Im a big, big fan of Rapha gear, both mtb and road. I very nearly took the plunge yesterday on their Gore tex rain jacket..but at (an already extortionate) £310 i really couldnt justify it even with a discount that i get, so didnt bother with the way things are going. Looking today, same jacket..now £370. The cargo winter tights, yesterday £250 or so, today £310. Everything else i can see, 20-30% increase. I mean seriously, WTAF is going on? Are they intending to go bust or are they simply very very very greedy?
Im despairing of the cycling industry in recent times. Is it just me??

Did they not have 20 or 25% off everything over the weekend? And it has now adjusted back to ‘normal’ prices? Only ever buy things in the sale anyway 🙂

Either that or their Black Friday sale ended

Are they intending to go bust or are they simply very very very greedy?

Nope.
Just relying on the rich & gullible.

They did – those were the prices before the Black Friday discount. Except for the jacket which wasnt in Black Friday anyway. Just sheer greed really.

Are you sure you are not looking at Dollar prices?

Cargo winter tights £260 in my browser…

End of their Black Friday sale, prices back to normal.

There’s an archive sale on at the moment at their Manchester store if you can get there. Sign up on their social media – if you go to their bio on Instagram, there’s a link to get a free ticket to the archive sale which I think is on until Friday.

In person only.

Other brands are available.

Sounds like you have champagne tastes on a lemonade budget…

You’re getting to see the nasty effects of inflation now, plus the fall in the value of the pound. £350 quid doesn’t sound especially out of line for a premium goretex jacket, Ive just compared it to a bunch of similar

Classic GoreTex Winter Jacket £290

Simple solution, if you don’t like Rapha don’t buy it. Why all this angst

Yeah, really, why bother?
Honestly, it’s clothing to ride your bike in. Some works better than others, for sure. Some looks better than others, which is subjective.But really, the difference between Decathlon and Rapha is nowhere near as big as the price differential would make you think.

Rapha stuff half price in ‘Sportspursuit’ sales right now too. It’s terrible looking (IMO) but it might float your boat without sinking your bank balance?

Sportspursuit

Got a mate who rides bikes – road mainly but gives mountain biking a go, he has a few rapha bits of kit bought in sales but says he hates mountain biking in crowded places as he says a lot of people aren’t too friendly when he is in his rapha kit.

I’ve told him to stop being so paranoid and people will just not like the look of his face!

If you can afford it and it works for you then go for it, otherwise, as said by someone else here, there are other options available.

Isn’t my cup of tea as the price puts me off but it does seem nicely made kit.

DickBarton
Full Member
Got a mate who rides bikes – road mainly but gives mountain biking a go, he has a few rapha bits of kit bought in sales but says he hates mountain biking in crowded places as he says a lot of people aren’t too friendly when he is in his rapha kit.

It’s like driving an Audi or BMW.
It appeals and is marketed to those who like to define themselves by what they own, rather than what they do.

Shakedry is being discontinued, so buy it while you can…

I think most cycling kit is quite pricey these days! Pretty much on par with most brands. Rapha do have some decent kit though, I’ve bought a couple of things in sales and it’s all been excellent. Though when you buy a pair of trail shorts for £40 and they supposedly retail for £100+ you do wonder what the mark up is…

Not got much Rapha stuff but what I have used has been spot on…maybe only the cheaper Core bibs that didn’t last too long, little over a year before being assigned to turbo duties.

I don’t mind paying a premium for decent kit that will see plenty of use.

Plenty out there charging premium prices for average clobber.

They stopped my favourite bib 3/4s. Bought the last pair for £120. And two indoor sleeveless T shirts for £20 each. For premium stuff I buy my club kit, but the Rapha shorts are very good.

I also bought a festive 500 jersey in the sale to sew on the patches (after I’d ridden it not before and that made the price a little more palatable). No more patches 🙁

People who pay rrp for Santa Cruz bikes and Maxxis tyres need something to differentiate themselves from the rest of the rabble. They can’t just ride around looking like they raided the sales bin at TK Maxx and Decathlon.

I hope no one slagging off Rapha prices rides a £5k when a £1k would do. 🤣

I’ve bought a few bits in sales or second hand off ebay. It’s (mostly) well thought out, great quality and durable. I’ve a couple of tops still going strong after 10 years. And I quite like the subtle styling, though some of their stuff can be a bit “Look at me!”

I’m sure some of the hate is based on money envy as much as dislike of people flaunting their wealth. See also Audis and BMW

Showing as £310 for the Insulated Gortex Jacket and £260 for the Cargo Bib Tights? Same price as always?
Riding road a lot I have to admit I buy most of my gear from them.

Lol rapha is far from the most expensive nowadays, actually competitively priced if you look at similar RRP.

What I find odd is people who drop 4k on a bike then spend under 100 on kit from decathlon

Or turn up at cafes on 4k bikes on a Sunday morning and moan about the price of the coffee.

