Rapha

[martint235]

What is it with Rapha? (I don't mean the team). I hear people go on about it but the people I see wearing it on my commute suggest it's the Burberry of cycle clothing, kind of the brand for Chavs R Us and yet people seem to clamour to wear it. What's going on?

 

[Aperitif]

It takes people back to the days of steel and sweat; the escape of rat trap shod pioneers to the cold, dank mountains of endeavour, with only brandy and barbiturates as shadowy companions.

It's trendy Mart - go for it!

 

[Tynan]

'even more expensive than Assos' is what I thik every time I see the word

 

[martint235]

It takes people back to the days of steel and sweat; the escape of rat trap shod pioneers to the cold, dank mountains of endeavour, with only brandy and barbiturates as shadowy companions.

It's trendy Mart - go for it!

So now you're telling me that not only is Rapha chavvy, they also make arm warmers?

It's only a matter of time before their debut appearance on "The Only Way is Essex"

 

[Aperitif]

Ha! I didn't mention 'chavability' at all!
Lidl and Aldi rubbish is 'chavtastic', but, as so many of our brethren wear said clothing, atop their very expensive bicycles, it sort of escapes attention of the style council and drops into the 'bargain bucket' of comments.
Rapha is a fitting adornment for a classy bike and priceless rider.
The most attractive piece of Rapha, for me, was the Paul Smith TdF jersey. One hundred and seventy-five smackers worth of stylish!
Arm warmers - well, yyou may be ok with those...or caps. To sport the TdF jersey, I would need to be sculpted like a very fit stick insect, so it is not in my collection, alas.

 

[yello]

It's a 'brand name' thing.

They decided their marketing approach years and years ago and have stuck with it. They are unashamedly expensive, because 'quality is expensive'. They market to those that are concerned with style and look, and they ally themselves with that. There's no doubting that image IS part of it. It's quite deliberate marketing and they seem now to be really reaping the benefits of that approach.

And, by and large, it is good kit. Out of my price bracket for all practical purposes but some of their kit, I would consider if I had that kind of money to spend.

I have got three Rapha items, all bought in their yearly sales; arm warmers, a sports wool shirt (a line that never actually made it to the production line!) and the softshell jacket. Each of these is undoubtedly well made, functional, works - and is classy! Whether you'd want to pay full price for them though is a personal decision! I wouldn't!

I stand by Rapha, despite the sneers the name attracts, even though I personally wouldn't buy it!

 

[Fiona N]

I do like the understated styling of Rapha stuff and it seems to be very well made - from the limited number of pieces I've actually got to see in the flesh, as it were.

But I much prefer ShuttVR if you want good styling, practicality, quality and something approaching value for money - and made for real size people. My feeling with the Rapha women's selection was it was really made for 'Assos woman' i.e. built like a pre-pub boy, rather than UK real-life women.

And before anyone say 'well you just got old and fat' I must say in defence of this comment that even as a '9 stone racing snake' living in Switzerland, Assos never fit me due to an surfeit of curves


Edit: re the following posts - ShuttVR is made and sewn in West Yorkshire - Cleckheaton to be precise - no sweatshops for these lads

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I stand by Rapha, despite the sneers the name attracts, even though I personally wouldn't buy it!

So you sort of stand slightly off to one side and squint rather than sneer at it then?

Rapha's good kit no doubt, despite it's sweat shop origins which puts a few, like me, off ever buying it. But their marketing reminds me of nothing more than the "Reassuringly Expensive" campaign for Stella Artois. Faux artiness masquerading as exclusivity that the ordnianry person can't possible grasp to diferentiate a "premium" brand from the common herd.

So Rapha as a brand is, basically, "wife beater".

 

[akaAndrew]

So you sort of stand slightly off to one side and squint rather than sneer at it then?

Yes... that sounds about right

it's sweat shop origins

Seriously? I didn't know that. I'll not be buying even their 2nds if that's the case.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Rapha's good kit no doubt, despite it's sweat shop origins which puts a few, like me, off ever buying it.

I didn't know that either - why does a premium brand charging £400 for a jacket or £150 for shorts need to get them made in a sweatshop?

 

[Howard]

What is it with Rapha? (I don't mean the team).

Some of their stuff is nice, and some of it is nice and highly functional; like the socks and the backpack, both of which I own and have proved worth far more than the price paid for them.

Can't say I've seen too many chavy people wearing their kit - although the Burberry analogy is interesting.

 

[potsy]

What is it with Rapha? (I don't mean the team). I hear people go on about it but the people I see wearing it on my commute suggest it's the Burberry of cycle clothing, kind of the brand for Chavs R Us and yet people seem to clamour to wear it. What's going on?

You just know you'll be sporting Rapha armwarmers in the not too distant future Martin,this is just a smokescreen to guage public reaction to your crime

 

[martint235]

You just know you'll be sporting Rapha armwarmers in the not too distant future Martin,this is just a smokescreen to guage public reaction to your crime

D'oh caught out so easily!!!

I will never ever ever wear arm warmers. If I ever turn up to a ride in arm warmers, staple me to the middle of the road at Hyde Park Corner. (which is where all arm warmer wearing people should be!! )

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I didn't know that either - why does a premium brand charging £400 for a jacket or £150 for shorts need to get them made in a sweatshop?

it is what global capitalism is all about folks. Some stuff made in Britain. Much more stuff made in China. If you query it they will politely tell you that the cost advantage is only secondary, it is all about the quality of the workmanship (which fair play, is probably uneconomic to achieve in the UK at skilled labour rates whilst retaining their margins), craftmanship and reliable delivery. and they may even bleat on about they hardly made any profit for years.

 

[potsy]

I will never ever ever wear arm warmers.

That's what they all say mate,your time will come