Rapha?

Theomerchant
Theomerchant Posts: 187
edited July 2011 in The bottom bracket
I really like the Rapha range of clothing and also what Rapha stand for but have heard on the cycling grapevine that its up there with Assos in the 'I'm better than you' range.

I know I shouldnt care what people think what i'm wearing when im cycling and I know it shouldnt really matter but c'mon if your spending £100+ on a jersey surely it matters what other people think?.

what are peoples views on 'brand name' cycle clothing?
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Comments

  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Wear what you want to wear, simple as that. If someone gets upset because of the lable on your clothing, then I think it's them that has the problem.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Depends what end of the financial, age, and, to a lesser extent, class spectrum you (and the people passing judgement) are coming from with regard to perception, and how you're perceived.
    _
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    I wear what fits and is comfortable. Which lands me in top end Mavic for jerseys/jackets and Giordana for bibs.

    I don't really mind what other people think of my choices and I'd respectfully suggest you should take a similar view. Have a try of the Rapha stuff; if it fits well then go for it, if it looks like you're tied up in a potato sack then try something else.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • One Man And His Bike
    One Man And His Bike Posts: 661
    Performance, fit and styling, in that order, what anyone else thinks about it I couldn't care less about.

    If the item in question does the job it is supposed to do, fits me well and I like the look of it and how I look in it, jobs a good 'un.
    http://www.onemanandhisbike.co.uk
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Aah, I remember the good old days when labels were on the inside of garments and told you how to wash them. Nobody gave a flying fcuk about who was wearing what.

    Fortunately I don't earn enough to be agonising over whether people will look down on me or up at me if I wear Rapha.

    By day I'm clad head to toe in M&S sale items, and on the bike I'm in DHB / Planet -X sale items. Thrifty yet functional I suppose.
  • 2Phat4Rapha
    2Phat4Rapha Posts: 238
    << :oops:
    I may be a minority of one but that doesn't prevent me from being right.
    http://www.dalynchi.com
  • OffTheBackAdam
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    A mug & their money are soon parted?
    It's not you that's won that £168m?
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    OffTheBackAdam wrote:
    A mug & their money are soon parted?
    It's not you that's won that £168m?

    What about the millions of mugs that bought a ticket and won nowt?

    To paraphrase, the lottery is a tax on the stupid.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • aloadofpants
    aloadofpants Posts: 30
    I own a rapha jersey and will buy more kit as and when they have a sale. Reasons why I like Rapha:

    1) Fit and cut are perfect for me.
    2) Design is unstated and very classic which I prefer over logos
    3) Same price as Assos but you get a free repair service with Rapha..
    4) My bike is a custom fitted steel steed and HTC High Road on a 50 year old will look silly
    5) I am vain, but understated vain
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    Theomerchant wrote:
    I really like... what Rapha stand for
    ?
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    aloadofpants wrote:
    3) Same price as Assos but you get a free repair service with Rapha..

    You get a free repair service with Assos
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    aloadofpants wrote:
    3) Same price as Assos but you get a free repair service with Rapha..

    You get a free repair service with Assos

    + 1 - and utterly fantastic after sales service (not that I know if the Rapaha after sales may not be any good - I've only used Assos' and its faultless).
  • McBain_v1
    McBain_v1 Posts: 5,237
    I've got plenty of Rapha tops and really like them: short sleeve jerseys, the winter jersey and the soft shell. I also have the Epic cap (good underneath a lid). I refuse to spring for the gloves, gilets or waterproofs as Gore do these so much better (another of my favourite brands).
    What do I ride? Now that's an Enigma!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    edited July 2011
    aloadofpants wrote:
    4) My bike is a custom fitted steel steed and HTC High Road on a 50 year old will look silly
    5) I am vain, but understated vain

    Do you actually believe that Rapha has a monopoly on quality non pro cycle style kit or are you just trying to convince yourself?!!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Theomerchant
    Theomerchant Posts: 187
    avoidingmyphd wrote:
    Theomerchant wrote:
    I really like... what Rapha stand for
    ?

    take a look at www.rapha.cc, watch some of the videos, especially the Rapha Continental video and you'll know what I mean!!.

