# Rapha...excuse me while I eat some crow



## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Months ago in the Pro forum I mocked Rapha and criticised Sky for dumping Adidas and going with Rapha. 

Cut to Sunday, bored at work, and playing on the computer. Went to the Team Sky site, then the Rapha Sky store. Not much cycling gear is available yet so I bought a polo and a t shirt, out of curiosity to see what the stuff is actually like. 
It arrived today via courier, four days from London!
They threw in a free musette, and the shirts were in individual sealed Sky bags, very nice presentation. The workmanship is exquisite, easily as good as any garment I've seen. 
Oddly, there is a pocket on the back of the polo with a recipe for a Team Sky Smoothie by the Sky chef. Rapha=Quirky?
I haven't seen the actual cycling gear yet, but I give Rapha absolute top marks for the t-shirt and polo. Cost is what you'd pay, or maybe less, for similar items from most pro sports teams. And they are infinitely better quality than any Nike/Reebok/Adidas/Starter.


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## mo_amyot (Jun 15, 2012)

I wouldn't expect nothing less from such high priced products.

Can we get some pics of the actual polo & t-shirt please?


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Check out this unboxing of their Grand Tour shoes:
Rapha Cycling Shoes - First Impressions (Unboxing) - YouTube


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## mo_amyot (Jun 15, 2012)

brianmcg said:


> Check out this unboxing of their Grand Tour shoes:
> Rapha Cycling Shoes - First Impressions (Unboxing) - YouTube


Impressive but way overpriced IMO. Plus if you ever get caught in the rain then you're going to cry.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Can't stomach 8 minutes of that guy to see what his vid says, but I own the shoes, I have problematic feet that are between a wide width bike shoe and regular. The fit is great, I really like them, and would buy them again. The Yak is softer so ultimately not like a lorica used on a Sidi, but a very nice shoe.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

I bought a used rapha jersey just to see what the fuss was all about....

Big mistake because now I love the stuff and its pricy. Occasionally you can get discounts but Ive seen sold out jerseys sell for more than retail... 

I really like that theyre making high vis products. I wished i wouldve bought the chartreuse team jacket when it was available.


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## Slowhead (Nov 29, 2011)

Newnan3 said:


> I bought a used rapha jersey just to see what the fuss was all about....
> 
> Big mistake because now I love the stuff and its pricy. Occasionally you can get discounts but Ive seen sold out jerseys sell for more than retail...
> 
> I really like that theyre making high vis products. I wished i wouldve bought the chartreuse team jacket when it was available.


I looked hard at that jacket you mentioned. It's not my time yet for this quality of clothing. I know full well once a piece of Rapha is delivered the bar will be raised. For now I need to get my bike(s) like I want them first.


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## Dfish (Mar 6, 2009)

Welcome to the club  I only have the deep winter tights, classic softshell and some base layers, but I'm super impressed after a few months of riding.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

The rapha country jersey made such a deep impression on me, that it's pretty much the only jersey i'll wear as long as it's not stinky.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

It seems like good cycling gear is expensive anymore. I have some Rapha gear and like it. I mostly buy when I can find a good price. I have only paid retail for one of their items. The rest I bought when I could get some discount. They have sales now and then and Competative Cyclist used to sell their stuff and have some sales. It looks like CC is no longer carrying their line. The Sky stuff looks nice but it is not for me. I got into Rapha in part because of the non logo thing and basic look. Most people I ride with don't even know what Rapha is and don't comment.


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## Robitaille20 (Jan 4, 2012)

Searching for a Rapha Mortirolo Jersey in size S or M ..... please PM me if you sell one


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

It'll sound fan-boyish but I can appreciate some of the media (photos, movies, etc) that rapha creates. Dabbling in photography I really like the photobooks they've created.


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## Bee-an-key (May 5, 2007)

I know that I will never be able to convince people that buy the inexpensive stuff, but every brand now has merchandise at and above their prices. Assos may have been first but Giordana, Pearl, Capo, LG, Castelli are all offering $200 jerseys and $300 jackets. If you have ever worn the highest end stuff it really is better, worth the price? Depends on the person. Never see the same people complain about why a wheelset now costs $2k. You pay for speed and weightlessness the same way you pay for comfort and fit.


