Just how crucial to road cycling is THE BRAND ?
Comments
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Raffles wrote:LegendLust wrote:Raffles wrote:There are pricy products out there in road cycling land that are no better than other products which cost dramatically less....................thats not opinion, its fact. Ive been driven nuts by riders "who just cant wear anything less than Assos" and its individuals like that which make me think just how crucial is branding in road cycling.
Ive observed some amazing riders who own real world bikes and ive seen mediocre cyclists who are full of it as they ride on their italian carbon steeds . Other riders watch in awe as plonker pat parades around on his italian whilst there are far superior cyclists on much cheaper equipment who would absolutely destroy him..........obviously branding is playing a part.
I would never ever hand over the asking prices that Assos, Rapha or Oakley charge as I just dont think the goods are worth it and I could get as good or better at much more realistic pricing levels . There are of course individuals who wouldnt blink handing over the money, so I guess that branding influences the decision to make those purchases.
Does branding play a substantial role or none at all in your decisions what to ride , wear, buy or be seen using ? If you were riding in a pack of Assos clad Pinarello Dogma 2 bike owners ......would it make you feel intimidated or any less of a rider because of it ?
Have you ever tried any of these 'brands' products that makes you think they're not worth it?
Of course I have, Ive tried Assos and Castelli.............preferred the Castelli and no way in gods earth would I pay what Assos were asking when Castelli were that good. Id take Castelli over Assos or Rapha in a heartbeat personally and be laughing all the way to the bank too.
My opening post is my opinion, your reply was condescending and patronising, just thought id let you know this.
Did you really care? I wouldntnt even replied to him, hes an asshole.
As for the question I suppose it does. I have a Scott. But I wouldnt even consider carrera coz its halfords. Halfords sell shít and therefore will not touch any brand associated with halfords. Generally I dont care what brand something is aslong as its quality.
And how do I make it so I only quote the last persons text, rather than the quoted persons quoted persons text aswell?0 -
Philly8mt wrote:Well I've been out on my bike tonight for an hour. Just on a local trading estate, I'm new, I wobble! I'd struggle to overtake a mobility scooter at the moment, yet alone some posh carbon flying machine.
Allez bike, Specialized shoes, B'twin bib shorts, Polaris jersey & Castelli jacket.
All purchased to do a job - not because of branding.
As for marginal gains .... Let's lose the two stone extra that I'm carrying first eh
Nothing wrong with a Polaris jersey. Good kit. I love mine.
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I'm not knocking it at all .. I'm just guessing that it wouldn't be put forward as a "premium brand"? I've found it more than satisfactory, it does the job.
In all honesty, since I took an interest in cycling and started looking at other peeps bikes and kit I can't really say I've been blown away by the "look" of anyone's kit because of brand or price. Perhaps (for me) its more about how it's assembled and coordinated, regardless of cost or branding.Still thinking of something clever to say!0 -
Philly8mt wrote:I'm not knocking it at all .. I'm just guessing that it wouldn't be put forward as a "premium brand"? I've found it more than satisfactory, it does the job.
In all honesty, since I took an interest in cycling and started looking at other peeps bikes and kit I can't really say I've been blown away by the "look" of anyone's kit because of brand or price. Perhaps (for me) its more about how it's assembled and coordinated, regardless of cost or branding.
+1
Getting the perfect coordinated euro cyclist look is incredibly hard. (especially since it involves being very skinny).0 -
I should have also included "fit for purpose" in that last post.
I'm far from skinny !!!!!!!
Still thinking of something clever to say!0 -
Islabikes, thats where the real snobbery is!
Mini Boden of the bike world 0 -
Raffles wrote:LegendLust wrote:Raffles wrote:There are pricy products out there in road cycling land that are no better than other products which cost dramatically less....................thats not opinion, its fact. Ive been driven nuts by riders "who just cant wear anything less than Assos" and its individuals like that which make me think just how crucial is branding in road cycling.
Ive observed some amazing riders who own real world bikes and ive seen mediocre cyclists who are full of it as they ride on their italian carbon steeds . Other riders watch in awe as plonker pat parades around on his italian whilst there are far superior cyclists on much cheaper equipment who would absolutely destroy him..........obviously branding is playing a part.
I would never ever hand over the asking prices that Assos, Rapha or Oakley charge as I just dont think the goods are worth it and I could get as good or better at much more realistic pricing levels . There are of course individuals who wouldnt blink handing over the money, so I guess that branding influences the decision to make those purchases.
Does branding play a substantial role or none at all in your decisions what to ride , wear, buy or be seen using ? If you were riding in a pack of Assos clad Pinarello Dogma 2 bike owners ......would it make you feel intimidated or any less of a rider because of it ?
Have you ever tried any of these 'brands' products that makes you think they're not worth it?
Of course I have, Ive tried Assos and Castelli.............preferred the Castelli and no way in gods earth would I pay what Assos were asking when Castelli were that good. Id take Castelli over Assos or Rapha in a heartbeat personally and be laughing all the way to the bank too.
