Rapha Tart

turkeytickler
turkeytickler Posts: 640
edited February 2008 in Workshop
I used to think Rapha kit was overpriced tosh for people with more money than sense.

Then I got a Fixed T for Christmas and Ive been living in it ever since ... i love it...

Now I keep being drawn towards their website.... been browsing around for a softshell for the spring, £40 seems about average .... but then theres this lovely light rahpa softshell for only £130.... and Im seriously considering it.....

Am I going mad? Is it already too late? Can someone please help me? Before l know it I will be paying out £100s for gloves and hats.... my home will be repossessed..... :shock:
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Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Beats the bloaters you see wearing Assos kit these days! Seeing as cycling is the new 'golf' walking into a shop and buying a head-to-toe outfit is a dead-cert sign of a noob with more money than sense!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • portuguese mike
    portuguese mike Posts: 695
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Beats the bloaters you see wearing Assos kit these days! Seeing as cycling is the new 'golf' walking into a shop and buying a head-to-toe outfit is a dead-cert sign of a noob with more money than sense!

    i resent that - i may have more money (well my on credit card anyway) than sense and i may be a bit of a 'bloater' (a touch of 'holiday weight' shall we say) but i am not a 'noob' :wink:
    pm
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    TBH, the Assos kit is so bikie, I doubt a noob (just learned the word, so I'll say it again) NOOB, would get a full kit straight off....it's an acquired taste....
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    I doubt you would mistake someone who wears Assos as a noob.

    Assos rules!!!!!!
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I am not a 'Noob' but only got my first Asso garment last year. I think my Airblock Jacket is the dogs and have enjoyed my winter training more because of it. More Assos purchases to come with summer bibs being next on the list for those long rides and sportives.
    Brian B.
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    giant mancp wrote:
    I doubt you would mistake someone who wears Assos as a noob.

    Assos rules!!!!!!

    ...the point I was making

    Brian B....get the F1 Mille shorts, or the Intermediate jacket next
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    I hadn't realised
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • yakk
    yakk Posts: 589
    Takes all sorts, but great that they all enjoy riding their bikes!
    Yak (Noob wanabee :wink: )
  • Lucky Luke
    Lucky Luke Posts: 402
    Don't want to appear thick but what's a noob by the way ?
    Luke
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Lucky Luke wrote:
    Don't want to appear thick but what's a noob by the way ?

    newbie
    A person new to a concept or game. This is often used in chat as an insult against other players in a game (ex: "You're such a fracking NOOB"), but can be used in the gentler form to relay your inexperience (ex: "Hi, I'm sorry, but I'ma newbie at this. Can you please help me?")
    I like bikes...

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  • grimpeur
    grimpeur Posts: 230
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    I would say people wearing Rapha are just as, if not more guilty of this that those wearing Assos. Besides at least if they're wearing Assos they're probably clothed in brighter colours, unlike the delightful black, charcoal, pink and biege of Rapha. Colours, I might add, that seem to have been purposefully chosen to make the rider blend, chameleon like, into the background when out training making them much less likely to be seen by traffic.
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    Assos has always been a sign of someone with money to spend. Nothing new there.
  • Lucky Luke
    Lucky Luke Posts: 402
    redddraggon wrote:
    Lucky Luke wrote:
    Don't want to appear thick but what's a noob by the way ?

    newbie
    A person new to a concept or game. This is often used in chat as an insult against other players in a game (ex: "You're such a fracking NOOB"), but can be used in the gentler form to relay your inexperience (ex: "Hi, I'm sorry, but I'ma newbie at this. Can you please help me?")


    Cheers for that reddragon , now I'll have to try to find out what "fracking" means :)
    Luke
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    grimpeur wrote:
    I would say people wearing Rapha are just as, if not more guilty of this that those wearing Assos. Besides at least if they're wearing Assos they're probably clothed in brighter colours, unlike the delightful black, charcoal, pink and biege of Rapha. Colours, I might add, that seem to have been purposefully chosen to make the rider blend, chameleon like, into the background when out training making them much less likely to be seen by traffic.
    So that's why I get run over all the time when wearing my Rapha kit.

    :roll:
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    turkeytickler wrote:
    I used to think Rapha kit was overpriced tosh for people with more money than sense.

    Then I got a Fixed T for Christmas and Ive been living in it ever since ... i love it...

    Now I keep being drawn towards their website.... been browsing around for a softshell for the spring, £40 seems about average .... but then theres this lovely light rahpa softshell for only £130.... and Im seriously considering it.....

    Am I going mad? Is it already too late? Can someone please help me? Before l know it I will be paying out £100s for gloves and hats.... my home will be repossessed..... :shock:
    It's good quality, well made kit in my experience. Their merino wool baselayers are the best I've had by some margin.

    Best get over there now btw - it's Sale time!.
  • IanTrcp
    IanTrcp Posts: 761
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    What's wrong with that Monty? It's not as though well-heeled cyclists are clogging up the roads is it? I can understand when hardcore surfers get irritated by "all the gear and no idea noobs" when there are 50 of them chasing the same wave on the best swell of the year, but cycling isn't like that. We're not really competing for use of a scarce resource are we?
  • mdg1157
    mdg1157 Posts: 222
    MMMM.......might fit the 'bloater' tag
    more money than sense.........definately not!!!
    NOOB?............??
    full Assos kit.......tick that box!!!!
    12 mile commute every day, 34 x 100km rides in the metric century a month challenge last year, average 6000 miles a year
    Do I still qualify as a NOOB??