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

Just do what I do, watch evil bay until someone sells what you want. You might even get one at a reasonable price eventually. Once in a while there is a really good deal on a high quality item. I got a great deal, on buy it now, on a grey wind jacket last fall.


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## MelloJohnny (Dec 30, 2012)

Rapha is as good as it gets. One of the Rapha items I have is a Classic jersey with arm warmers the fit, quality, and lifetime warranty are all world class. My dad always said, "buy the best and you'll always be satified with it". That said I am always looking out for new and better or the little guy trying to make a name in our sport. If you are interested in a good quality and great service check out TORM located in Kent England. Paul the owner is a wonderful small business owner who has a real passion for what he does. I have a number of TORM items and really feel they are a great value. Just Saying....


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

Ive got the chartreuse hardshell jacket right now and the chartreuse wind jacket on the way.....I figure if I like the fit of the high visibility stuff Ill be more inclined to wear it. 

Rapha turned me on to wool baselayers. On and off the bike Im virtually in wool from head to toe (mostly smartwool socks and icebreaker shirts/long-johns). Alot of the rapha stuff is a bit pricier because its wool but everything wool is more expensive. If you take that into consideration their base layers are reasonably priced. 

If you ride in the winter you need a smartwool cuffed beanie and neck gaiter.....The combination of the two = Awesome


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## FTR (Sep 20, 2006)

Rapha jerseys are nice but their knicks are high on the meh list.
I would not buy their knicks again.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Why is that?
I buy Assos myself. Just wondering.


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## FTR (Sep 20, 2006)

They are just nothing special for the cost.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

I have two of the Torm jerseys. The ones with the white band on the sleeves that look like the rapha jersey.

Theyre ok. Shipping was pretty fast to the US. The sportwool material isnt quite as nice as rapha's but its decent. I actually wear them more than my raphas because I prefer to wash them every week vs my nicer rapha jerseys.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

The rapha bibs are my go to for longer rides. I believe they use the same chamois as the high end assos....


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## FTR (Sep 20, 2006)

Newnan3 said:


> The rapha bibs are my go to for longer rides. I believe they use the same chamois as the high end assos....


Good to know.
I will take Assos off my list of knicks to buy then.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Everyone is shaped differently, but I also absolutely love my Rapha bibs. Far and away the best I've ever used, and I've owned just about every common brand out there, including several "premium" brands.

I don't have any of their jerseys, but I'm also partial to their Merino wool base layers, and I bought a cycling cap from them this fall to throw under the helmet (helps with rain and road dust). Everything I've gotten from them has been top-notch.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

the website looks great. I am going to try some of this stuff when I can afford it. I love merino wool.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> If you have ever worn the highest end stuff it really is better, worth the price? Depends on the person.


I don't know. I bought Capos $279 Padrone bib tight. Froze my a$$ in them. After one wash in a mesh washing bag air dried, the rubber Capo logo tore off pulling them on and the stitching on the shoulder straps had come un-done. I've never had that on any other garment. 
They did have the best pad I've worn, including the "diaper" in my Assos Millie bibs. 

While not high-end, Castelli loves to snazz up there crap with stripes and crap. The sales mgr. lady at my LBS says they constantly get returns cause the "graphics are always peeling off.


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## MelloJohnny (Dec 30, 2012)

Thats Funny, I do the exact same thing. I totally punish the TORM stuff sometimes wearing and washing a jersey 4 times in one week. While saving the Rapha gear for those sunny more pleasant spins.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

I'll give you an Ø for that. Tørm.


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## MelloJohnny (Dec 30, 2012)

Nice!! Brø Cool!!


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

I received the chartreuse wind jacket today....Its a bit more translucent than i anticipated. If you wear a dark color underneath it'll look a bit darker. This is sorta annoying because I want my high viz chartreuse to be a bit obnoxious and bright. 

