Have Rapha finally disappeared up their own @rse?

thegreatdivide

Blah blah blah blah blah. Will this bollox ever stop? Same old posts trotted out pretty much every week. It's getting beyond dull.

ugo.santalucia

Poulidor used to take a bath in vinegar... :shock:

pinno

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Poulidor used to take a bath in vinegar... :shock:

Why?

ballysmate

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Poulidor used to take a bath in vinegar... :shock:

Perhaps his missus liked pickled walnuts?

mm1

Ballysmate wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Poulidor used to take a bath in vinegar... :shock:

Perhaps his missus liked pickled walnuts?

Coming soon (phnaar) Crapha pickled walnuts...because you're worth it.

rick_chasey

Yellow Peril wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

TheHound wrote:

It always seems that they're trying to con people into thinking they have some great Euro heritage,

I never got that sense at all - but then I know they're only a relatively new company. I appreciate that they're trying to make cycling & commuting cool (as perceived by a certain segment of the market) and that's fine with me. When I commuted in the Highlands, I'd never have dreamt of wearing Rapha, funnily enough, as it had too much of an "urban" image and, even today, you hardly ever seen it worn up there (Assos is still king of the heap). Rapha certainly draw on cycling heritage but that's cool too. The great thing about cycling is that it's still very accessible and inclusive - some of today's great riders came from pretty humble beginnings.

But this is exactly my concern with this "club"

But in a style more befitting an exclusive golf club than the traditionally egalitarian spirit of cycling, those applying for membership are warned: “In order to maintain the very highest levels of service, membership is limited. We regret that not all applications will be successful.”

I don't think that is in the spirit of cycling

It is however the spirit of a members club.

It's not like they ride roads exclusive to them so stop whining.

meanredspider

Yellow Peril wrote:

But this is exactly my concern with this "club"

But in a style more befitting an exclusive golf club than the traditionally egalitarian spirit of cycling, those applying for membership are warned: “In order to maintain the very highest levels of service, membership is limited. We regret that not all applications will be successful.”

I don't think that is in the spirit of cycling

As Rick says, it's a club. And it's the same in every aspect of cycling where there's limited availability like mass participation events like Ride London or Etape Caledonia (except there they do exclude you from the roads if you didn't get in).

Honestly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. You pays your money. Other cycling clubs are available.

Yellow Peril

Rick Chasey wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

TheHound wrote:

It always seems that they're trying to con people into thinking they have some great Euro heritage,

I never got that sense at all - but then I know they're only a relatively new company. I appreciate that they're trying to make cycling & commuting cool (as perceived by a certain segment of the market) and that's fine with me. When I commuted in the Highlands, I'd never have dreamt of wearing Rapha, funnily enough, as it had too much of an "urban" image and, even today, you hardly ever seen it worn up there (Assos is still king of the heap). Rapha certainly draw on cycling heritage but that's cool too. The great thing about cycling is that it's still very accessible and inclusive - some of today's great riders came from pretty humble beginnings.

But this is exactly my concern with this "club"

But in a style more befitting an exclusive golf club than the traditionally egalitarian spirit of cycling, those applying for membership are warned: “In order to maintain the very highest levels of service, membership is limited. We regret that not all applications will be successful.”

I don't think that is in the spirit of cycling

It is however the spirit of a members club.

It's not like they ride roads exclusive to them so stop whining.

Sorry Rick didn't mean to offend you. Feel free to flex your moderator muscle and issue me a warning or a ban. Perhaps a guidance list of subject matters acceptable to you for discussion might help.

rick_chasey

:roll:

alihisgreat

johngti wrote:

arran77 wrote:

£200 a year just to get 'free' coffee :shock:

Having been to the soho cafe once, your £200 will get you a couple of coffees and maybe a cake so long as you don't go for anything too big...

and the Coffee isn't even that good.

meanredspider wrote:

TheHound wrote:

It always seems that they're trying to con people into thinking they have some great Euro heritage,

I never got that sense at all - but then I know they're only a relatively new company. I appreciate that they're trying to make cycling & commuting cool (as perceived by a certain segment of the market) and that's fine with me. When I commuted in the Highlands, I'd never have dreamt of wearing Rapha, funnily enough, as it had too much of an "urban" image and, even today, you hardly ever seen it worn up there (Assos is still king of the heap). Rapha certainly draw on cycling heritage but that's cool too. The great thing about cycling is that it's still very accessible and inclusive - some of today's great riders came from pretty humble beginnings.

Cycling may be inclusive, but its not accessible.. lets take a min to think about how much all of the kit costs - it all adds up and you'd quickly hit £1k buying a beginners setup and that's just to get started!

Cycling is for those that can afford it, and so is Rapha.

I really don't see what the fuss is about this club, it seems more like a concierge service to me, and just like cycling.. its for those that can afford it.

robbo2011

Yellow Peril wrote:

In order to maintain the very highest levels of service, membership is limited. We regret that not all applications will be successful

this is just marketing BS to maintain an air of exclusivity to the whole thing. makes the whole thing seem aspirational.

pottssteve

robbo2011 wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

In order to maintain the very highest levels of service, membership is limited. We regret that not all applications will be successful

this is just marketing BS to maintain an air of exclusivity to the whole thing. makes the whole thing seem aspirational.

