Don't own any Rapha...but

kingstonian

sounds more like user error to me

gweeds

'the stitching on the pad came loose after I put part of a multi-tool in the same wash'

Mmmmmmm.

tangerineowl

Love their merino baselayers. That's about it for me.

kingstonian

Kingstonian wrote:

I have a few bits of Rapha......

My 1 pair of Classic bibshorts are ace, really comfortable and can't fault the quality as they are just as good now as the day I bought them. Also have one pair of three quarter bibs which are also great. The Classic Jersey is also really good, perfect fit and has held up well to plenty of use. One pair of arm warmers are also great, they get a lot of use and if I lost them I'd just buy another pair rather than try any from another manufacturer.

So that's all great, but I also have a gilet which .......well, Imdon't have it as I had to send it back a week ago, I've used it maybe half a dozen times and the plastic grippers than hold the waist cord have both split. Rapha have had it for about a week now, haven't heard from them so will be chasing them up tomorrow.

So most of my experiences have been great, but with a blip on the most recent purchase.

Quick update......a replacement gilet arrived this morning. No quibbles etc, just sent me a new one. And because they shipped it to the wrong address (long story as to why) they gave me a £25 voucher. Really good customer service.

thebikeboy16

Gweeds wrote:

How is that an issue with manufacturing?

It isn't. Are you saying the repair service is for manufacturing defects?

gweeds

You said:

They do offer a 30-day period during which they will give you a replacement pair of shorts free of charge should there be any issues - supposedly with the manufacturing

So you tell me. Would you expect someone to repair something for free because of your mistake??

thebikeboy16

Who's to say the damage is my fault? As far as I'm concerned as a customer, I have a pair of shorts which I can't wear. What is the repair service for, if only manufacturing defects? Isn't the warranty for that? Why pay over £160 for a pair shorts?

navrig2

thebikeboy16 wrote:

Who's to say the damage is my fault? As far as I'm concerned as a customer, I have a pair of shorts which I can't wear. What is the repair service for, if only manufacturing defects? Isn't the warranty for that? Why pay over £160 for a pair shorts?

thebikeboy16 wrote:

I recently had to send back a pair of Rapha bib shorts (after they had the balls to say to me when I bought them "they'll last a lifetime") because the stitching on the pad came loose after I put part of a multi-tool in the same wash by accident.

Hmmm!!!!!


I think you did.

thebikeboy16

Not to Rapha...

navrig2

thebikeboy16 wrote:

Not to Rapha...

That's ok then.

gweeds

thebikeboy16 wrote:

Who's to say the damage is my fault? As far as I'm concerned as a customer, I have a pair of shorts which I can't wear. What is the repair service for, if only manufacturing defects? Isn't the warranty for that? Why pay over £160 for a pair shorts?

So you think a warranty should cover customer idiocy?

You have a pair of shorts you can't wear because YOU put a multi-tool in the wash.

My guess is that Rapha, who will have seen thousands of repair cases, know full well that your damage was caused by neither their manufacturing defect (and I'm struggling to think of one that would replicate what you did) or a crash, and despite that, still did their best as a gesture of goodwill.

But no, that's not enough for you.

Let me ask you a question then - you buy a new car. It has a warranty. You don't put a lid on some paint properly and the contents spill on the car. Should the manufacturer make that good?

cougie

Jeez. Some people !

Phil&hisbikes

thebikeboy16 wrote:

I recently had to send back a pair of Rapha bib shorts (after they had the balls to say to me when I bought them "they'll last a lifetime") because the stitching on the pad came loose after I put part of a multi-tool in the same wash by accident. They do offer a 30-day period during which they will give you a replacement pair of shorts free of charge should there be any issues - supposedly with the manufacturing. This is their repair:



Not very good, is it? Hopefully they will repair it this time.

Wow! You have the nerve to complain?
Working for a kitchen appliance manufacturer, can I just say ....
If that multi-tool had punctured the washing machine drum or caused other damage you wouldn't get a call out, parts or replacement machine under warranty!

bendertherobot

http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/classic- ... sic-global

The new Rapha a bit softer than the old hardshell softshell with added something and bit less of other things.

bradsbeard

Snagged a grey softshell in the sale for £140. Really is an outstanding jacket.

cookeeemonster

bendertherobot wrote:

http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/classic-winter-jacket/product/SJK08XX?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=classic-jacket-men-launch&utm_content=181016-men-classic-global

The new Rapha a bit softer than the old hardshell softshell with added something and bit less of other things.

I feel a review coming on...

bendertherobot

It's a bit rich for me, I'd have a go if I thought it offered something I don't have.

FWIW, while Rapha don't seem to do this, I rate the Hardshell in their all time top 3. Perhaps, for me, top 1. But that's use specific (commuting etc). The Pro Team (old) jacket is squarely number 1.