Im not sure if I like but since its part of their classics line apparently I can wear it to destruction and return it for a refund within 30 days. So Ill at least try it out on a ride or three before I decide.


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## lblanch40 (Jul 20, 2011)

I have several Rapha cycling items and they are the best I've worn. Pricey but definitely worth it, imo.


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## hamsey (Aug 16, 2010)

Just ordered a pair of classic bibs. Going to see how they compare to Assos. Will respond back after giving them a go.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

hamsey said:


> Just ordered a pair of classic bibs. Going to see how they compare to Assos. Will respond back after giving them a go.


How'd the bibs work out for ya? Im getting another pair as soon as the summertime rolls around. 

If you check out ebay you can find good deals on Rapha stuff....


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## Vibe (Jan 11, 2011)

Bought their light weight cap for summer...my first Rapha gear...maybe I'll do an unwrapping video for the luls.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

maybe it's just me or does anyone else sing this thread title to the tune of purple haze?


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## cbk57 (Aug 12, 2009)

I like Rapha, but I hate Jimi Hendrix (probably spelled wrong, I still hate Hendrix). I would rather listen to 3:00 minutes of fingernails on chalk boards.

I am of German heritage, and would rather spend eternity in hell talking to the french than listen to Hendrix. "French over there with the Germans you will have a lot to talk about"


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## igor99 (May 31, 2011)

I was in San Francisco last week and stopped into the Rapha Cycle Club. I walked out with a Classic Jersey. It is the real deal. Sweet shop and the service is as great as the gear. I'm a convert.


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## philipw33 (Jan 29, 2012)

i just ordered the classic jersey bundle(jersey, socks, cap) and a classic bib, they should be coming in soon. it is quite expensive, but ive always liked the simpleness of rapha and i decided to get myself a nice birthday gift. :thumbsup:


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## FTR (Sep 20, 2006)

I must have gotten a dud pair of their knicks.
Wore them today for the first time in ages.
10km's into my commute to work and I was wishing that I had worn anything but these.


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## hamsey (Aug 16, 2010)

Newnan3 said:


> How'd the bibs work out for ya? Im getting another pair as soon as the summertime rolls around.
> 
> If you check out ebay you can find good deals on Rapha stuff....


 Did not like the material. Looks a little thin when stretched. I did try a pair of Etxeondo bibs. I like those but they did not have my size so I could not try out the pad. End of March my size should be in.

Thanks for the ebay tip. I will have to check it out.


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## lblanch40 (Jul 20, 2011)

Couldn't agree more with the above post. Buying Rapha cycling gear is truly a case of getting what you paid for, at least it is for me.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

Agreed^ Even their T shirts are top notch. I'm loving the new Team Sky stuff that's out now.


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## teddyuk (Dec 1, 2012)

Do you guys know Vulpine?


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

teddyuk said:


> Vulpine


Wow, suddenly Rapha looks economical!


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

If you think rapha is expensive have a look at anything assos.....I have a hard time believing the hype with assos but i guess i was the same way with rapha at some point. 

I just got the chartreuse Team Jersey from rapha. I guess Im trying to look cool in hi-viz.


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## Blue Star (Jun 9, 2012)

Vulpine deserves its own thread, but I'll chime in to say that I've been riding around in their Harrington jacket and tailored trousers... really well thought out and comfortable with a very English look.

Also picked up the Rapha lightweight bibs but it's still too cool to put them to the test.


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

I have no doubt that rapha stuff is nice. I just wonder if their price justifies the niceness.

For example, I have some Assos Uno FI bibs that I like. I recently picked up a second set of Voler bibs for less than half the Assos price. On long rides the Volers work better for me. My point being that you can find good stuff out there for good prices and that at some stage, a nice bit of kit is a nice bit of kit. I think Voler is incredible for the price.

On another note, rapha's marketing comes off a pure gimmick to me. Where do they find so many "cyclists" with beards? Their continental ads look like club rides for a squad of Blue Ribbon AlAnon members who also decided to give up their fixies for gears as part of the 11 step program...


