Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

I road with the pro team jacket to work today in -2 degrees. With a merino baselayer. Torso and arms were good. I was toasty and there was hardly any sweat hanging around when I got to work. (And I worked hard as well, I ain't no pootler)

Any non rain jacket from my experience.

I wear the merino gloves with some liners and they work in a good range of temperatures. They've only really come up short on a long descent at -4. I'm an idiot for thinking I could get away with it though.

Merino gloves and liners were severely lacking on my 20 minute commute this morning in -2 degrees. I do suffer with cold fingers though. Castelli Estremos from now on when the mercury is sub zero.

Merino hooded top and transfer jacket were perfect for the rest of me though

#fkw

Here was my setup for my 8am club ride on Saturday...

It was -4*C at 8am, rose to 3*C by 12pm. Sun, no rain/snow.

Rapha Pro Team Jacket
DHB Merino Long Sleeve Baselayer 200gsm
Rapha Pro Team Softshell Baselayer on top of merino
Rapha Thermal Bib Shorts
Rapha leg warmers
Rapha deep winter overshoes
DHB Thermal socks
Rapha GT Shoes
GORE Countdown Gloves
Rapha merino glove liners

Upper body and thighs were toasty warm. Surprisingly the softshell baselayer on top of my merino baselayer worked very well for -4*C. Once the temps rose above 1*C I started to feel a bit too warm. My knees were okay at -4*C with just the leg warmers, but I wouldn't mind at all if I had a bib tight with windblocking fabric on the knees. My hands were on the brink of discomfort.

My downfall was shoes/socks/overshoes, I was very uncomfortable. I need to find a pair of socks that has some sort of windblocking panel for the top of the foot and also the toes.

Anyone have experience with the Winter Socks or the Deep Winter Socks?

#Buyer

Pro Team Jacket, Pro Team Softshell or Classic Softshell will all do the job. The Race Cape option is always going to be a sweaty affair. I have said this before, but I love the Pro Team Softshell, paired with the right base layer it does a fine job.

I've got the winter socks and the deep winter socks. Both good, apart from the fact that the Deep Winter socks are a bit too long for my stumpy little legs, and I have to make sure I don't pull them up too high otherwise they rub behind my knees. Both pretty toasty though, but neither has any windproof qualities.

My kit choice on Sunday's club ride (1degC to 4degC) was:

Rapha Pro Team Jacket
Rapha merino SS baselayer
Rapha Pro Team bib tights
Rapha Deep Winter socks
Rapha Deep Winter gloves (the normal winter gloves wouldn't fit over the finger splint on my broken finger)
SIDI Hydro winter boots

Nice and toasty, but not too toasty, except for my toes which got a bit chilly in the first part of the ride. Should've used the electrically-heated insoles, but I'd forgotten to charge the battery packs. #firstworldproblems

3 baselayers and a ptj!? I'd have melted even in -4*C.

2 baselayers + ptj yes

FYI... for those folks who wanted to use that 15% coupon on the Rapha.cc website... There are a lot of new items listed in the "Archive Sale" portion of their site...

You can score bib shorts starting from $159 - $198CAD with lots of sizes available.

Stack the 15% on top (works as of 10:20am PST Monday, will probably expire very soon) and you have a killer deal!

Ex// Pro Team Aero Jersey + Pro Team Lightweight Bib shorts = $345 - 15% = $293+tax CAD

[price i listed is in Canadian lol]

Ugh, it's that time of the year when people report on how much kit they wore on a ride...

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I put everything I own on. Then remove layers untill I can bend my arms.

We want UK prices

Went to work today. Wore my Rapha Jeans, Rapha boxers, Rapha City Socks, Rapha city shirt, Rapha transfer jacket, Rapha scarf and Rapha City gloves with Rapha merino inners. Was fine temperature wise. Bit cold at times, bit hot at others. I had to take my gloves off to type. Going to get some thinner Rapha ones to allow typing.

I wore a Rapha Fixed Jersey today. Very warm. Classic.

Your type of sock is on sale. I need socks. Still inclined to go with the made in Italy Vulpine short merino race sock.

They are! I've just bought some socks from TK Maxx on the recommendation of my Facebook friends (too many of them, tbh). Was after some decent hiking-esque socks like Kinoko sells, but not for Kinoko prices. 3 pairs for £7.99. Very happy.

Having a serious conversation about socks on Facebook was also when I realised that I am not the person I used to be (don't care though).

Maxx Roxx for Soxx.

Cheap enough to only wear each pair five times and then replace.

New sock feeling every day. Costs less than a tenner a month.

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^ New jeans every day. Had a room for worn jeans.

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My existing gloves actually fit underneath the rapha merinos since they're pretty stretchy, extremely warm, not so mad now

Oh well.. Here we go..

Those glasses won't work well in drizzle.