You'll be in if you have a Swiss bank account!

cal_stewart

Don't think it's that over priced compared to say a gym membership and it is London. If I worked near the cafe I'd join just for the coffee. I'd also only wear castelli for the rides. Wonder if anyone would get the hump

meanredspider

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

it all adds up and you'd quickly hit £1k buying a beginners setup and that's just to get started!

It's easy to spend a grand but by no means necessary - an old but loved secondhand bike from the classifieds and you're off. If you want some kit, raid Lidl when they're doing it. If you want to be competitive, that's different, but to get started is easy.

I started commuting on a £90 Costco BSO (some years ago). When I finally splashed out £350 for a better bike in the sales some months later, I blitzed past the guy from the bike shop so fit was I from powering some 20kg lump and trying to keep up with my brother on an OCLV Trek.

robbo2011

pottssteve wrote:

You'll be in if you have a Swiss bank account!

yeah, I guess so. You need a Swiss bank account to be able to afford the stuff...

awavey

Cal_Stewart wrote:

Don't think it's that over priced compared to say a gym membership and it is London. If I worked near the cafe I'd join just for the coffee. I'd also only wear castelli for the rides. Wonder if anyone would get the hump

well if its like my nearest local cycling club theyll bump you off the ride for not following the dress code rules :roll: ie if you are a member you have to buy their kit and wear it on all club rides, even if its just a lazy sunday morning cafe run. strangely not appealing as a reason to join.

meanredspider

awavey wrote:

well if its like my nearest local cycling club theyll bump you off the ride for not following the dress code rules :roll: ie if you are a member you have to buy their kit and wear it on all club rides, even if its just a lazy sunday morning cafe run. strangely not appealing as a reason to join.

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

cal_stewart

I also think it's one of there better value products

robbo2011

meanredspider wrote:

awavey wrote:

well if its like my nearest local cycling club theyll bump you off the ride for not following the dress code rules :roll: ie if you are a member you have to buy their kit and wear it on all club rides, even if its just a lazy sunday morning cafe run. strangely not appealing as a reason to join.

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

Easpecially as a lot of club kit will be of lower quality than the kit you already have in the wardrobe and would much rather be wearing

itboffin

Cal_Stewart wrote:

Don't think it's that over priced compared to say a gym membership and it is London. If I worked near the cafe I'd join just for the coffee. I'd also only wear castelli for the rides. Wonder if anyone would get the hump

I wore head to toe castelli on this years rapha of the north including my gabba

imposter2.0

meanredspider wrote:

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

I don't think anybody insists on it...

meanredspider

Imposter wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

I don't think anybody insists on it...

You mean to say the groups of club riders I see head to foot in (pretty much exactly) the same gear do it voluntarily? :shock: It's worse than I thought!

on-yer-bike

meanredspider wrote:

Imposter wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

I don't think anybody insists on it...

You mean to say the groups of club riders I see head to foot in (pretty much exactly) the same gear do it voluntarily? :shock: It's worse than I thought!

Of course they do

on-yer-bike

My thread asking if anybody has joined and asking what the kit was like has been closed by a mod. He said this thread was on the same subject but I can not find the answer to these questions. Has anybody joined and got the kit or are they too embarrassed to admit it?

meanredspider

on-yer-bike wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Imposter wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

That's an interesting point. I've never been a member of a cycling club but I've always thought how stupid it is that they dress up in club kit for a training ride - I've never quite got the point. Other sports clubs I've been a member of have never insisted on this for training.

I don't think anybody insists on it...

You mean to say the groups of club riders I see head to foot in (pretty much exactly) the same gear do it voluntarily? :shock: It's worse than I thought!

Of course they do

Seriously, though, why? In my yoof I was involved in some national-level sport and nobody wore team kit to train. If I'm honest, it puts me off the idea of joining a club (fortunately, it's not high on my list).

meanredspider

on-yer-bike wrote:

My thread asking if anybody has joined and asking what the kit was like has been closed by a mod. He said this thread was on the same subject but I can not find the answer to these questions. Has anybody joined and got the kit or are they too embarrassed to admit it?

My riding buddy showed me the kit - stripy 2-tone grey hoops with a pink hoop around the chest. Don't remember the rest other than there was also a racing jersey (not yet available), socks (hoops again I think), and shorts.

RDW

Like this? Or is that one of the old Rapha-Condor designs?:

meanredspider

RDW wrote:

Like this? Or is that one of the old Rapha-Condor designs?:

Kinda like that but two-tone bands of grey - quite striking and not something I've seen before (as you'd expect). I'm not an expert in Rapha road jerseys, though - but my mate seemed to think it was new.

Oh, and there was an overstock thing with big letters on it.

feltkuota

on-yer-bike wrote:

My thread asking if anybody has joined and asking what the kit was like has been closed by a mod. He said this thread was on the same subject but I can not find the answer to these questions. Has anybody joined and got the kit or are they too embarrassed to admit it?

I've joined. Not yet got the kit as most of it is not yet available. When it becomes available I will buy it... Why would that be embarrassing?

meanredspider

As I've said before, it might pay me to join for some of the benefits - though the Amsterdam store, which will only be 10 minutes away, doesn't open until March.