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

Their headquarters is in London

They also have an office in Portland, OR. You know Land of the hippe, beat-nick, coffee shop-working hipsters.


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## Notvintage (May 19, 2013)

*I agree. .*



MelloJohnny said:


> My dad always said, "buy the best and you'll always be satified with it".


That's why I wear Alden shoes when I'm not cycling.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Newnan3 said:


> The rapha bibs are my go to for longer rides. I believe they use the same chamois as the high end assos....


They don't. The Assos S2 chamois is released for Cytech to sell to anybody, but the S5 is not.


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## Blue Star (Jun 9, 2012)

I had a pair of Rapha lightweight bibs that were great; however, they started to show signs of premature stress around the leg bands. Rapha were very quick to retrieve them and return me a pair of Classic bibs. Great service!


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## Samfujiabq (Jul 3, 2013)

Question for any member,how is the sizing compared to PI.I noticed they start very small on up.I wear a med in PI,tops and bottoms?


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## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

I went to their website to see what they charge for a generic short sleeved Rapha jersey. They want $185 for *this*?

Lightweight Jersey | Rapha

Their elitist mentality is a big turn off. I've also noticed a large percentage of cyclists wearing their stuff are toolbags. With that in mind, even if they tried to give me one of their $300 jerseys for free I wouldn't wear it. Funny how that works. I don't want to be associated with Rapha or the typical people who wear their stuff.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Funny that. I know plenty of nice people who wear Rapha. I do prefer Assos myself though.


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## kmak (Sep 5, 2011)

Cableguy said:


> I went to their website to see what they charge for a generic short sleeved Rapha jersey. They want $185 for *this*?
> 
> Lightweight Jersey | Rapha
> 
> Their elitist mentality is a big turn off. I've also noticed a large percentage of cyclists wearing their stuff are toolbags. With that in mind, even if they tried to give me one of their $300 jerseys for free I wouldn't wear it. Funny how that works. I don't want to be associated with Rapha or the typical people who wear their stuff.


From the interview with Simon Mottram, Rapha founder:

"What we wanted to create was a brand for a certain type of person that was absolutely for that person. So it was everything to some people and nothing to some people. I didn't want to be something to everyone. I've spent so much time with clients trying to explain to them that you can't sit on the fence -- you want your brand to have a bit of side to it, a bit of tension. We're lucky to have customers who really like what we do and are like friends. But we also have a lot of detractors, and that's really good. It means we're getting things right, that we're creating impact in the right way, that we matter to people. "

Hence the polar views in this thread (and every other Rapha thread).....


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## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

kmak said:


> From the interview with Simon Mottram, Rapha founder:
> 
> "What we wanted to create was a brand for a certain type of person that was absolutely for that person. So it was everything to some people and nothing to some people. I didn't want to be something to everyone. I've spent so much time with clients trying to explain to them that you can't sit on the fence -- you want your brand to have a bit of side to it, a bit of tension. We're lucky to have customers who really like what we do and are like friends. But we also have a lot of detractors, and that's really good. It means we're getting things right, that we're creating impact in the right way, that we matter to people. "
> 
> Hence the polar views in this thread (and every other Rapha thread).....


Definitely over thinking it. If you believe he prefers to sell $300 pieces of clothing to a select few, as opposed to a much larger base, you're kidding yourself. They're a typical business that makes abnormally expensive products geared towards high end performance while at the same time trying to fashionable. There's many other examples of this. He's trying to put a spin on it to... that's right, appeal further to the wealthy (or posers) who seek high end performance/fashion. What a coincidence.

And my dislike of the Rapha brand has more to do with those who I meet who are wearing their clothing than anything else. Not saying everyone who wears Rapha is the same, just sayin.


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

I like their stuff.. well made. I only have the bib shorts and arm warmers for myself. The wife has a tons of stuff.. rain jacket, winter jersey, shirts , vests.. all looks good.


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