Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

$90CAD for a sky pro team jersey... Goes to show you what the true markup is on their goods :)

It was always obvious what the true markup is as they heavily sponsored cycling events from the outset and that stuff isn't cheap.

But if you think that the price of an item to you should be cost + 10% or something, then you're mistaken. Businesses would go bust very fast even at cost + 30%.

In fact the accepted cost of producing a unit should ideally be a tenth of the intended sale price if you want your business to grow and flourish.

You've got overheads to pay, lead costs on production and shipping, storage costs, legal, marketing (including freebies to press and key people), sponsorship and branding, headcount, research and development.

The physical cost of a unit must be a small fraction of the dealer price (not retail, which is likely 60% higher), otherwise how are you going to make your business a success?

These numbers scale, so even the cheap products out there from companies have all this stuff built in. So if you see a jacket for £90, you can bet it cost ~£10 at the factory.

You'll also be surprised at the difference between a £10 jacket (per unit, in China at volume) and a £30 jacket (again per unit, in China at volume). The £30 one will feel a world away from the £10 one in terms of quality control, materials, cut, etc.

It's just an enormously false presumption that the majority of what you pay for anything goes to the BOM (bill of materials) that is the raw cost of the item. In fact, for any product you can think of the majority goes to shipping, distribution, sales and marketing (even with a humble Broccoli you pay more to get it to you and have it available on a shelf then the item really costs).

One day people will move beyond thinking such false things and realise that there is still a fundamental difference between a cheap jacket (low BOM) and an expensive jacket (higher BOM). It's just that, for your pocket, you need to spend in £10 increments to make a £1 difference to the BOM.

And... even though they are able to sell items during the sale at a massively reduced price (so long as it's still higher than BOM plus shipping and storage)... no business would survive if that was the normal retail price.

If you want cheaps... it's your choice to risk seeing whether it ever comes up in a sale. Otherwise, you should pay full price.

The big bonus though... if Rapha are moving towards a more fashion based approach to sports cycling wear. That is, changing it annually... then they will likely always have extras to fire sale at the end of each season.

^Talks sense

*sends free jersey*

There are times when a company will sell items at a loss however correct?

There are times when a company will sell items at a loss however correct?

Yes, when the cost of warehousing approaches the point of exceeding the cost of production.

But... then the choice has to be made: Do we sell them and risk losing a large chunk of our future potential market for full priced items? Or do we send them to landfill?

If you've only got a few items and it won't impact your target market, a fire sale is the way. But what if you have quite a few items left?

At the record label I once worked for, we sent 30,000 CDs to landfill even though we were selling them. We just weren't selling them fast enough. Then we won a Brit award and had to order 50,000 CDs.

It was financially better to send the 30k to landfill and then to sell 50k for profit, than it would have been to sell 30k at a loss and only make profit on 20k.

Money fucks up everything. Just because something looks right (they'll sell that for a loss rather than destroy it and be wasteful) doesn't mean it's going to happen. What happens is whatever makes sense for the numbers at that time.

*sends free jersey*

I am always open to receiving such things... size M.

Friends. This may help some of you.
I'm 5'10" and 170 lbs.
I'm 180 cm and 12 stone.
By measurement I am within their "medium" range on sizing chart chart, but at the very upper limit.
I purchased a medium city rain jacket.
It fits absolutely perfectly with one long sleeve beneath it, but fitting a sweater will be (too) snug across the shoulders.

Problem is the arms would definitely be too long for my snobbery in a large, so i'll leave it the way it is and not wear it when it's icy.

Perfect for fall rains.

cheers.

Thanks to the search I answered my own question on the transfer jacket. Take it away splutter:

you cant wear the transfer jacket off the bike it just looks weird.you cant wear it on the bike cos you get too hot.so unless you're having an angsty cry wank on the 6.30 ryanair flight to Beauvais you booked to ponce about the french paysage pretending to be a pro cyclist i dont see the point of it

Anyone have pictures of them wearing the transfer jacket? Off the bike? Or on?

I have some photos of me wearing one that I sold to a friend, just to illustrate that it was maybe a little bit small for me. I would not like to get ridiculed by posting these photos on a forum however!

Is it suitable for wearing off the bike?

I wear my transfer jacket off the bike, never on the bike. I think its a great fall/spring city look. I can see it looking weird if one is bulky/overweight, the jacket is not built for fatties. No offense to anybody, as I don't mean to imply that anyone is overweight.

Bottomline is its hard to get a decent primaloft insulated jacket for £70/£95

You can get a decent transfer jacket substitute in Arcteryx for that price range.

Ive got a £200 barbour which is pretty much the same thing so not sure I need a transfer at the moment. Might add it to the list though...

1st world problems.

Link?

Do it. The proteam garms are the best cycling gear I've owned.

A Arcteryx Atom AR is kinda similar. Totally different cut/fit I guess. £150 I would have thought.

I'd a orange transfer jacket. I think they look really nice, while doing a job. Plus I refuse to buy a dark winter jacket up here. Just seems silly.

Personally I'd never consider sitting outside a café without PrimaLoft® ONE insulation and a quilted left shoulder.

Could I use the city rain jacket for longer higher tempo rides, or is it too hot? Also, is it too big to roll up and stick in a jersey pocket? Basically I'm looking for an alternative to the sold out rain jacket :)

No and yes. That would be the race cape.

How small does the transfer pack down?

Ballz. Race cape too pricey for me. Should have got on the sale earlier.

Laner is touring with it I believe.