Opinions on Rapha (Winter) Tights

I am the god of hell fire

Hi

First off yes I am a fashion victim

Im interested to hear from anyone who has either the Rapha Winter or Deep Winter tights

Opinions welcome on what temperatures each is usable in and if they both have any or no shower resistance

I dont want to buy an expensive pair of tights if they are only good at -7 and I also would like a bit of shower proofing riding at this time of year

Im currently using an ancient pair of unbranded Roubaix fleeced tights over my bibs that I cant buy any more - they are nice and toasty yet OK in the 1-9 degree range too and used to be shower proof but arent any more

Thanks in advance - and comments also welcome from anyone using Assos LL tights

Cheers

andyp

I picked up a pair in the sale for £50 and I've been impressed with them so far - they are warm in cold weather (i.e. around freezing) but not unbearably warm when it's milder (i.e. 10 degrees).

They've no shower proofing as far as I'm aware but in my experience wet legs aren't an issue and they retain warmth.

Berk Bonebonce

I am the god of hell fire wrote:

First off yes I am a fashion victim

You said it.

You know there are some really good clothing manufacturers out there that have had years of making kit for the best teams, like Etxe Ondo and Assos.

mrushton

The new ones (Deep Winter)are more wind/water resistant and both types are currently in the Rapha sale. You could try the Castelli Nanoflex tights which were reviewed recently on PezCycling. Assos of course and Endura biblongs are good and not madly priced. Oh and they all rip if you hit the deck hard but Assos will repair them if they can.

Lucky Douglas

I have the winter ones. They're good for under 10c -. They're not water proof but somehow that isn't a problem - never felt sodden or cold with them.

I'm sure other brands have a similar quality but i like the slightly understated look of SOME of Rapha range, Assos stuff is certainly good, but a similar price and a bit over ornate for me with all those little gold crosses and such. (I love Italy, but I'm not Italian)

Fashion victim? If you want it and your kids aren't going to go hungry then just get what you want. You're only here once!

bendertherobot

Lucky Douglas wrote:

I have the winter ones. They're good for under 10c -. They're not water proof but somehow that isn't a problem - never felt sodden or cold with them.

I'm sure other brands have a similar quality but i like the slightly understated look of SOME of Rapha range, Assos stuff is certainly good, but a similar price and a bit over ornate for me with all those little gold crosses and such. (I love Italy, but I'm not Italian)

Fashion victim? If you want it and your kids aren't going to go hungry then just get what you want. You're only here once!

Assos are Swiss.

And it's quite tricky to make black overstated

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/images ... 636100.jpg

Slightly more R&D than Rapha to justify the prices.

Monty Dog

I wouldn't consider Rapha to be in the same league as the likes of Assos or Castelli for fit or performance. Campagnolo kit is good too.

orbeaorca

Monty Dog wrote:

I wouldn't consider Rapha to be in the same league as the likes of Assos or Castelli for fit or performance. Campagnolo kit is good too.

It all comes down to personal opinions I know but I own a fair bit of Assos,Castelli and Rapha, they are all top notch. Would put them all in the same league.

Lucky Douglas

bendertherobot wrote:

Lucky Douglas wrote:

I have the winter ones. They're good for under 10c -. They're not water proof but somehow that isn't a problem - never felt sodden or cold with them.

I'm sure other brands have a similar quality but i like the slightly understated look of SOME of Rapha range, Assos stuff is certainly good, but a similar price and a bit over ornate for me with all those little gold crosses and such. (I love Italy, but I'm not Italian)

Fashion victim? If you want it and your kids aren't going to go hungry then just get what you want. You're only here once!

Assos are Swiss.

And it's quite tricky to make black overstated

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/images ... 636100.jpg

Slightly more R&D than Rapha to justify the prices.

They're made by a Swiss-owned company for sure, but to my eye its an Italian look - it's in the eye of the beholder but don't think there's such a thing as a Swiss cycling look. Here's some overstated black for you
http://www.assos.com/en/19/singleProduc ... 20&var=445

bendertherobot

Where are the little gold crosses? I have none on any of the Swiss Assos kit I own.

Hoopdriver

I too own a reasonable bit of both Assos and Rapha and would definitely put them in the same league; I prefer Assos for shorts, Rapha for jerseys (I'm not all that into the Captain Scarlett look of the Assos jerseys) But for performance they are both top notch.

cougie

£170 for tights. I crashed on ice last week and destroyed my decathlon tights - I'm wounded but I'd be really Ill if I'd spent that much on tights !

Luckily my rapha jacket was fine !

As for temps - it's very personal - some people are sturdier than others and surely it depends on your effort ?

ajb72

I have loads of Rapha kit and love it, but for bib tights to cover all the elements including some water resistance check out Gore Xenon SO bibtights.

This is my first winter in them but the fit is awesome, they have been spot on in anything from sub zero to 10 degrees but best of all they have a softshell type material construction so seem to shed mud and water.

Also consider whether you want bib tights with or without a pad - I prefer mine with a pad and the Gore's win here too.

Lucky Douglas

bendertherobot wrote:

Where are the little gold crosses? I have none on any of the Swiss Assos kit I own.

I stand corrected on the detail but not the wider point - I think it was this jacket that I tried on and dismissed on the grounds of the un-British zip puller :-) http://www.assos.com/en/19/singleProduc ... 8&prod=164

bendertherobot

Lucky Douglas wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Where are the little gold crosses? I have none on any of the Swiss Assos kit I own.

I stand corrected on the detail but not the wider point - I think it was this jacket that I tried on and dismissed on the grounds of the un-British zip puller :-) http://www.assos.com/en/19/singleProduc ... 8&prod=164

There are no gold crosses on that either. Thus correcting you on both the wider and narrower points.

Lucky Douglas

bendertherobot wrote:

Lucky Douglas wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Where are the little gold crosses? I have none on any of the Swiss Assos kit I own.

I stand corrected on the detail but not the wider point - I think it was this jacket that I tried on and dismissed on the grounds of the un-British zip puller :-) http://www.assos.com/en/19/singleProduc ... 8&prod=164

There are no gold crosses on that either. Thus correcting you on both the wider and narrower points.

The detail is that there's no little gold cross, but there is a little tinsley stylised sliver A which to my mind is just as tacky as a little gold cross, so I'm sticking with my wider opinion thanks.

northpole

Rapha make fab long and short sleeved tops - much prefer them to Assos for fit and comfort. For bib longs though, I reckon Assos are superb - I actually prefer their last generation kit to the current top line stuff and would suggest their sizing is not the same as their shorts - I need one size larger for the longs than the shorts (may be a Christmas break thing!!).

Peter