    Just quality kit, worn daily over the winter.
  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    i have Assos airblock tights - they were great so bought the airblock jacket as well - fits well, keeps me warm and now in their 3rd winter, so not bad value. Sorry if some people fell intimidated by the size of my disposable income...
  • star_rover
    star_rover Posts: 318
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    Even funnier is that a lot of them are walking their bikes up said hills.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    I dunno about tarring people with this noob brush. I mean on the one hand I saw a very chubby bloke, head to toe in Assos (not a pretty sight) riding a brand new Cervelo in Richmond park the other day and I must admit I smirked a bit as did my training buddies. But then I ride a Pinarello Prince and am usually head to toe in Castelli kit and I don't consider myself a noob, I'm just lucky that as a single bloke with no kids I can afford to induldge a bit in my love of cycling and hey I don't even own a car! So really whats wrong with having nice kit as long as you actually use it and enjoy it then why not.

    Fatties in lycra though, it's not a good look.

    As for Assos, yeah it's great kit but I don't like the asthetics; screams Euro-gimp to me. I much prefer Castelli stuff and Rapha is just far too over priced.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    star_rover wrote:
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I'm afraid the full-Assos look these days is the dead-cert look of the guy that's walked into Condor or Sigma, dropped his gold card on a Trek Madone or suchlike and full Assos ensemble - Surrey Hills are full of them at the moment.

    Even funnier is that a lot of them are walking their bikes up said hills.

    And if you owned a bike shop or a bike shop paid your wages you'd be v.happy to see those customers.
    I have a large amount of Assos/Rapha kit. The Rapha base layers are supreme (cheaper than synthetic Assos) as are the kneewarmers. The Softshell (original not the new lightweight) is a supreme piece of kit. Assos tights,jkts and shorts are well made,comfortable and are designed to work together. You don't have to buy it and if you can hammer past the bling riders whilst wearing your Aldi shorts that's great too. You pays your money......
    M.Rushton
  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    if you have been reading the forums for a while, there seems to always be someone who posts the 'more money than sense' retort against either flashy bikes, high end group sets or pricey clothing (normally Assos and or Rapha) - not sure i get it myself. Cycling is a pretty cheap hobby, if you like cycling and bikes and have the dosh, then why not? Even if you flashed the Gold Card, bought a Record equiped bling bike and clothed yourself head to toe in Castelli/assos/rapha or whatever it's still way cheaper than being a member of a Golf club or buying a season ticket for premiership football. Sounds reverse snobbery to me.
  • Yorkman
    Yorkman Posts: 290
    juggler wrote:
    if you have been reading the forums for a while, there seems to always be someone who posts the 'more money than sense' retort against either flashy bikes, high end group sets or pricey clothing (normally Assos and or Rapha) - not sure i get it myself. Cycling is a pretty cheap hobby, if you like cycling and bikes and have the dosh, then why not? Even if you flashed the Gold Card, bought a Record equiped bling bike and clothed yourself head to toe in Castelli/assos/rapha or whatever it's still way cheaper than being a member of a Golf club or buying a season ticket for premiership football. Sounds reverse snobbery to me.

    My heart just sank reading that, my golf clubs are in the cupboard for the winter and I have a ST at Newcastle.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    juggler wrote:
    if you have been reading the forums for a while, there seems to always be someone who posts the 'more money than sense' retort against either flashy bikes, high end group sets or pricey clothing (normally Assos and or Rapha) - not sure i get it myself. Cycling is a pretty cheap hobby, if you like cycling and bikes and have the dosh, then why not? Even if you flashed the Gold Card, bought a Record equiped bling bike and clothed yourself head to toe in Castelli/assos/rapha or whatever it's still way cheaper than being a member of a Golf club or buying a season ticket for premiership football. Sounds reverse snobbery to me.

    You could get a season ticket for a lot less than the cost of just a Record groupset.
    I like bikes...

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  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    and you can afford cycling as well ;-)
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    star_rover wrote:
    Even funnier is that a lot of them are walking their bikes up said hills.

    I had the pleasure of walking up the 1 in 4 Cleeve Hill during last years Circuit of the Cotswolds. In full Assos kit no less! I've since realised that Assos is rubbish and have purchased a full Aldi kit to ensure this doesn't happen again this year :lol:
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    jash is right on the money (I've just said that in another post....) assos = euro-gimp - it's just too much for me - the 'style' the colours - too much

    I do however like the castelli stuff and I think that the rapha stuff is nice, but wonder if it is worth the money
  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    mmm ... yes there may be reason here somewhere after all. The 'all the gear no idea' motto may be true if you are seen pushing the bike up hill.... did that on the Dragon ride 'hill with no name' couple of year's back.....bit embarassing.... but fitted a compact for the next time
  • star_rover
    star_rover Posts: 318
    APIII wrote:
    star_rover wrote:
    Even funnier is that a lot of them are walking their bikes up said hills.

    I had the pleasure of walking up the 1 in 4 Cleeve Hill during last years Circuit of the Cotswolds. In full Assos kit no less! I've since realised that Assos is rubbish and have purchased a full Aldi kit to ensure this doesn't happen again this year :lol:

    And make sure you're on a MTB as well. :wink:

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