Is it worth an 80 mile round trip? What sort of items are in stock and what sort of discounts are available?
I'm in the market for a new Classic Jersey.
Cheers,
IMO no.
I have a 20% discount code you can use if you want as I completed one of their surveys and in hindsight don't want anything before it expires. Email me if you want it.
nothing is current season, and if you are a medium/large you'll have a choice between 0-10 items in store, its pot luck, i went twice in the space of a week (it was en-route) and only picked up 2 large jerseys, one of which they had literally just put on the shelf, the discounts are as per end of season sale approx 50% on most items,
its only 40 miles though, I've been a lot further for a lot less
when i went there was lots of country jerseys, lightweight jerseys, a bit of rapha cross, lots of socks, lots of belts, lots of team sky stuff, rapha condor kit, some ex team kit i.e. skin suits with riders names in, decent selection of bib shorts, white GT shoes, bit of city stuff, lots of womens gear - essentially stuff that doesn't sell as well as some of the other bits
thinking of paying them a visit on the way down to Devon this year.
Long Rapha hating thread on here the other day about it.
If you want to see if they have any stock in your size at reduced prices, or to complain that they don't, or want to complain that it is still not cheap enough, it is apparently the place to go.
My thread from last Friday:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-rapha-outlet-store
Shout if you have any q's.
I can be there in a few minutes on foot !!
My thread was intended to be helpful but it was derailed, as sometimes happens on here.
MrChrispy - I'm in the same boat. I'm thinking of popping in on the way down to Croyde in August.
Hopefully as I'm a more STW XL/XXL in Rapha I can find a few pairs of bibs and a lightweight top.
My son wanted some bibs, bought some longs which are fleecy lined. Really nice fabric and they're incredibly lightweight. £90, reduced from £120. Ideal for that Autumn chill but without being bulky.
thinking of paying them a visit on the way down to Devon this year.
i did the same,
came from up north, i don't think there is a quick way though, ended up going through bristol then out to Shepton Mallet, seemed to take ages as its a twisty winding A road with lots of slow HGV traffic
My son wanted some bibs, bought some longs which are fleecy lined. Really nice fabric and they're incredibly lightweight. £90, reduced from £120. Ideal for that Autumn chill but without being bulky.
I've got some 3/4 cross ones thats a roubaix lined, all i needed through winter, toasty
I live a few miles away and have called in there several times, so far I've only brought one jacket, I'm a medium and often not much choice in my size especially in regular things like jerseys and bib shorts.
There are some good reductions unfortunately not often on stuff in my size or it's on Team Sky stuff that I don't want to buy.
I'd say call in if your passing but wouldn't make a special trip, it's also better mid week as can be annoyingly busy on the weekend.
I've been in once in late May, picked up a medium orange hardshell for £130 and a pair of half price jerseys for the girlfriend. Medium kit was in short supply for men beyond the waterproofs, some jerseys and a fair bit of sky kit. They're super friendly in the shop and if you give them a call they'll give you an idea if they have a specific item in your size but it did appear to depend on the deliveries they had recently as to what sizes were left.
When i went in there was a load of sky kit, and then maybe two other jerseys in Large, rest of the mens jerseys were all massive or mostly small. Even the socks were nearly all small/medium, had a proper rummage and round 2 pairs over size 8! Shorts/tights i seem to remember had most sizes but seemed to be less well discounted.
Lots of hats though, the wintery ones are really nice and £20-25 iirc.
When I went there a couple of months ago there was tons of winter stuff in large and extra large which was just what I was after. A lot of it was less than half price.
I suppose you just have to take a chance on what they have in.
I wouldn't make a trip there specially, but if you just happen to be passing its worth a look.
And the shop staff are super friendly.
So I think we've established that a Rapha outlet store is much like any other, popular stuff in popular sizes, just like bikes, sells quickly.
Any idea if they have stuff like the sprinter's jeans and touring shorts?
There were some non-lycra trousers and would assume that they're for casual wear. Intrigued by sprinter's jeans, what on earth are they?
Just to say it's not worth an 80 mile round trip unless you can justify it by taking your bike too and/or are in the vicinity. As I've stated I wasn't impressed with the very few other shops, plenty of tat. Kitchen shop was nice and it was a deli cum food shop too.
There's a retail park in SM so I popped into Aldi.
Intrigued by sprinter's jeans, what on earth are they?
Cut for people with bigger thighs (it just so happens I'm fat generally rather than having a sprinter's build :p )
Sprinters Jeans - They didn't have any when I popped in but that was about 6 weeks ago i think, they had some team sky jeans in the slim cut at 50% off but only in very small sizes. They do apparently get them in as i know a chap who picked a pair up but he is skinny and not very tall.
Visited today. All sorts of sizes - bibs, bib longs, jackets, jerseys, casual stuff.
I ended up with a pair of winter longs, transfer jacket, merino jumper and a t-shirt.