Sounds like you have champagne tastes on a lemonade budget…

But as it’s not from the Champagne region of France, it’s only really a sparkling faux champagne, the overpriced Cava of cycling kit if you will. Or maybe Prosecco…

Or turn up at cafes on 4k bikes on a Sunday morning and moan about the price of the coffee.

Or park their 60k T6 laden with 20k of bikes, just outside the trail centre car park which is ‘too expensive’.

Or park their 60k T6 laden with 20k of bikes, just outside the trail centre car park which is ‘too expensive’.

Or turn up to a cross race in their 60k T6 laden with £10k of bikes and loudly express their outrage at the idea of a £1 donation to a teenage cancer charity in support of one of the junior riders racing despite a brain tumour.

Never a problem for the guys in shitty Corsas, who will throw in a fiver if they have no change, or come running back with a pound coin after they’ve got change from the barista van.

MAAP also have a sale on.

https://maap.cc/uk/products/ascend-pro-rain-jacket-desert

There does seem to be a bit of a boom on expensive top end cycle wear over the last few years.

I bought a Rapha Trail jersey and although looks great and fits well, it doesn’t perform as well as my cheaper DHB jerseys.

🤷‍♂️

As others said, other good brands are available.

Rapha rage, an intrinsic part of digital cycling since – googles – er, 2004 🙂

ps: traditionally someone needs to pop up and claim that their Aldi shorts are every bit as good and only cost a fiver.

Just relying on the rich & gullible.

It appeals and is marketed to those who like to define themselves by what they own, rather than what they do.

Totally pointless comments that just smack of jealousy and bitterness. We should all be wearing tolstovkas comrades!

I have a mix of riding gear, including 20 year old Campag bibs that really should go in the bin, Endura, Nike (liner shorts), and more recently some Le Col and Rapha. All either gifts or bought in the sales. Le Col and Rapha prices are eye watering but I have to say they are the most comfortable and well made that I’ve owned. I used to sneer at people wearing Rapha and make pointless comments like those above, but actually if I had the money I’d buy a lot more of it.

Are they intending to go bust or are they simply very very very greedy?

They’re far from the most expensive now, Mapp, La Passione, Cafe du Cyclist etc – loads of brands are more expensive.

i have a Rapha hoodie… which i bought in the sale. Thats where my Rapha wardrobe starts and finishes.

I would like more of their gear, but i am not willing to pay the prices. Always look at the sale stuff, but again, its usually outside of what i am comfortable with spending or what i perceive to be good VFM.

The mark up is undoubtably high, but thats how you keep your brand exclusive and lusted after. And as stated by others, you know someone has a few quid if they are head to toe in the gear. That is (oddly) important to some folk. Status symbols, will waving, virtue signalling etc.

But by all accounts, i dont often read bad reviews or real world feedback about the stuff. Plus they will do their best to fix any damaged garments and give you a discount if you need to size down due to weight loss etc. So not all bad.

+ beihler, velochio, even good old Assos, patagonia

There does seem to be a bit of a boom on expensive top end cycle wear over the last few years.

Arguably a lot of that is because of Rapha. When they came onto the scene everyone was like “HOW much?!” because most if what you could buy was basic Altura/Endura type stuff or roadie-style tops (or your own cycle club kit) and they really did shake the market up. There were a few companies who tried to copy them in the early days (most with very limited success) until eventually brands like Assos caught up and new ones like Pas Normal Studios, Mapp etc managed to get a foothold.

Now, Rapha are priced relatively upper mid range compared to some brands and kit you can get.

Have one short sleeve top that I bought just because of the colour (it was one of the Lost Legion ones) and it does feel a wee bit more premium than my usual Sportful/Morvelo tops, maybe just the waist and sleeve construction which is good and grippy.

Had some core bibshorts which for the price were easily the nicest fabric and cut I’ve ever worn, just didn’t get on with the pad sadly. When I damaged them on a ride (later discovered they’d been snagging on a stray but of seatpack velcro) Rapha replaced them free of charge, no quibbles, which makes the upfront costs a bit more palatable.

Not my go-to brand but I’m less judgemental about the price and image than I used to be 😎

All those sponsored athletes and fancy marketing costs money. Thats what you’re paying for. I’ve a few Rapha items mainly because they’re one of the few brands that sell male clothing in hi-viz pink which is great for visibility on the roads.

Well I think Rapha is a fantastic company. Considering they only started in 2004 they ought to be commended for what they have achieved as a buisness. Castelli is 100 years older(!) and the Rapha brand is now just as strong, (stronger in the UK probably) and the kit is just as good, if not better in places. No, I wouldn’t buy a 300 quid jacket, but if people will then why on earth wouldn’t you sell it to them?! Live and let live…

Totally pointless comments that just smack of jealousy and bitterness. We should all be wearing tolstovkas comrades!

More that people have sympathy for people struggling to cope when their monthly food shop went up from £300 to £400*, very little sympathy for middle class cyclists moaning that their jacket has gone up from £300 to £400.

Let’s face it, the inflation on food and heating has been a lot more than that Rapha Jacket, and the jacket you really won’t notice if you don’t buy it.

Am I a dirtbag for getting the £36 womens all day leggings?