Do you think he likes Rapha?

The Greg

This guy really does need to get out more:

http://www.velodramatic.com/

:roll:

BigG67

GOOD GRIEFF!!! :shock:

I mean I like a little Rapha in my life but that's just rediculous.

I thought it was just his "big" weekend rides but it's EVERY commute as well....with photos.....and totally different kit each time.....

.... though Juli IS rather cute....

andy_wrx

The photography is stunning...

...just a shame he's not a better looking model

The Greg

In one of the photo's he's even wearing the £50 Rapha scarf.

I thought it was a simply a myth that Rapha had sold one.

biondino

And yet he's riding a Specialized - like taking Iceland sharing platters to a silver service dinner date.

The Greg

He appears to have gone so far as to design (and manufacture?) his own tear-drop bike helmet and put Rapha branding on it.

At first I thought it was a p1ss-take but he appears to be the real deal.

Doesn't one always go for a long ride with one's copy of the Roleur Annual tucked into the rear pocket for those Power Bar 'quiet moments'.

keef66

I think the Spesh's a rented track bike

LangerDan

Zoiks. He's spent over $2,400 on Rapha clothing!

"Reluctantly I pulled myself away from the project"

I'll bet you did, but be careful. With all that pulling yourself, you may need some Rapha prescription monocles.


Photography is nice, though

giant_man

biondino wrote:

And yet he's riding a Specialized - like taking Iceland sharing platters to a silver service dinner date.

SnotRockets

What a tit.
Must geta few pixx of meself in me Aldi/Lidl stuff

chriskempton

Absolute ars*hole!!! :P I'd never buy anything by Rapha regardless of how good it is because this boll**ks is just embarassing.

Actually worse than the Howies catalogue. How did they manage that???

cougie

The Greg wrote:

He appears to have gone so far as to design (and manufacture?) his own tear-drop bike helmet and put Rapha branding on it.

At first I thought it was a p1ss-take but he appears to be the real deal.

Doesn't one always go for a long ride with one's copy of the Roleur Annual tucked into the rear pocket for those Power Bar 'quiet moments'.

Tee hee hee - he must have a special Rapha pocket in his jersey for the Annual.
Lovely kit - but I cant wax lyrical about a top or shorts. If they are good - you dont notice them. My blog would be full of 'Twunty car driver tried to kill me' or 'soddin' headwinds'

The Greg

7 Days of Crapha

I rode in today wearing my '82 Duffle Jacket. I still love the way the smell of last night's Madras and resultant curry stain jump off the gray fabric and my "Bon Scott Rules OK" AC/DC t-shirt gives it a striking look from the front. By 2008 Rapha 'p0rn star not bike rider' standards my @rse is a little generous, but with my trusty Duffle Coat that's easily solved by folding the back end up into the jacket in the same manner as the Puffy Softshell that Scary Spice wore in the Wanabee video (there's no velcro retainer of course). I've detailed previously how this Jacket excelled at repelling beer after Barry tried to hug me after Milwall snuck another one past the keeper on the weekend but didn't breathe as well as I'd like so I ended up sweating like wh0re in church.

Much like Rapha, Primark addressed this with the superb second and current generation garment, which the kids in the know apparently refer to as a hoodie. Elsewhere in the line, Primark's designers have been working hard with dozens of subtle improvements in sequins, rinestones and seals (although I'm bvggered if I know what a seal is doing working for Primark). The slant of rear pockets means I can store my ciggies out of the rain and stash a couple of cans of wife beater for those really hot rides. The choice of fabrics. Refining the tailoring so that many of the pieces look just as classy off the bike as on - if only they could make my knicks in acid wash denim and a vent so that my plumber's crack can get some sun. All of this bodes well for the company if it decides to step sideways and produce more "lifestyle" wear, which I hope it will. The day that they start makin' jerseys in the 'muffin top' style for the gals will be a great day indeed.
I've exchanged several emails with Creative Director Desmond Beatingoff about bits and pieces and either the team is already working on a solution or they're prepared to listen. Continuous improvement is a popular phrase bandied about by companies. In truth most are just paying lip service to an idea they never truly embrace. Decathlon, on the other hand, seems to have this ideal woven into the very fabric of the company. It's a pretty skanky fabric (kinda' like something my granny used to wear and it smells of p1ss) but fabric nonetheless. Perhaps because they all ride choppers and they know the difference between those who ride for the exercise and being with friends and those who sit at home on a Saturday night and whack off to the Roleur Annual.

The fact that Anne Summers gets things right so often is rare these days and that's one of the reasons I collect the brand. It doesn't mean I like everything in the line. I don't own a pair of but-less leather chaps because those tassles just don't work for me. Desmond told me they've already got an updated latex version in the works which come complete with a chomois insert and a belt made from a 700 x23c innner tube. Maybe we'll see them in the spring.

And then there are the new 'HandShandy' riding gloves. Over the last 18 months I can only imagine how much energy has gone into these things. From the calluses on my hand after reading the latest Rapha catalogue the day I left those African goat skin gloves at the café I can assure you that there was much energy indeed. The mental image of that goat got me through. Last year Rapha's quality control rejected the lot and we never saw them for winter 2007. Those poor goats. Another winter getting felt up by lonely goat herders. Oh the humanity. This year the samples I tried on at Oregon Manifest were perfect, but my production pair don't quite measure up to the level of finish I saw in Portland. I think I need a lie down to compose myself.

