being from these shores.
The brand is. The clobber, not so much.
As above, all the Rapha kit I have is very nice, has lasted very well and these days, seems to be in line with everyone else’s nice kit.
I do think they were the driver behind nice kit at ++ pricing though, but as long as the kit is good, I’m fine with it.
Am I a dirtbag for getting the £36 womens all day leggings?
If you have to ask.....
And as stated by others, you know someone has a few quid if they are head to toe in the gear.
You also know they are several years out of date, most self respecting stylish cyclists wouldn't touch Rapha but prefer Pas Normal, Assos, Maap, Chpt3, 7mesh etc.
It's owned by Walmart, that's the final nail in the dead brand coffin.
As a point of comparison what’s the cheapest Goretex cycling jacket on the market – rrp , no funny discounted prices.
Cheapest Shake Dry jacket is Raphas.....
Totally pointless comments that just smack of jealousy and bitterness
Jealous, bitter? Why’s that then? Do you think I can’t afford it?
I prefer value for money over Chinese imported stuff.
Not all Rapha products are Chinese but a fair few are.
https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/stories/ktc-china
Anyway, if you can afford etc etc…….
Its outrageous, lets hope the government step in and do something for the poor middle class cyclists who are struggling with such harrowing price increases in top end leisure clothing.
I'm writing to my MP right now to see if she can get some emergency funding and to raise public awareness. I have suggested the local soup kitchen could go so we can make space and funding available for this.
If you're getting on a bit and blow your dough on exorbitant gear would that be 'will waving'?
surely 'will waiving'
Gore tex have now discontinued the ShakeDry fabric so this might have something to do with the price increase.
Have a few items that were bought half price...which is about right for what they're worth in my mind. When they get things right it makes the garments some of the best on the market, the classic winter jersey for instance. But, and it's a big but...the sizing across various fits across the range is all over the place - I have medium garments which are loose and larges which are skin tight, and that's just across core and classic, not racer cut pro. Got some classic shorts and they are very average even at 1/2th price, weirdly oversized diaperesque pad, fabric pills after a few rides - brands like Giordana make better shorts at half the outlay, and Assos are in a different league...
What Rapha get right though is the all important aesthetics for the new generation of rider whose core goal is to cultivate an edgy appearance on their Insta feed.
Those people saying how ironic it is when people are riding £5k bikes and wearing decathlon trousers.. you do realise that's because all their hard earned pennies went on their bikes? You could arguse that comparatively there's a greater difference between a £1k bike and a £5k bike than there is a £30 - £200 pair of trousers? And anyone who disagrees that there's not a noticeable difference between those two figures needs to go to specsavers!
My decathlon trousers have lasted one season before getting a hole in the bum from the mud grind. Won't be forking out that sort of money though, will just have to bide my time and wait for the summer season discounts and for the hole to get even bigger. I like the quality of rapha gear but thats beyond my wallet as currently paying for two new bikes! I love 7mesh stuff as well and mons royale and have a couple of chosen pieces but again try to only pick them up in sales etc.
They had a clearance no sorry an Archive sale I saw advertised on Facebook recently - surely that's the place to purchase their old stock sorry classic clothing, that they'll no longer make cos no one wanted to buy it.
....anyway, a 5k road bike for 2023 is an entry level Tiagra build. Talking of exchange rates and the strength of the 'great' british pound, have you seen some of the bike pricing for the coming 2023 models - for instance, Trek's good but ultimately mundane ploddy Domane is £7.5k for 105, £9.7K for Ultegra...top end, don't ask. Worlds gone mad, before long as this pricing inflates, riders will be leasing their rides on PCP deals... or shunning the capitalist dystopia bollx and fully embracing recycling the retro.
anyway, a 5k road bike for 2023 is an entry level Tiagra build
Not even close…
for instance, Trek’s good but ultimately mundane ploddy Domane is £7.5k for 105, £9.7K for Ultegra…top end, don’t ask
Yeah, but both those gruppos have gone to Di2, so you're not comparing old 105 with new 105 in function or cost. The issue is that there is a gap in the market where mechanical 105 used to sit.
