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/

I genuinely think my endurance bibs are better than my Rapha ones. I don’t get the majority on the hate though, especially as that gore Rex jacket wouldn’t buy a rear di2 mech. I suspect they looked at Arcteyx’s business model and went for it.

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.

Made me laugh 😂

I think I need brands like Rapha just to gently wean me off my obsession with trying to look like a European Pro road rider from about 10 years ago. Recent event photos have reminded me that pasty white chunky Scottish men with unshaven legs CANNOT replicate the look of the Euro peloton ☹️

Yeah, cast your eye over the average bunch of roadies, and mountain bikers and it’s clear who are the more aesthetically challenged. I don’t think there’s much that you can do about it though, I’ve got some expensive stuff from 7mesh and even some oft the new Rapha MTB gear, and I still look like I’m wearing last weeks bin bag after a couple of hours in the hills.

I was inspired to look at the Assos website and was probably pleased it’s lost it’s ‘Razzle’ aesthetic and looks a lot more modern (and even copies Rapha a little bit?)

From a clubmates extensive range of (quality) pisstaking clothing

https://www.desquaredstudios.com/product-page/mens-desquared-original-tee

Honestly the problem with Rapha is that it is ubiquitously good. Like – apart from the bum bag, there isn’t a product in the range that isn’t either a) better than any of the competition or b) at least as good.

And actually, its ubiquity means there is a lot of secondhand barely used stuff for sale, and they often have sales that bring it down to a very reasonable price. You’ll never find a MAAAAAAAAAAP jersey for much less than £80 secondhand. I just bought a pair of pro team bib shorts and a pro team aero jersey worn once on Vinted for £60.

Lastly; I’d rather ride a pub beater with tiagra wearing rapha than I would a brand new etap tarmac sl7 wearing planet x. Being comfortable is king.

Getting the Festive500 kit in Zwift for simply doing one event, WTH?

I slogged out my most intensive week to get that kit after 500Km in Xmas ’20! 🙁

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

We did our own version of the Rapha publicity scheme…

It’s like driving an Audi or BMW.

It’s not. Rapha will fix items which are broken. It’s expensive and well built. The other brands you mention are expensive.

I remember when F500 was just a lousy patch! Was properly training back then, we’d do it in imperial in the Basque hills! 2014 I think, I finished it in two rides. The bloke who clocked the most miles was in Florida iirc and was climbing something ridiculous like 2 metres elevation on every ride

Honestly the problem with Rapha is that it is ubiquitously good.

Is it though? Shorts being the most important thing for the committed cyclist, In my mind the clothing range is only as good as the performance of their best shorts, all the other stuff are just peripheries – a decent pair of bib shorts make the other stuff bearable even if the other stuff is quite average. Have put many miles in Rapha shorts, Classic and Pro, but over the too many decades I’ve been riding have also used the best from brands like Assos, Castelli, and underrated brands like Giordana and Gore. The Rapha shorts are a long way down the list of the best performing shorts this rider has ever owned, Assos being on another level, the Rapha’s are about on par with options costing half the retail value – they do however have a very effective aspirational marketing image…

In my experience, it’s really nice looking, plush feeling gear.

I buy it if I can afford it and it’s something I really want.

Most of the time I can get by with and actually like Endura kit so I mainly wear that off road and Castelli on road cos I know the sizing and the quality is decent.

Other brands are available. Buy those if you don’t like or can’t afford Rapha.

The Rapha shorts are a long way down the list of the best performing shorts this rider has ever owned, Assos being on another level, the Rapha’s are about on par with options costing half the retail value

I suppose it depends on the arse that’s going in them…

I have two pairs of the posh cargo bibs and a pair of the core cargo bibs too.

The posh ones are the comfiest I own, the core on a par with the Madison and Stolen Goat bibs I also have.

Not sure Assos do biffer sizing, but seeing as their pricing is on a par with Rapha, I’m not really willing to take the risk now I know the rapha works.

I remember when F500 was just a lousy patch!

And a really small one to boot!  I did it one year and the weather was abysmal, I did a century ride in the rain and dark that once I got home ended up with me curled up in the bath in agony trying to defrost my extremities.  I genuinely suffered for most of it but I was very pleased/proud to have completed it only for this **** tiny wee patch to appear in the post.  All felt a little Spinal Tap at that point.

Not sure Assos do biffer sizing, but seeing as their pricing is on a par with Rapha, I’m not really willing to take the risk now I know the rapha works.

Top end Assos leggings are another 50% on top of Rapha prices last time I looked.

Plus the Assos winter jacket is something like £600!

Not sure Assos do biffer sizing, but seeing as their pricing is on a par with Rapha, I’m not really willing to take the risk now I know the rapha works.

They do. I’ve tended towards Assos recently for bibs after feeling a little disappointed with a couple of Rapha purchases. Pad and materials definitely seem a step up. Plus always use the ‘official’ Assos arse butter.

Edit. I bought winter tights direct from Assos a month or so back at £130. I’m sure Rapha core are thereabouts?

Edit edit. See they’re £180 off sale now.

@wait4me I see the core winter tights with pad are £120 when I go to the website, core cargo at £135. Are you sure you are looking at the right ones?

sorry swdan, I was referring to the Assos tights I last bought-

https://www.assos.com/gb/mille-gt-winter-bib-tights-c2-11-14-242-18.html

OP – have you tried Galibier?

Very good quality, very good prices and – more importantly, for me – bib shorts in different leg lengths.

Winter jacket is very nice and seriously less expensive than Rapha

” Gore tex rain jacket..but at (an already extortionate) £310″

why go out in the rain in the first place??

I suppose it depends on the arse that’s going in them…

Yeah, sadly I will never buy Assos as I believe they use a floating pad? (Golden Gate is it?). I tried some Endura shorts with a floating pad and it just kept floating off to one side 😖

Stolen Goat shorts are made by Bioracer I believe, the Epics are probably the best £150 you’ll spend for a good compressive material and ‘all day’ pad. I got two pairs when Bioracer were selling them off half price 😎

why go out in the rain in the first place??

If you want to ride outdoors all year round (as I do for example) then going out in the rain is just something you do.
The only time I don’t ride is such as this morning where is it currently -6 which I count as too risky having fallen off a few times after hitting ‘invisible’ ice patches.