Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

^This

I'm just wondering if you can get all of that (minus the after sales ) from aliexpress. If they can do carbon well then why not clothes? Particularly if it's the same factories as the real stuff.

If I can pay £100 less for something that performs the same, with an identical design to assos/castelli/rapha whatever then I reckon it's worth a punt. As people are saying, the sport wool will be harder, but the assos et al offerings should be copyable.

I wouldn't trust a jacket (technical fabrics) or bibs (chamoise) but a jersey isn't that much fabric, surely...

There are plenty of reasonably priced options that aren't fakes of the expensive brands. I don't understand why you'd buy this stuff.

Whats the point in getting some knock off stuff?

Just for the lols.

Didn't we do this all last week in the Chinese Carbon thread?

just go to lidl

DHB exists for the more price conscious shopper.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

I've got a pair of DHB bibs, hole over one hip from a fall, they refuse to die - I wear them on the turbo. The thinner fabric is actually nicer than the classic rapha bibs for turbo use.

/csb

Have you ever looked at an Assos jersey up close? Just as an example: iJ.intermediate_s7: six different textiles, 17 patterns and 14 components - Assos designed fabrics. Good luck copying that.

Check on eBay and you can pick up second-hand Assos jerseys for £10-15 anyway, so why buy something that's clearly going to be awful quality? Wait until a sale if you want something brand new for a saving.

I have first hand experience with aliexpress knock offs as I purchased a rapha jersey before while purchasing knock off Arundel carbon bottle cages and knock off ass-saver fenders.

It is not comparable at all in any way shape or form.

It may appear to be similar (color and logo placements), but other than that, everything about the jerseys are inferior.

The cut & fit were terribad. The material was generic 'performance' fabric, not that breathable and smelled bad quickly. The seams were not flat lock stitching, itched in weird places.

You get what you pay for. Waste of money and time imo.

Just buy torm jerseys. End of.

What were the Arundel cages like?

I'm just wondering if you can get all of that (minus the after sales ) from aliexpress.

You can't. It's very easy to make a very, very cheap jersey. It quickly costs more to make something better.

If they can do carbon well then why not clothes?

You mean if they can sell direct and cut corners? Sure.

Particularly if it's the same factories as the real stuff.

Even if this is the case it doesn't mean much. Do they share a pattern, spec and QC?

I purchased 4 of the Arundel Mandible cages from aliexpress over 1 year ago, and all 4 are still holding up great. The inside of the cages (where the bottle slides into) have all the clear coating / gloss rubbed off because of riding in the rain and having sand dirt and grit on the bottle sanding off the coating... But other than that they all are in good shape. The logos are all there, and very hard to differentiate the real from fake.

They were cheap at the time... I think $18 each with free shipping, so $72 shipped. Compare that to $61 each on wiggle = $244 ... I'd say I got a great deal :)

I think nowadays though, Aliexpress is curbing a lot of the knock offs where they don't allow the sellers to use the name Arundel/Pinarello/3T etc etc... so it's a bit harder to search to find the item.

I've never used DHGate, but you can see the quality of the fake cages. Mine looks exactly like these ones in 3k gloss: http://www.dhgate.com/product/arundel-ultra-light-full-carbon-fiber-mountain/175716781.html#s1-1-1|3808549524

Thank you. I was looking for first hand experience and you've given it.

Thanks

Has the Rapha thread moved...

Rapha Pro Team Jacket. Black with white stripe. Worn 3 maybe 4 times. size small (i think).
anybody want it? I never wear the damn thing, was going to eBay it at the weekend.

Also, pro team arm warmers.
Anybody else find them almost impossible to take off without tearing threads in the seams, or is it just me being a tool?Think I'm gonna send mine back if i can find the receipt.

Guns boasting>>>>>>>>>>

i think my wrists are too fat.

gtfo

Price?