I too prefer Castelli over Rapha and Assos (although there's not much in it), although I'm perplexed about laughing all the way to the bank as Body Paint 2 and Aero Race bibs (the ones I wear) are more expensive than almost all Assos and Rapha offerings...English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0 -
Grill wrote:
I too prefer Castelli over Rapha and Assos (although there's not much in it), although I'm perplexed about laughing all the way to the bank as Body Paint 2 and Aero Race bibs (the ones I wear) are more expensive than almost all Assos and Rapha offerings...
Its more a twisted dig at THE BRANDS than cost I think.
To be fair to the OP I do feel Assos and Rapha are a bit up their own, and so I can imagine some of its wearers are too.
Only have some Assos stuff (which I feel is very good quality) as I have had no exposure to buying Rapha.
I would not buy a 'cheap' bike, but I would wear anything from budget to embarrassingly expensive (cycling) clothing if I could either get it in a sale or just want to treat myself.0 -
Raffles wrote:Of course I have, Ive tried Assos and Castelli.............preferred the Castelli and no way in gods earth would I pay what Assos were asking when Castelli were that good. Id take Castelli over Assos or Rapha in a heartbeat personally and be laughing all the way to the bank
a) You've stated that you haven't tried Rapha so you have NO experince of the quality of their kit and therefore CANNOT include them in your rant. You just have a snobby attitude towards the company.
b) Of the three you've mentiond there's only about a tenner difference in price between the Castelli and Assos top of the range bib shorts. Rapha's Pro Team bibs (race proven by Rapha JLT and Team Sky) are the cheapest.
c) You're a muppet.0 -
Understood. I have yet to buy any of the aforementioned brands at full price, but I have paid RRP for some of my Endura stuff.
I hear you on the bike front, you just have to look at the inside of a cheap carbon headtube to see the difference.English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0 -
Btw, the new issue of Cyclist has a really good interview with Rapha boss Simon Mottram. Might open a few very shut eyes.0
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I like nice clobber and I have no doubt in my mind that i would wear Rapha but ..... Six yrs ago i was mortgage and child free and i had nothing to spend my money on, now I have 2 young children and a larger house to accommodate them, so i have children instead of Rapha. It is a shame really because i do like the stuff but the price of a Rapha jacket would probably kit me out for the summer.
Rapha has style but Assos can look awful, i see a bloke cycling out and about decked head to toe in white Assos kit and it just looks chav, it's almost comical but the icing on the cake is the bandana that graces his head from time to time.0 -
Would he look any less chavy if it were all white kit in another brand?
I would probably not wear an all white top or bottoms (and definitely not both) but like a fair bit of white in the mix when its really hot. It reflects heat and psychologically feels cooler/summer'y too.
The Assos advertising and some of those that wear may be up their own, but a lot of the kit is really nice imo.0 -
Carbonator wrote:Would he look any less chavy if it were all white kit in another brand?
I would probably not wear an all white top or bottoms (and definitely not both) but like a fair bit of white in the mix when its really hot. It reflects heat and psychologically feels cooler/summer'y too.
The Assos advertising and some of those that wear may be up their own, but a lot of the kit is really nice imo.
Fair point, but you're getting brand Assos thrown at you in black from top to toe, plus it probably doesn't help that it's winter and he does stand out in white.
Given the choice you'd go for Rapha, it's like a Paul Smith or D&G, both are expensive but........0 -
I think I would buy best for the most technical stuff if I could afford it new. I have an amazing winter jacket from Assos I bought 2nd hand. I would LOVE a good waterproof (Rapha) and a great pair of toasty waterproof roubaix winter tights (Assos perhaps)? For the rest of it, anything will do. Although I do love the Rapha mesh summer base layers. Shame it never really gets that hot here.0
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Bozman wrote:Rapha has style but Assos can look awful, i see a bloke cycling out and about decked head to toe in white Assos kit and it just looks chav, it's almost comical but the icing on the cake is the bandana that graces his head from time to time.
You're not up Cheshire way are you? That sounds like the legend that is Bhima - formerly of this parish.0 -
99% of posts on this site are about equipment / clothing. Very few posts are about the act of riding a bike. Brand is everything.
"Get what you pay for" only works in any useful sense if you attach value to a brand. It doesn't stack up when you look at the manufacturing costs and gross margins. A manufacturer thinks about pricing very carefully. The cost of manufacture, hence the quality, is only one of many variables.0 -
Pross wrote:Bozman wrote:Rapha has style but Assos can look awful, i see a bloke cycling out and about decked head to toe in white Assos kit and it just looks chav, it's almost comical but the icing on the cake is the bandana that graces his head from time to time.
You're not up Cheshire way are you? That sounds like the legend that is Bhima - formerly of this parish.
I'm Derbyshire but I tend to see him on the Draycott in the Clay/Utoxeter road, he's always on his own, seems extremely focused with a thousand yrd stare and he never wears a helmet.0 -
Bozman wrote:Pross wrote:Bozman wrote:Rapha has style but Assos can look awful, i see a bloke cycling out and about decked head to toe in white Assos kit and it just looks chav, it's almost comical but the icing on the cake is the bandana that graces his head from time to time.