….anyway, a 5k road bike for 2023 is an entry level Tiagra build.
Presumably a joke?
Worlds gone mad,
the world hasn't gone mad, the pounds gone bad. I bet if you look at their US pricing, it hasn't changed much year-over-year
Just out of interest, what I actually said was.....
It appeals and is marketed to those who like to define themselves by what they own, rather than what they do.
I didn’t say it was exclusively bought by that type of person.
An analogy;
I see loads of German Ego Chariots on my commute. Most are being driven sensibly. But when I do get cut up, pulled out on or nearly get sideswiped on a roundabout due to lack of indication, it's usually a posh German car. Or in the Ribble Valley, a Range Rover, which seems to be exclusively driven by areseholes.
….anyway, a 5k road bike for 2023 is an entry level Tiagra build. Talking of exchange rates and the strength of the ‘great’ british pound, have you seen some of the bike pricing for the coming 2023 models – for instance, Trek’s good but ultimately mundane ploddy Domane is £7.5k for 105, £9.7K for Ultegra…top end, don’t ask. Worlds gone mad, before long as this pricing inflates, riders will be leasing their rides on PCP deals… or shunning the capitalist dystopia bollx and fully embracing recycling the retro.
Trek website currently has 105 Domane pricing starting at £3400
Specialized Tarmac 105 much the same: £3,500.
Prices might go up at some point next year, but a 100% increase doesn’t seem likely.
Specialized Tarmac 105 much the same: £3,500.
Prices might go up at some point next year, but a 100% increase doesn’t seem likely.
Cube Attain SL is 105 at £1750.
Planet X Pro Carbon Sram Force AXS is 2.9k, buy that and you can go mental in the Rapha shop.....
Presumably a joke?
Alright, am prone to some mild exaggeration... had another look and it's not as bad as first thought down the range, just couldn't get over the sticker shock of a 7.5K 105 bike- am old enough to remember when that would have netted the rider a TDF level build, it's not that long ago...
Alright, am prone to some mild exaggeration… had another look and it’s not as bad as first thought down the range, just couldn’t get over the sticker shock of a 7.5K 105 bike- am old enough to remember when that would have netted the rider a TDF level build, it’s not that long ago…
Yeah, they have gone up a lot over the last few years, but, like I said, electronics and hydraulics have to be paid for. (And the Spesh fanboi tax.) My C'dale CAAD4 105, with Rolf wheels was just over £1k, but that was 23 years ago. 😀
shunning the capitalist dystopia bollx and fully embracing recycling the retro.
You've never looked at the price of [s] old top end shiny but actually crap and not as good as modern altus bike parts [/s] retro bike parts prices have you?
You’ve never looked at the price of old top end retro bike parts prices have you?
I've never needed to, my loft is full of boxes of the stuff. Take them out to give them a good lick every now and again, maybe to build something up for old times sake... maybe I should sell some stuff...
brands like Assos caught up
Surely Assos predate Rapha with the expensive gear?
I think that the difference is Assos is cycling gear, and Rapha has a big line in lifestyle bullshit.
think that the difference is Assos is cycling gear, and Rapha has a big line in lifestyle bullshit.
wasn’t the historical dislike of rapha because of their over stylized marketing, rather than the cost?
They had a clearance no sorry an Archive sale I saw advertised on Facebook recently – surely that’s the place to purchase their old stock sorry classic clothing, that they’ll no longer make cos no one wanted to buy it.
Sneer at it if you want but I got some clothing from the Archive Sale just this morning. Loads of stuff there at silly low prices - I doubt they'll be making any margin at all on it but it's better than it going to waste.
Hope you didn't get the dodgy version of the classic short, the one where they re-designed it in a strange way with the weirdest leg gripper known to man. I got mine with greatly hyped expectations, expecting sliding into them to be like having the buttocks gently caressed by the pillowy hands of angels, and came away mildly disappointed.
Personally I don't get the hate. There's loads of guys and girls I see on road bikes here in southern Manchester and there's a lot of Rapha, and honestly they look pretty good. It's well made, has decent colours and they look pretty pro. Then I look at myself and my riding buddies and we all look like we've staged an ambush at the sports rail at the local charity shop.