    I really do like the styling and understatedness of rapha cycle wear, beats the hell of of cycling advertising board jerseys!*

    *ok in racing but on a sunday morning club run they look ridicoulous! IMO.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    I wear what makes me smile. Who cares about the others. Well made products are well made products, sometimes you pay more for a brand, but at the end of the day, the people hating are the ones who couldn't afford what you have in the first place. Hate is a by-product of jealousy.
    My London Road
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,079
    Rapha? http://internationale.teamjva.com/
  • gmb
    gmb Posts: 456
    I've noticed that in the last few years road cyclists have gone from being quite a snobby bunch when it comes to designer clothing and high end bike names to being extremely willing to try "no name" Chinese imports etc. where frames are bear carbon. (I'm one of these, having bought 50mm wheels from Carbonzone).

    Rapha seems to get a bit of a slating on many threads and IMHO seems to have a bit of a "all the gear - no idea" stigma attached to it. This is probably as a result of jealousy rather than anything else!

    I like Rapha clothing. I like the team and the affiliation with Condor cycles. The problem is that I can't afford any of this kit. But if I could I would!!

    I'm also of the opinion that team kit looks rubbish (except for Rock Racing of course, which upsets everyone for miles around!).

    I know it's not quite in the same league as Rapha and Assos but Shutt VR also make some very nice quality understated stuff.
    Trying Is The First Step Towards Failure

    De Rosa Milanino :-
    http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab78 ... -00148.jpg
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Topics like this make me want to buy Rapha.
    :D
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Theomerchant
    Theomerchant Posts: 187
    MattC59 wrote:
    Topics like this make me want to buy Rapha.
    :D

    'like'. Anybody would think I was working in the marketing dept for Rapha getting threads like this going :p.
  • chrishd883
    chrishd883 Posts: 159
    I like Rapha clothing - although I am finding less and less of it to my liking!
    Seems to be an over enthusiastic drive towards the "city gentleman" style of late.

    Found a very good alternative (on this forum) for jerseys - Torm clothing.
    Similar style to some of the Rapha items but lower prices without loss of quality.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I just sprung for a jersey (with arm warmers), a gilet, bibshorts gilet and leg warmers. I do feel flash. :D
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    did you get the 15% off? there was a survey where they give you a code to be used by 17/7
    M.Rushton
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    There is brand snobbery in pretty much every item you can guy, from baked beans to cars.

    If a £10 jersey functions the same as one at many times the price,why would you pay more unless you have money to burn. I don't mind spending money on reasonable quality but I set limits and shop around.

    Big name,bigger price, same function?
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    There is brand snobbery in pretty much every item you can guy, from baked beans to cars.

    If a £10 jersey functions the same as one at many times the price,why would you pay more unless you have money to burn. I don't mind spending money on reasonable quality but I set limits and shop around.

    Big name,bigger price, same function?

    One simple answer to that question is that you will find it hard to get a sportswool jersey for £10 so they don't function the same. That doesn't mean you have to buy Rapha but they will not be cheap.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    There is brand snobbery in pretty much every item you can buy, from baked beans to cars.

    If a £10 jersey functions the same as one at many times the price,why would you pay more unless you have money to burn. I don't mind spending money on reasonable quality but I set limits and shop around.

    Big name,bigger price, same function?
    Don't bring beans into this !! Heinz are best, full stop. There's no brand snobbery involved there !!

    If you can tell me where to find a £10 jersey that functions as well as the more expensive jerseys, I'd happily buy one, but generally they don't.[/b]
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    dmclite wrote:
    I just sprung for a jersey (with arm warmers), a gilet, bibshorts gilet and leg warmers. I do feel flash. :D

    That'll be expensive should you ever crash. :lol:
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    I notice Rapha are doing a free 30 day return offer on the bib shorts. What happens to any that are returned, they can't sell them as new. Even in a sale, surely they would have to tell you that the shorts have had someone elses meat & two in them. They must be very confident not many will come back. Seems like a cheeky way to have new shorts for a few weeks then send them back!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Aggieboy wrote:
    dmclite wrote:
    I just sprung for a jersey (with arm warmers), a gilet, bibshorts gilet and leg warmers. I do feel flash. :D

    That'll be expensive should you ever crash. :lol:

    I will not crash again.
    I will not crash again.
    I will not crash again.
    I will not crash again.
    I will not crash again.

    There, I've saod it, yep it would be a sad day to crash with my luvvly clobber on.... :wink:
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Aggieboy wrote:
    That'll be expensive should you ever crash. :lol:

    As metioned previosuly, Rapha, like Assos, offer a free crash repair service - so you can take those corners as hard as you like. :D

    Hmm...I wonder if they offer the free repair service because they know that fat wallet MAMIL's don't/can't ride on the line so are unlikely to fall off…? :wink:

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