Pedal Mafia cycling kit - anyone have experience of it? (Featuring Harrison Ford)

MattFalle

Dorset_Boy said:

And Lusso and Siroko aren't daft sounding names?

not as daft as Pedal Mafia

MattFalle

katani said:

£130 for a plain white jersey, from a company with a daft sounding name, and having to wait for it weeks to be shipped across the ocean to enjoy "some exclusivity" ?? For equivalent money I can have 3 jerseys by Siroko, more stylish and equally high quality. Or even better, 2 by Lusso, made entirely locally, in Manchester.

this.

K speaks sense.

rick_chasey

Funny, I forked out for a pair of assos shorts and I really did not get on with them at all - so much so I returned them.

seanoconn

daniel_b said:

Here he is!

Look at those arms! Not bad for 78.

He was spotted in Sigma Sports Hampton Wick which is 5 mins away. I was 5 mins away from Harrison Ford! I’m practically an extra for Indiana Jones! 😃

rick_chasey

I have heard lots about Q36.5 - something about ex assos people setting it up.

I have one of their jerseys bought for me as a present but it's a shade too big for me so I don't have an accurate view. It's fine. I can imagine if it was tighter it might work better. It's the pinstripe.

The best kit I have is (now 5 years old...) the Pro-range kit from rapha. Picked it up in the sale and nothing is as well fitting as that.

Sounds odd but the lapassione fabric can sometimes get quite grippy when damp with sweat and that can make it annoying in and out of the saddle of if you're shifting around - though it's a similar/same pad.

The rapha stiching around the edge is tidier - their shorts are the only shorts I've ever had with an element of tightness or even compression and the fit when on the bike is great. Only complaint is there's not a huge amount of room for the junk when you're out the saddle.

webboo

I have Assos kit that is about 5 years old and still in really good condition. I have some Rapha kit bought last year that fits well and is comfy but the build quality is poor compared to Assos. There are threads hanging off the seams and a couple of times when taking off the top I have heard threads snapping.

rick_chasey

I can believe that. I was so shocked when I tried on the assos shorts though. I'd heard so so many people rave about them and the pad and I swear it was designed to destroy my undercarriage. It worked like two separate pads one on each side and it would pinch me in between the two. Awful.

elbowloh

I think its quite well known that Rapha has had a drop in quality over the last few year as they had to cut costs.

I know a couple of people who worked in their customer service team who can testify to that fact.

daniel_b

rick_chasey said:

Funny, I forked out for a pair of assos shorts and I really did not get on with them at all - so much so I returned them.

I had a very similar experience, knew they were raved about, could see and feel the quality, just not compatible with my body shape I guess.

The Rapha kit I have is all probably at least 3 years old, and I don't see me buying any of their newer kit now anyway to be honest - times move on.

I've heard loads of good things about Q36.5 as well, but not yet tried any of their kit - 700 Cycles are a main stockist I think.

PM do have a uk retailer - which is where I am sourcing mine through rather than going direct, if they have the stock, they use a 24 hour courier I think.
https://prologuecycling.co.uk/

I only went this route as I want to know what I will be paying, rather than the lottery of VAT and admin charges etc.

I'm just having to wait a while as the jersey I want they do not stock, and the next order they are placing is next week - he (John) is going to give me a shout to ensure they can get it shipped across first before we proceed.
Comms have been good - impressed so far.
Oh and comms direct with PM was also excellent.

La Passione I generally find excellent, especially in the VFM stakes, what puts me off in more recent times is the fact a percentge of their kit has their slogan/motto 'Worth the effort' emblazoned on it.

A specific purchase I was disappointed with, was the 7Mesh Mk3 bib shorts. Thye were out of stock everywhere for ages, and every single review was 5 star, both press and indivudual purchasers. £140 or £150 they cost, the most I have ever spent on a pair, but although they are comfy, they didn't come across as anything special, my LP classics, Rapha Pro Teams, Ale or Lusso shorts are all just as good.

I've heard good things about their RK1 shorts, but they are even more expensive, north of £200 I think.

MattFalle

My winter jacket is Assoss and its about 12 years old and is blimmin' wonderful - still too warm, held its shape perfectly, as its blue it won't look jeffy.

I fell off years ago and the standard of free repair they did on the elbows was, and remains, mega.

if i had the cash, Assoss would be my first choice.

amrushton

Everything is mysteriously priced to the same point as rapha/assos/castelli. le Col, Gore etc. reassuringly expensive I think its termed. lusso still priced ok and DHB but I notice they are starting to rise in price

seanoconn

MattFalle said:

My winter jacket is Assoss and its about 12 years old and is blimmin' wonderful - still too warm, held its shape perfectly, as its blue it won't look jeffy.

I fell off years ago and the standard of free repair they did on the elbows was, and remains, mega.

if i had the cash, Assoss would be my first choice.

I have an assos Air Jack must be about the same age, bloody warm and looks sexy on me. Still looks like new.

Onegear

Has anyone had experience with the rapha shakedry offering or equivalent? Im intrigued given the rain in the wetter months and wondering about fit and quality and value

rick_chasey

The real question is what is of comparable quality to the assoss of this world that are materially cheaper.

elbowloh

Not the shakedry, but I have the original Core Rain Jacket, had for about 7 years (bought for about 50% off retail at the Rapha stall at the Etape festival thing).

Its very good, fits well, very breathable and keeps you dry (except when its very, very wet). Packs up small enough to fit in a jersey pocket too.

daniel_b

Onegear said:

Has anyone had experience with the rapha shakedry offering or equivalent? Im intrigued given the rain in the wetter months and wondering about fit and quality and value

No, but I have both the Gore Hi vis and 7mesh low vis offerings (Both 50% or more off the RRP) - the Gore is ROOMY (Smallest size is Small), the 7Mesh is nice and form fitting (I went for XS) and from what I have read the Castelli Idro is in the middle.
I'd likely take a stab at the Rapha being similar to the Castelli fitwise.
And yes, it is every bit as good a material as all the reviews say, stunning bit of kit.