I can't fault them for the way they function. Four fingers, one thumb - on each of them! Who'd have thought it was possible. Cripes those guys at Rapha are good. They certainly proved their worth on the cold, wet and windy day I attempted Highgate Hill with Chaz and Sid. It's just the chrome spikes on the knuckles could be less noticeable so I don't have to spend another night in the Kentish Town slammer getting read the Rubiyat of Omar Kayam by some bloke called Achmed who tried to attack me when I started talking to him about the goats. And though I suppose I could have sent them back, I'm sticking with them to see if this changes with repeated use... either way Achmed says he knows where I live.

Such is my belief in the people at Rapha that I'm willing to take one (occasionally, and not in a public school way) for the team. The way I look at it I'm making an investment in the brand that will pay stylish dividends in the year's ahead. That may sound strangely altruistic (I read that in a book you know), but it's actually quite selfish.

nicensleazy

Bloody hell, sad git!

gkerr4

i don't see the harm in it - he seems happy enough and he just spend $2400 with a UK firm - which is always to be be commended!

clearly the US market is important to Rapha and it would appear that they are doing well - this sort of stuff helps! - and remember, rapha sponsor a domestic racing team so that keeps our youngsters with racing progression - if we want that then I'm afraid we need to accept people being a little bit overpassionate about goods like rapha!

(I don't have any rapha products - but I would like some!)

fast as fupp

nathan barley on a roadbike!

what a fuppin weapon

downfader

Who cares, its his money.

That fire hydrant shot is unfortunate however, his nipples all hard and the hose adapter poking through between his legs.

mathi

This link has swung it for me , i will be buying Rapha instead of Assos 8)

heavymental

Classic "Ahhh, think I'll take a quick look at this small pamphlet while I rest my legs." Bet he takes the encyclopaedia brittanica to the loo with him.

STEFANOS4784

lol, wonder how much he spent, out of curiosity :?

jimmythecuckoo

mathi wrote:

This link has swung it for me , i will be buying Rapha instead of Assos 8)

The link doesn't work at our office... what the hell is on it?

heavymental

Basically. Some guy who loves Rapha a bit too much! Can you see the pic on my post a few mins ago? That sums it up!

STEFANOS4784

Heavymental wrote:

Basically. Some guy who loves Rapha a bit too much! Can you see the pic on my post a few mins ago? That sums it up!

Sums it up perfectly :roll:

The guy needs therapy

mrushton

It's actually a cycling w/site I think and some of the text talks about photo shoots. Anyway i's got us all on a Rapha love/hate fest so publicity achieved and I could quite easily go on their site and divest myself of £500+

Ash_

mrushton wrote:

I could quite easily go on their site and divest myself of £500+

Only buying a couple of things then?

spanielsson

I like the Rapha kit, I have two long sleeve jerseys and one of thier caps. It's the best kit I have. I'd like to own more of it to be honest. No silly bright colours, I'm not dressing like a member of the pro peloton or pretending to be Lance.

I used to ride motorbikes, there is the same kind of snobbery there too. The BMW Rallye suit as made popular by Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman are referred to as "twat suits" by the people who won't/can't justify owning one. Again, some of the best functional kit I've owned.........

Whats the difference between Mr Rapha only and Mr Campag only?!

mrushton

Ash_ wrote:

mrushton wrote:

I could quite easily go on their site and divest myself of £500+

Only buying a couple of things then?

Well if I went for the tweed jkt that would be almost £500

singlespeedexplosif

I really can't believe some of the comments on this thread. Whining on about how he's been buying some expensive kit. And yet nobody has picked up on the real crime here, which is that in the photo with the 'pamphlet' HE'S WEARING BAGGY SHORTS.

What is the world coming to?

chriskempton

spanielsson wrote:

I like the Rapha kit, I have two long sleeve jerseys and one of thier caps. It's the best kit I have. I'd like to own more of it to be honest. No silly bright colours, I'm not dressing like a member of the pro peloton or pretending to be Lance.

I used to ride motorbikes, there is the same kind of snobbery there too. The BMW Rallye suit as made popular by Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman are referred to as "fool suits" by the people who won't/can't justify owning one. Again, some of the best functional kit I've owned.........

Whats the difference between Mr Rapha only and Mr Campag only?!

Show us some Campag literature as cringey as this and I'm sure people will happily take the wee wee out of that as well.

The issue here is specifically the marketing, rather than the product. I can't say if Rapha kit is any good or not, but I can say that bizarre marketing like this puts me off. I feel that if I did go out and buy Rapha kit, I was condoning this sort of thing, and could even somehow see myself in those photos. Sat under that tree. Reading that copy of "Rouleur". In head to toe Rapha. Looking like a ****.

DaSy

chriskempton wrote:

The issue here is specifically the marketing, rather than the product. I can't say if Rapha kit is any good or not, but I can say that bizarre marketing like this puts me off. I feel that if I did go out and buy Rapha kit, I was condoning this sort of thing, and could even somehow see myself in those photos. Sat under that tree. Reading that copy of "Rouleur". In head to toe Rapha. Looking like a ****.

I think you're missing the fact that this is nothing to do with Rapha as a company, this is some dude who is a little too obssesed with Rapha kit, waxing lyrical about their stuff.

I reckon his plan is to bum some freebies off Rapha for being so loyal, probably get himself a free calendar like I did, after spending about the national debt of Bolivia on their gear.

So you can't blame Rapha for this dodgy marketing, just some madman on a Rapha spree, who to be fair takes a pretty good photo...

Tom Butcher

Can't see a problem either - it's probably a bit tongue in cheek - he enjoys what he does but realises it's a little bit eccentric - but what is life without a few characters. I think the mockery is a bit sad and perhaps the joke is on them rather than this guy.

And no I don't own any Rapha though I do have some Assos gloves and cap !