[Closed] Fresh Goods Friday 586: digital thirst edition

good shout on the value riding pants

No no no to colourway.

Not that I'm complaining at all, but I get the feeling rapha have a very different idea of their (potential) customer's for that pack and pads to much of their kit. Compared with some of the competition they're actually quite reasonably priced.

Rapha knee pads!

Not only that they exist, but they feature on STW.

Everything that I knew to be true had to be questioned now - nothing can be taken for granted anymore. What is the world coming to?

I will have to go and lie down now.

Those Rockrider pants are great. I bought them for nettle/bramble season and have kept wearing them through the winter. A bit boil in the bag in September but better than getting impromptu bramble tattoos

What's the point of the 500 pants if the AM ones have waterproof panels?

What's the difference?

Not only that they exist, but they feature on STW.

Pinkbike reviewed them too, and really liked them 😲

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/review-raphas-trail-pants-and-knee-pads-are-impossibly-comfy.html?pbref=p

What’s the point of the 500 pants if the AM ones have waterproof panels?

What’s the difference?

Warmer, more waterproofing and 25% more expensive.

Pinkbike reviewed them too, and really liked them 😲

Phew, $180 so I guess £200 for the trews, my faith in rapha is restored.

I'm half tempted to go read the comments section but I'm worried I'll be disappointed.

Phew, $180 so I guess £200 for the trews, my faith in rapha is restored.

£130

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/mens-trail-pants/product/TPA01XXFMC

Well colour me surprised, a dollar RRP that's not somehow a lower number than it's sterling equivalent.

Still, £130 puts them at rather more than most which is much more normal pricing for rapha than the bum bag and pads which are about the same as most.

Can't say I'm likely to be in the market for the trousers (or the bum bag at that) but I'm intrigued by the pads for when mine need replacing.

Technically, the AM trews have 2 popper positions so they do have "some" waist adjustment. But I know where you are coming from - I had my local seamstress add belt loops for a fiver.

I like the unusual Kali helmet colours. ✌

I bought some ST 500s last year and have worn them all winter without, so far, having any bum wear issues. However I paid £40, they are now £50. Still reasonable but a big price hike when the AMs are the same price as last year.

Good shout Vincent G. I shall update the deets.

See if you can get the Osprey Savu included in your hip sack review.

Back in I think 2012/14 I had some dealings with Rapha with regards to supplying materials, chemical finishes, etc. They were a bunch of arrogant, know all pricks, who seemed to have little to no idea about product development from a performance perspective. If you bought some Rapha stuff back then I think you were either easily swayed by marketing or just really liked having a band round one arm like a 1930's German as the kit was bloody expensive but no where near the quality of Assos, Castelli, etc.
Before I went to see Rapha I read an interview with Simon Mottram where he was saying something like 'Rapha was about promoting cycling, it wasn't a clever way of making a profit'. Then the first time I went to Rapha's HQ I walked up the stairs into the office and greeting you is a huge screen that was showing everyone live sales data from around the world - TY v's LY, Actual v's Budget, etc, it looked like something you'd expect on Wall Street/Canary Wharf. Rapha would say that as a brand they understood road cycling and sold top quality products. The reality was that they were ruthlessly in pursuit of profits and that marketing and image was more important than product, performance, fun or sport.

That said though the new MTB stuff looks ok. Must be the Wallmart Waltons influence.

If you bought some Rapha stuff back then I think you were either easily swayed by marketing or just really liked having a band round one arm like a 1930’s German

Seriously?

I know some people don't like Rapha, but comparing those who do to Nazis really does say more about you than them......

The reality was that they were ruthlessly in pursuit of profits and that marketing and image was more important than product, performance, fun or sport.

If you don't turn a profit you don't survive - that's just basic economics, applies to every single company....

I dimly recall when the colour scheme for the whole web site (including the forum) changed to match the new issue of the magazine. I think the issue numbers may still have been in the single digits when that stopped though.

Back in I think 2012/14 I had some dealings with Rapha with regards to supplying materials, chemical finishes, etc.

You were supplying them for whatever it cost you, I assume?

haha

If you bought some Rapha stuff back then I think you were either easily swayed by marketing

“back then”…? ! 😂

I need everyone else in Britain to spend bazillions with Rapha (which may well only get you 2 bib shorts and a short sleeve top) because then with all that extra VAT that is paid to Rishi S, they may be able to reduce NI payments for normal people or reduce the tax on heating for the elderly.
(Though they'll probably just cut the taxes for the billionaires, again).

Meanwhile I'll be buying normally priced stuff.

Another Decathlon ST 500s wearer here - flipping marvellous in the cold and wet. Got a really nice high kidney covering back. Great to see Decathlon kit getting a more regular shout in.

I bought the Rockrider all mountain trousers last winter after positive forum comments.

The arse wore through in 3 months of winter riding - all with mudguards. 2 rides a week max. Disappointing.

Also, the fly flap is a right pain. The fly is too short and covered by the flap to use on its own, so its faffing with poppers (impossible with winter gloves) if like me frequent mid ride (or post pub) stops are required.

I fixed the worn bum panel with gaffa tape, went to pull it off to replace the other day, and the supposedly heavier duty fabric on the bum just ripped away. So now they are in the bin.

Otherwise they are OK for keeping spray off but offer no warmth.

You get what you pay for I guess.

I've got one of them there Rapha bags as a birthday present, although it's in black rather than dog poo brown. It's really good. I don't normally use bumbags - either jersey pockets or a Wingnut - but the Rapha gets used a lot more than other bumbags I've tried over the years, and more than the Wingnut. Normally I'd not look twice at Rapha stuff, being a massive cheapskate who rides in brambly woods), but I probably will now. I'm certainly guilty of a bit of inverse snobbery about 'em in the past, and I'm not alone.

[edit] as an example of my cheapskateness I bought the Decathlon trooosers last winter, but returned them after Mrs Udder passed more than one cutting comment about them. On the plus side, I just got some nice Giro equivalents in the sale, and they're even better for the same sort of price[/edit]

I have the Rockrider trail pants too, only thing is for taller riders the run v short when pedalling in them, mine ride upto my calves and make my friends laugh!

Having all the mag articles pop up on the front page and forum before getting the magazine is a bit like when you get a trailer for the film you're about to watch at the cinema.

Nice to have a physical mag, but a bit less anticipation of that first flick through, still in its wrapper at the moment 🙁