You're not up Cheshire way are you? That sounds like the legend that is Bhima - formerly of this parish.
I'm Derbyshire but I tend to see him on the Draycott in the Clay/Utoxeter road, he's always on his own, seems extremely focused with a thousand yrd stare and he never wears a helmet.
If he's carrying koads if bananas that's him. He's a forum legend - apparently has ridiculous power levels and is a God on the Cat and Fiddle but can't perform in races. Do a forum search for Bhima to kearn more!0 -
Is this a thread about Jo, or Russell Brand? Can't stand either of them0
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'The Brand' is a weird one. I'm 'fairly' new to Road Cycling, which means I'd feel like I stick out like a sore thumb if I was kitted out in full Rapha / Assos whilst doing my average speed laps of Regents Park. Thats why I like dhb as a brand - performance is good, bike snobs look down on it, said bike snobs will die a little inside when they get dropped by someone in dhb whilst theyre struggling in their £££ kit.
Saying that, I live by 'a bad workman blames his tools'...0 -
you get what you pay for in my mind, i started with some cheap gear, then someone bought me a mavic jersey....way way nicer. a year later and the wife has bought me a raphia classic jersey and yes it is a lot of money but the jump in quality is substantial. the price i for anything is justified by many things..the quality of item, brand, how much disposable income you have. i couldn't afford to buy all rapha gear but will build t up over time.enigma esprit
cannondale caad8 tiagra 20120 -
Jwleggett wrote:Thats why I like dhb as a brand - performance is good, bike snobs look down on it, said bike snobs will die a little inside when they get dropped by someone in dhb whilst theyre struggling in their £££ kit.
Why do you feel they will "die a little inside"?
So are you telling me they scan what everyone in the group is wearing and then take that into account when falling off the back?
Not having a go at you personally Jwleggett, but it sounds like what anyone thinking that means is that they want them to die a little inside!0 -
Who exactly are these 'bike snobs'?
I like DHB too. I have just bought a 'Wisp' jacket to possibly put over my Assos jersey. Do I have multiple personalities?
Are people bike snobs (this is a genuine question) because they wear, say Assos, or because of how they act when wearing it?
I have no doubht some people act like cocks wearing Assos/Rapha, but people act like cocks anyway.
Most people will act no different when out wearing Assos/Rapha than if they went out wearing Castelli, but others will see 'THE BRANDS', see them as £££££££, get jealous, and have a moan.
People get jealous and lash out unreasonably. Lots of people say things based on what they can (or think they can) afford (to justify their situation), but would often change there mind if their situation changed.
I am old enough to have seen this happen in many different situations, so recognise the signs
People often talk a load of crap when ££££££ are involved!0 -
You are wrong if you subscribe to one brand is better than another, because the brand is irrelevant when you wear club kit. It is made by whoever and that's that. :-)
My club kit is the nicest kit I have used though - which is a bonus. :PYellow is the new Black.0 -
now`t wrong with dhb, i couldnt be happier with the aeron tour bibs i bought, talk about value for money !!2012 Cannondale CAAD 8 1050
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It's crucial to some and not to others (bit like cars and golf clubs).
Whether the top branded kit enhances performance or not is an interesting point. I tend to wear Altura and DHB tops and shorts. I'm tempted to buy a Rapha top just to see what all the fuss is about.
The only top (expensive) branded items I've bought are Oakley and Kask, mainly for comfort and build/design quality.
Off to watch Euro Sport cycling now to see how the Cannondale Pro Team perform.0 -
Where Rapha is concerned imo its 100% the brand, the new sky kit by them looks visually pretty cr@p in my opinion and if that design was by altura then there are plenty who wouldnt give it a 2nd look. It even goes as far as how "Rapha" is pronounced by some, the brand snob prounces it as "Raaaaw-pha" in an elongated way, whereas the not so up their own anus rider sees it as good ole "Raffa"
Im sure its well made stuff, but that design is something a 7 yr old could have done a better job with and some people are just so gullible and blinkered that its scary. IMO being well wedged up your own backside when it comes to road cycling will cost you a fortune when there are plenty of less self effacing brands and products that do the job as well or better and give value for money, and who cares a toss if some idiot is looking down their nose at them.2012 Cannondale CAAD 8 1050 -
As a new convert to two wheels this is all so sad!
I read the first 3-4 pages on this post and quickly lost interest and jumped to the most recent posts- and d'ya know what, the same arguments, same points, same insults and counter insults continue to repeat themselves - and we are over two months on!
As someone who is using this forum to learn about cycling, all I've learned so far is that the 'designer' brands are nothing special, not worth the money, brilliant, well made, look and feel great. While the budget brands are only for losers, fall apart the day after you buy them, sell in huge numbers, are really popular and are great value......
You can't all be right....or maybe you are!0