This may help:
https://bikeradar.com/features/best-gore-tex-shakedry-cycling-rain-jackets/

Could have sworn I saw another manufacurer was using the shakedry material, but can find no sign of it now, Mavic came to mind, but maybe not.
EDIT: Here we go, was Mvic, but I guess it bit the dust when they went bust and then were relaunched foussing mainly on wheels.
https://sigmasports.com/item/Mavic/Cosmic-Ultimate-GTX-Jacket/J32F

seanoconn said:

MattFalle said:

My winter jacket is Assoss and its about 12 years old and is blimmin' wonderful - still too warm, held its shape perfectly, as its blue it won't look jeffy.

I fell off years ago and the standard of free repair they did on the elbows was, and remains, mega.

if i had the cash, Assoss would be my first choice.

I have an assos Air Jack must be about the same age, bloody warm and looks sexy on me. Still looks like new.

I had an airjack once upon a time, 851 maybe?
The quality was evident, but yes like you I found it simply too warm, which I suppose means it did not breathe that well - I suspect it is a 15 year old design by now?
I don't have those issues with more modern Castelli Alpha/Perfetto jersey, Castelli Espresso jacket etc etc - they are all very good at regulating temperature, which I would imagine points towards an improvement in the technology behind the materials they use.

daniel_b

As an aside, and a bit off topic, but still talking about the off topic of waterproof jackets :-)
Can anyone remember a bit of a hoo haa about a new jacket, from an existing but not that well known brand.
I think I even ordered one from Italy, but ended up sending it back, but I know Bendertherobot (I think it was him that used to do the reviews...??) ordered a few bits of their kit and loved it.
They weren't shakedry material or anything, but it was said to be a really good alternative to the Gamma etc, and for the life of me I can not remember the brand.

EDIT: Found it - Parentini Mossa! Not even sure if it still exists.

https://roubaixcycling.cc/2015/12/29/parentini-mossa-slaying-the-gabba/

Has @bendertherobot left the building with regards to this forum?
Used to very much enjoy his posts and reviews.

pblakeney

Re Assos v Rapha shorts. I had both at the same time. Rapha Pro Team Sky original issue bought on sale (tells you the vintage) and Assos Mille. Both equally comfortable. The Assos went in the bin a few years ago as they went see through. I'm still using the Raphas.

daniel_b

pblakeney said:

Re Assos v Rapha shorts. I had both at the same time. Rapha Pro Team Sky original issue bought on sale (tells you the vintage) and Assos Mille. Both equally comfortable. The Assos went in the bin a few years ago as they went see through. I'm still using the Raphas.

A lot of it is simply how it meshes with your body shape, and riding position I think - much like helmets and shoes really.
The one pair of Assos shorts I tried had a pad that was akin to a nappy, it was massive, and as far as I could tell was totally unecessary - others remarked to the weird design as well, so maybe a blip that I was unlucky to chance upon as my first experience of them - I forget which model it was now.

I'm pretty slight in stature, so a thinner pad is definitely what I need, when I wear the Endura FS260s I always choose XS with the narrow pad, and they are excellent.

No arguments here though, I appreciate the vast majority of people clearly find Assos to be a fine fit, and good quality - although your seethrough experience is not ideal I guess!

Regarding Rapha, I have a pair of Pro Team II shorts, 2 pairs of their ultra lightweight summer shorts, and (I think) a pair of pro team thermal ones.
The Pro Teams I tend to save for 100 milers for ultimate comfort, but they seem to wear very well, as in not very much.

Just had a quick look on ebay, back in the day Rapha had their own outlet store, then they moved it to a 3rd party, something like treasure4u, and they used to have a load of old stock they used to shift in unusual sizes for vast reductions, but it looks like that arrangement is now done and dusted, and there is comparatively little on there.

webboo

How much kit do you have if you are not sure how many pairs of Rapha shorts you have.

rick_chasey

Haha this is Daniel_b we're talking about.

daniel_b

webboo said:

How much kit do you have if you are not sure how many pairs of Rapha shorts you have.

I either have some La Passione thermal shorts or Rapha ones, I don't wear them often, and I can't remember which it is!

daniel_b

Here's pricey for you!
https://sigmasports.com/item/7mesh/Skyline-Short-Sleeve-Jersey/PNCL

webboo

It has come to something when they need to offer finance on a jersey.

MattFalle

how much?

bet ya thats the new price point for some manufacturers by next year.

daniel_b

I suspect they are trying to do the same as the bike manufacturers, slide the prices upwards, and if everything is 20-50% more expensive, then it just becomes 'accepted' to some degree, all be it grudgingly, as everything is of a similar cost.

jimbohorizontal

The rapha outlet on ebay is now 'stuffusell'

daniel_b

jimbohorizontal said:

The rapha outlet on ebay is now 'stuffusell'

Ah ok, maybe it simply changed its name.

daniel_b

Well they sent a mail out with a sale of sorts - up to 40% off, but the two items I was interested in were 20% off.

Decided to order direct with that discount rather than going through the reseller here, as I think even with import costs/admin fees it shouldn't work out any more expensive, and I was thinking with the sale being on from today, the items I wanted might go out of stock.

I have gone for a PMCC Jersey, and a PMCC Vest or gilet as I call it - both in XS.

I'll update once they arrive with my take on them.

mr.b-campag

Slightly off topic, but for all those (tightly) complaining about silly and increasing prices Galibier sell sensibly priced, top quality merch which looks really good (imo). Might not be exclusive enough for some tho...