Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

I got my 4 week email today .. #optimistic

Wasn't that the classic pack? Jersey, arm warmers and cap/socks? For like a few quid over the stand alone jersey cost so you always got the pack.

A mate dropped into the shop last night and managed to get me the last XS insulated brevet gilet they found hiding in the stock room. :D

Knowing my luck, it will suddenly come back in stock online and be reduced in the Black Friday sale. :(

Edit: How MAMIL-cut are the Core jerseys? Normally wear XS in Pro Team.

Has anyone tried the winter tights?

I need some, the fear of sciatica triggered by hamstring tightening in the cold is terrifying.

And the question is: Are the Rapha winter tights better than the Assos winter tights?

http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/deep-winter-tights/product/DWT02
https://www.assos.com/en_m/ll-bonkatights-s7

Got a pair of the deep winter and i find them ball crushing . The assos are short in the leg with their foot hoops. Lusso or demarchi contour plus where my favourites but contour are not made anymore .

Have both, find the Rapha ones a bit more comfortable than the Assos ones. Gore bike wear ones are good too.

The Assos don't appear to have foot hoops, but the Rapha do... did you mean that the Rapha ones?

Always buy ones with foot loops, otherwise they ride up your leg making you look like a Lycra clad Nora Batty.

Yeah I have some unpadded ones, they're really toasty, especially if paired with roubaix bib shorts.

Ooh, maybe the Rapha ones are good then.

I wish Polartec got involved and made winter bibs. They have made the warmest cycling jacket I've ever tried with the RH+ Alpha Neo jacket: https://www.zerorh.com/en/alpha-neo-airx-jacket_man_blackanthracite_ICU0448-906L.html

BTW, that jacket... it beats everything. I mean that, even the Gabba, the Gore jackets, all Rapha and Assos ones. There is no jacket warmer than that jacket, none.

Rapha hive mind, your assistance please. I'm after a packable jacket for getting caught out in rain/ coming off tops of mountains. I have Gabba for truly wet days, I have Pro Team Jacket for colder not so wet days and I have a Castello Squadra for emergencies and its this I'd like to replace. Its boil in the bag and the cut is very billowy.

So shortlist is:
Classic Wind Jacket
Rain Jacket
Pro Team Lightweight wind jacket
Pack Jacket

Would prefer black because Pro and I'm M in normal Rapha and Large in Pro Team and prefer a closer cut

The rank outsider is Core Rain Jacket but its very new - anyone have experiences to share?

Ta

Core Rain Jacket

Even the guy in the shop the other day told me that I'd boil in this, so don't see the point.

Foot hoops on all but i would go assos and size up . You can try them on at the new london outlet .

When it comes to rain jackets you've got 2 options, something like the Shadow or Gabba jerseys which are breathable but not fully waterproof or a boil in the bag, packable jacket like the Squadra you have. The Core Rain Jacket is the latter, it will pack up small to fit in your pocket and be fully waterproof, but don't expect it to be breathable. It won't do anything different from your Squadra expect maybe have better zips/seams/cut.

(admittedly I run hot, but) I would recommend trying Pearl Izumi Amfib tights, good mix of windproofing and dwr, and fleece lined. Find them too warm at 0 degrees. @Smallfurry likes them too I think which should be a good recommendation

This is very new: http://www.goreapparel.co.uk/gore-bike-wear/men/one-gore-tex-active-bike-jacket-with-shakedry/JROFOC.html

But it's receiving very good reviews. I'd be tempted to try that.

Edit: i.e. http://road.cc/content/review/201644-gore-bike-wear-one-active-bike-jacket gives it a 9/10 would buy.

I can say with certainty, the Classic Wind Jacket is useless in the rain. I really like it for commuting in and find it remarkably breathable but it doesn't cut it in the wet.

People talk about the pack jacket being showerproof and it claims to be on the product page.

I have the classic winter ones and rate them highly. They don't have foot loops though, but they are so tight they don't move. They are on sale right now too for sub 100 pounds .

Hmm.

Maybe I should charge Rapha for running the RCC forum for them, that way I could buy the deep winter tights and some other bits.

Of course the wind jacket is useless in the rain.

Have you tried using a rain jacket in the rain?

That's the one.

I find it remarkably not breathable but good if no indoor seating in the cafe in the sticks as the beans are cold before me.

GCN showed it in a video, looks pretty cool, I guess it's their equivalent technology to that of the Gabba and Shadow.

Have you considered calf muscles?

I'm after a packable jacket for getting caught out in rain/ coming off tops of mountains. I have Gabba for truly wet days, I have Pro Team Jacket for colder not so wet days

If I'm already wearing one of the above, I never bother to take anything else. Saying that, there are no mountains here in the Peaks, at least not like Mont Ditchling and Col de Box.

@clem-fandango Thanks!