(With honourable mention to their shaving cream which is sublime)

Anonymous

^for legs or face? (i need new face cream)

bendertherobot

coriordan wrote:

^for legs or face? (i need new face cream)

Either, but I used it on face. It smells of the Venotoux. I scoffed at that. But I really like it. It's my favourite with a second place shout out to Truefitt and Hill

Anonymous

You're a bad man, btr

meanredspider

bendertherobot wrote:

It's a bit rich for me, I'd have a go if I thought it offered something I don't have.

FWIW, while Rapha don't seem to do this, I rate the Hardshell in their all time top 3. Perhaps, for me, top 1. But that's use specific (commuting etc). The Pro Team (old) jacket is squarely number 1.

(With honourable mention to their shaving cream which is sublime)

The best bit of Rapha kit, IMHO, is the City Rain Jacket of old: defies physics with its combination of breathability and water resistance - looks great off the bike too.

Secteur

I do have a few Rapha bits, but was really put off by a customer service issue I had with them a couple of years ago - I spent £1250 in one go on new kit (a bit mad, I know, but we won't get into that right now!).

A few days later, it all went into the sale - a total saving of over £400. I didn't know there would be a sale of course, or I would have waited.

I emailed them around 8 days after my purchase and they said they wouldn't retrospectively adjust and match the price. I couldn't do a return-and-re-buy type swap as they had sold out of many of my sizes, so rightly-or-wrongly I decided to just return the whole lot "on principal".

Had it been just a few £, or had it been a month or so later I would have accepted my loss.

Anyway, Rapha were quite within their rights to refuse, but I just thought as such a large buyer (and a few other larger piece purchases in the year before totalling maybe £400) they would have extended some good will.

Perhaps I will be accused of being over sensitive now, but I wouldn't ever go back to Rapha. To be honest, at the time I thought it was expensive and a bit pretentious but I went with it. Glad it has put me off in retrospect, as I hate the whole "hipster" thing, which will hopefully die soon anyway!

Anonymous

Odd mrs as a friend of mine had exactly the same (1 item discount of 50 quid or so) and they gave him a voucher

Secteur

Well, I thought it odd too.

I was super polite, as I am a firm believer in honey vs vinegar, and it usually gets me all sorts of help, but not with Rapha!

Maybe I should have taken the angry customer approach ;-p

kingstongraham

You should have told them you were going to return it all, and buy it again at the lower price, and they can save both of you the hassle.

cookeeemonster

Secteur wrote:

Well, I thought it odd too.

I was super polite, as I am a firm believer in honey vs vinegar, and it usually gets me all sorts of help, but not with Rapha!

Maybe I should have taken the angry customer approach ;-p

I used to work in retail many moons ago. Was horrible as polite customers with a complaint were fobbed off while the most obnoxious ars*holes got what they wanted no matter how aggressive or rude. The manager/s wanted an easy life...:(

daniel_b

KingstonGraham wrote:

You should have told them you were going to return it all, and buy it again at the lower price, and they can save both of you the hassle.

But he couldn't do that as they no longer had stock in his sizes.

I have often enough done that if I see something I have bought recentlyish (within a year) at a much lower price, just re-order it from the same retailer, and then return it 'as' the item I bought at the higher price.

I've missed the boat sometimes when I have e-mailed and asked them to refund me the difference, and as I spend so much with them anyway, I don't feel too bad about doing it - only done it a few times.

I won't tell you what Top cash back tells me I have spent with CRC and Wiggle over the years :shock:

gweeds

The Hardshell was totally waterproof - this one clearly isn't.

Which makes the removal of the Hardshell all the more baffling.

Hardshell:

Windproof
Waterproof
Three-ply laminate membrane
Taped seams
DWR treatment
Offset, water-resistant zip
Lycra-bound cuffs
Laser-cut details
Colour-matched reflective prints
Three large cargo pockets
Silicone grip inside central pocket
Tricot beard guard
FABRIC
Face fabric: 100% nylon
Inner: 100% polyester

Classic Winter:

FEATURES
Polartec® Power Shield Pro® fabric
Water-resistant
Wind-resistant
Comfortable stretch
Highly breathable to regulate temperature during hard efforts
Taped internal seams to keep out the worst of the weather
Water-resistant YKK® AquaGuard zip
Elastane inner cuffs, for better wind protection
Concealed front pocket
Debossed logo on sleeve
Reflective drop tail for visibility
Drainage holes in rear pockets
FABRIC
Polartec® Power Shield Pro® fabric:
90% polyester
10% elastane

One is wind and water proof. The other wind and water resistant.

The Hardshell was always the jacket for the wettest, crappiest rides and does an incredible job. Unless there's another jacket on the way (and I won't be surprised) there's now a hole in the line-up for what the Hardshell did.

And as an aside is anyone else getting really confused by the sheer number of jackets and the various niches they fill?

No? Just me then

bendertherobot

That was pretty much what I was getting at above, it's clearly the hardshell but made into something that's not water proof. Weird, yet they also tape the seams.

If you look at the Tri Colour version there's a faux pas in there as they say it's based on the Classic HARDSHELL jacket.

gweeds

Over on the RCC forum it's generally reckoned that this fabric is to all intents and purposes waterproof. It's only rated to 5m though.