I have a few bits of Rapha kit that I love. If you prefer wearing Fox stuff, or whatever, fair enough. Bored of anyone caring any more. Wear what you want.
RRP are just there to hype the market and attract investors.
Most MTB stuff is lavishly overpriced, sometimes the cardinal sin of overpriced and dog shit quality to boot!
Aren't Rapha mostly just priced to sell to the money to burn "we like nice things" customers.
I'm lucky as I've bought a few of their tops and shorts and always sent them back as they just don't fit me. Tops are too short, but fit everywhere else or long enough but then loose in the wrong places. Tried some shorts and they didn't feel or fit well either. My money goes elsewhere.
What I find odd is people who drop 4k on a bike then spend under 100 on kit from decathlon
*waves*
6 grand bike and aldi kit! What do I win?
What do I win?
A few months bike tour around UK, Ireland, Belgium, France and Spain ...
I think that the difference is Assos is cycling gear, and Rapha has a big line in lifestyle bullshit.
Have you ever looked at the weird Assos product photography? It's like something out of a fetish catalogue, I think maybe they just have a slightly different variant of lifestyle BS... but hey, that's marketing for you.
6 grand bike and aldi kit! What do I win?
Bingo!! As per my earlier post 🙂
It will be interesting to see how the high end kit market does with inflation pushing up prices as general demand in the cycling industry slows down.
I’ve never tried Raphael kit as I worry there is a chance I will grow accustomed to it. In my ignorance I can marvel at how good mid range stuff from altura, endura and the shop own brands is these days!
wasn’t the historical dislike of rapha because of their over stylized marketing, rather than the cost?
I think it was because of the traditional knee jerk reaction to someone having more disposable income and doing with it as they pleased?
I started off buying cheaper gear and then found it lacking in comfort, design/durability and gradually bought more and more expensive stuff until I got as far as my first Rapha shorts - revelation in comfort so I bought a jersey - very nice also. Since then I decided that I can't be bothered trying and discarding cheaper stuff only to end up forking out anyway in the end. So I like Rapha, there are undoubtedly other manufacturers who make good gear but I haven't found them/don't know who they are so I just stick with what I know. I don't give two hoots what anyone else thinks about my choices. Rapha is quite distinctive though and often gets comments, "ooh nice top" etc. mainly from the ladies in my cycling group. The men don't notice/care what anyone wears - turn up with new tyres though and they all notice that!!!
Decathlon shorts and kit for me. Doesn't make you faster.
The engine is you...
wot Oceanskipper said, although I quite like Madison gear too.
I just bought some Rapha Trail shorts in the BF sale becuase they got great reviews and at the discounted prices weren’t any more expensive than any other premium brand. And are the right length.
They replace some Endura singletrack V1’s that have lasted me about 20 years until they caught on my saddle the other week and tore at the admittedly very thin seat area. I am getting the repaired at the local haberdashery anyway as a spare / worse weather pair.
The only other Rapha item I own is a wash bag which my wife bought me for Xmas once.
All my other kit is well reviewed stuff from various brands, I never buy at full price unless it’s Galibier, because their kit is so darn good and at a price whereby it feels like it’s on sale already.
wasn’t the historical dislike of rapha because of their over stylized marketing, rather than the cost?
Indeed.
The original marketing, with lots of grainy black and white photography and motivational messaging was clearly taking itself far too seriously to a degree that literally begged to have the piss taken out of it reflecting the superior nature of their product and was aimed squarely at absolute throbbers the more discerning and sophisticated individual who expected their attire to reflect the seriousness with which they embarked upon their chosen leisure activity and 'lifestyle choices'
The original marketing, with lots of grainy black and white photography and motivational messaging was clearly taking itself far too seriously to a degree that literally begged to have the piss taken out of it
Yep, there was a cracking parody site taking the piss out of Rapha's grainy monochrome marketing . Sadly it no longer exists, however...
https://web.archive.org/web/20110808171111/http://internationale.teamjva.com/
