La Passione
pechacheli
Posts: 184
I thought I should share my recent experience with La Passione.
After reviewing their products online and reading responses from those who have worn their kit I was generally excited to see an Italian company offering great products at a reasonable price.
Being a Rapha fan I was keen to see how they would match up and therefore decided to purchase a pair of the Deep Winter Tights as they were on sale and ticked all the boxes in terms of tech, comfort and fit.
Given I wear Rapha kit in a size medium I chose the same given they are Italian and note their kit is race cut.
On first fit they close fitting and snug. However once riding they were comfortable as expected. Having worn them for only 1 month I noticed small holes appearing in the lycra adjacent to the stitching on the thighs. I contacted La Passione providing photos and awaited their reply.
They responded quickly asking for my measurements to confirm if I had chosen the correct size. My measurements fall well within the medium size however they proceeded to ask me for my weight which I found slightly odd. Never have I ever bought cycle clothing based on weight especially given size charts focus on height, waist and chest sizes. However I provided them with my details.
They replied saying I should have purchased a size L or XL and that the holes where caused by the fabric over stretching. I am not a bean pole however nor do I have sprinter thunder thighs!
They confirmed that they could not offer a repair and were not going to offer a refund or replacement because the product was not faulty when it was sent to me. Instead they offered me a discount code and asked that I purchase a larger size.
As you can imagine I am somewhat disappointed by their response especially as they quote on their website that they are committed to quality and use the finest materials!
In my opinion their response does not suggest this view and I urge people who may consider buying their kit to think carefully not only about their sizing guide but how they respond should a product become faulty.
Having dealt with Rapha’s customer services on a number of occasions I have perhaps been spoilt by how good they are and for this reason I feel La Passione have a lot to live up to.
After reviewing their products online and reading responses from those who have worn their kit I was generally excited to see an Italian company offering great products at a reasonable price.
Being a Rapha fan I was keen to see how they would match up and therefore decided to purchase a pair of the Deep Winter Tights as they were on sale and ticked all the boxes in terms of tech, comfort and fit.
Given I wear Rapha kit in a size medium I chose the same given they are Italian and note their kit is race cut.
On first fit they close fitting and snug. However once riding they were comfortable as expected. Having worn them for only 1 month I noticed small holes appearing in the lycra adjacent to the stitching on the thighs. I contacted La Passione providing photos and awaited their reply.
They responded quickly asking for my measurements to confirm if I had chosen the correct size. My measurements fall well within the medium size however they proceeded to ask me for my weight which I found slightly odd. Never have I ever bought cycle clothing based on weight especially given size charts focus on height, waist and chest sizes. However I provided them with my details.
They replied saying I should have purchased a size L or XL and that the holes where caused by the fabric over stretching. I am not a bean pole however nor do I have sprinter thunder thighs!
They confirmed that they could not offer a repair and were not going to offer a refund or replacement because the product was not faulty when it was sent to me. Instead they offered me a discount code and asked that I purchase a larger size.
As you can imagine I am somewhat disappointed by their response especially as they quote on their website that they are committed to quality and use the finest materials!
In my opinion their response does not suggest this view and I urge people who may consider buying their kit to think carefully not only about their sizing guide but how they respond should a product become faulty.
Having dealt with Rapha’s customer services on a number of occasions I have perhaps been spoilt by how good they are and for this reason I feel La Passione have a lot to live up to.
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Comments
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I thought people only wear Rapha once then give it to the poor.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
I'll keep an eye on my bibshorts then. They are a snug fit, which I like, but I won't be impressed if they start to disintegrate. Must admit that they seem a simpler / less technical construction than their marketing blurb / pricing suggested.
My new Castelli Sorpasso bibtights by comparison are a technological marvel!0 -
That's very bad service, I'd be fuming.0
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surprised of your choice to order from LP the same size as Rapha, who are a UK company. I'd have thought one size bigger would be correct due to them being Italian, with sizing similar to Castelli, Santini etc. Of course a bit late now, but when in doubt it's worth ordering two different sizes just to get the right fit, even if it means paying postage.0
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No, no, no.cooldad wrote:I thought people only wear Rapha once then give it to the poor.
Buy sale items, wear once and sell for a profit "as new" on Ebay.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Size labels are irrelevant really, and the seller cannot hide behind weight criteria if that was not made clear as an important factor at some point...but if the OP bought some kit that fitted well and then developed holes around the stitching then it is faulty IMO. If the OP bought some kit and found it too tight but continued to wear it, then he would take the risk. In this case it looks like the former.
OP, if you paid via Paypal I would start a dispute as they usually favour purchasers (particularly if you have held a reasonable dialogue and looked for resolution), you would also have a complaint that could be progressed if you purchased by credit card. Depends on the price you paid and how much you want to pursue this...
Failing that, lose some weight fatboy :-)0 -
I have a 39" chest and 35" waist. I should be a large. We got into a conversation on their site and they either advised me XL or XXL. XL is 3 inches bigger than my current chest size. I don't know why brands find this difficult. If something measures 20 inches across it's good for 40 inches. More or less. It won't really be much good for 43.My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
Facebook? No. Just say no.0 -
Bobbinogs wrote:Size labels are irrelevant really, and the seller cannot hide behind weight criteria if that was not made clear as an important factor at some point...but if the OP bought some kit that fitted well and then developed holes around the stitching then it is faulty IMO. If the OP bought some kit and found it too tight but continued to wear it, then he would take the risk. In this case it looks like the former.
OP, if you paid via Paypal I would start a dispute as they usually favour purchasers (particularly if you have held a reasonable dialogue and looked for resolution), you would also have a complaint that could be progressed if you purchased by credit card. Depends on the price you paid and how much you want to pursue this...
Failing that, lose some weight fatboy :-)
Very much appreciated for your advice re: Paypal etc.
I'm on the case... whilst losing a pound or two
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This sounds like really bad service and pretty disappointing to hear about a company that otherwise seems to be well regarded and well reviewed.
Been contemplating an order myself but sizing is a worry. Fortunately the guy who models all the kit on the website is stated as having the same chest and waist measurements as me so hopefully I can't go too far wrong.0 -
Thank you for sharing your experience. Now I will steer clear from them.
Again I do love the Rapha customer service. Well 90% of the time.0 -
one of my mates had problems with the stitching on his shorts after a few weeks. they also refused to do anything about that."Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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Hang on, I thought all their stuff was just as good as Rapha's but half the price?0
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A thread covering La Passione came up a while ago and I and some others mentioned Pactimo as an alternative.
I had an issue with some two year old bib shorts, where the leg gripper came apart. Pactimo replaced them under the life time warranty with no questions asked, and upgraded them to a more expensive pair. I couldn't praise the customer service more highly.0 -
It seems the supplier doesn't have much confidence in their kit if they refuse to standby any warranty or apply a fit for purpose test.
It could well be a Lancia moment for the brand. Lancia eventually withdrew from the UK market due to corrosion issues and applying typical Italian logic the factory didn't see any fundamental flaw in their product but blamed the over engineering of competitors. I sh1t you not.“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”
Desmond Tutu0
