flesh, but the assos mtb gear looks pretty awful on the web.

used to be 7 mashr

Some of the attitudes on this thread are hilarious! Wish I was cool enough to be so dismissive of a brand/some clothing because it’s too expensive/garish/meant for golfers/etc...

Guess I’ll stick to using the various items of their kit I’ve bought over the last few years, mostly at full price. Excellently featured, well made and cut, comfortable and does the job it’s supposed to do very well. It’s all lasting well too, even though I use it off road too!
Will be interested to see what they do with specific mtb kit...

genuinely assumed someone had spotted a certain rotund spanish football manager wheelieing a new Mondarker through stanley park!

Rapha? never heard of it.

after a quick google, i can see why.

Rapha? never heard of it.

Most. STW response. Ever.

Most. STW response. Ever.

It's the new pretending to not know which end of the racquet to hit a football with.

£15 for a pair of socks! This bit is the most eye rolling thing I’ve ever read.

The sock fits tightly around the ankle while not extending so far as to break one of the UCI’s more quizzical rules: the sock length law.

Sock length law FFS.

Sock length law FFS.

It's more a guideline if you ride mtb.

Some people shop in Primark, some people shop in Selfridge's shocker.

The only negative I can think of is that a whole new group of people can scoff at how they'd never spend THAT MUCH, whilst looking like a sack of shit tied up with string.

I wonder if they'll make it a bit more 'mtb rider' friendly.... their roadie stuff is, well, a little snug for many.