Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Because it is when you compare it to products of a similar specification from their peers.

PAS is just white sworks shoe wearing elitist nu-yuppie c*nts with a clueless dad mixed in.

MAAP is desperately trying to be cool with their GenZ capsule shite. But actually just an Aussie PAS.

Albion is on the rise and a solid contender, marketing is good but alas quality of the bibs seem off.

Rapha is heading into a more peoples brand direction latest seasons, although still pricey but core is marketed well. I hope they also highlighted true sustainability in the latest Walcorp quarter KPI roadmap.

Le Col is Joe Average mamil kit. *looks at Museeuw raking in the lucrative deals.

Assos is the R&M of kit, just like Jack Wolfskin also feels weird, upper class functional at best.

Who do I need to do next??

Nothing is reasonably priced any more

DHB, La Passione, Attaquer, Castilli, Sportful. Cheers

Assos gear is mostly ugly as fuck but their bibs are great, and can be had for <£100 if buying from their outlet/discount shop.

Endura is

I'm on my second coffee so in a slightly better mood.

DHB workers class commuter wear at best, touch fancier than Aliex but twice the price. You ain't foolin' no one.

La passione, just Italian Café du Cycliste but worse, like a cappuccino overrun with milk after lunch. Their head of design needs to have a long look in her/him/its mirror. wtaf are you actually doing here?

Attaquer, MAAPs edgy younger alt sibling. Still ashamed when mum & dad come pick both of you up at the after school dance in the newest German e-SUV. Just get PAS and be done with it.

Castilli. Le Col costs what? F that just get Castilli. (or Vermarc/Bio Racer)

Sportfull lost too much money on Sagan, good thing we still have Castelli in the class to back us up. Club fit for the meek Sora churning bottom spec Ridley/Specialized weird alu mob.

Can’t wait for coffee number 3

Worrying commentary from the crown prince of buyers!

When are you making the switch to Brandt-Sorenson?

I have recently been enjoying Spanish brand Tan Line and German brand Biehler. Both attempt sustainable manufacturing are of excellent quality and I found reasonably priced (that is until Brexit shitshow which now means paying import tax).

Biehler, german Rapha rip off, good quality, German automotive engineer turned designer design aesthetics. Good ol fashioned deutsche gründlichkeit.

Tan Line, spanish Café du Cycliste core collection. Let's just stock sustainable fabrics in whatever color the factory craps out and tells us what will be on trend.

Café du Cyliste, just enjoy the generational wealth living on the french riviera, sipping post ride pastis out the back of your mehari. Once in a while waking to a fresh design idea in a warm Evian/Ricard enriched hangover, trying to puzzle it all back together from the langoustine stained napkins from the night before.

3rd coffee

@LeMesjeu galibier.cc pls

Do Universal Colours and Morvelo

Albion employee here. Been riding behind(!) a lot of their bibs recently and not experienced this - For those that have, any idea how old they are, and are they fitted right?

I do see it on repairs on old bibs, where the back panel has stretched out and elastane weakens, which is particularly exacerbated by high UV environments and salt (sweat, road). Acknowledging this long-term wear problem exists in all bibs, the next generation of ABR1 bib has a feature to eliminate this for the entire life-span of the product, so bibs don't get relegated to turbo duties only. This detail falls into a sustainability* strategy to ensure maximum utilisation of products and resources for the customer.

I was curious about some of the feedback above. Perhaps targeted algorithms at work, but when I search reviews, the first three recent reviews of the current (mens) bibs couldn't be more positive?
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/albion-arb1-bib-shorts
https://www.cyclingnews.com/reviews/albion-cycling-abr1-bib-shorts-review/
https://cyclingtips.com/2021/08/albion-abr1-bib-shorts-review-simple-sustainable-brilliant/

The next gen launches next week, think there's a small price inc over the current £125 (minus forum discount), but 60 day satisfaction guarantee + free repairs. Knowing whats behind them, it's a v good deal.

Happy to continue chat in the Albion thread and not derail here,

*shorthand/catchall term used reluctantly

.....and on the wider topic of pricing. Supply chains and resource availability are all over the place, no matter where the products are made, and due to so many different factors, so only expect prices to go up.

I’d ask for NVPA, but I’m not sure it’ll be good for your mental health.

what about ALÉ?

all their stuff looks like motorway repair hi-viz clothing that has been shrunk to cycling kit size.

CHPT3 plz

dhb

It's decent. I think the quality is a step down from MAAP and my personal favourite Pedla, probably on par with Attaquer. Fit is very Italian so I normally need to size up.

Sorry, I've had some meetings and actual work to do, which I should also be doing now... But what's more fun than taking the piss at brands who just want to earn an honest living? (I'm looking at you Walcorp.)

Galibier, fine cycling apparel. Jup definitely the nomenclature I would go with. Together with my 19mm 8bar tired positive rise stem 3x9 speed alu endurance steed. Wait, I can't hear you over the flapping of my wind jacket.

Universal Colours? Just the Wednesday production run in the Tanline.cc facility. Between DHB Tuesday's and Spexcel Thursdays.

Morvelo, on friday right?

Alé or it is Olé? Can't really make out the logo through all the fluo. But I guess it's either that or bare chested cycling in Italy. At least you'd think you wouldn't get clipped by a nonna in a rusty Panda 4x4 going up Passo San Marco wearing the safety kit SS22.

NVPA, too easy.

CHPT3. -looks at Patek Philippe- Can't wait to get out of this middle management meeting and take the Factor out for some KOM hunting. Or maybe I can ring my mate Bob so we can crush some gravel together and have a fine chilled rosé and arancini post ride.

Edit: considering Albion, I really like the brand but first I heard about the bibs going see through are in this thread. Nothing but support for what you are doing Graeme!

Supply chains and resource availability are all over the place, no matter where the products are made, and due to so many different factors, so only expect prices to go up.

Yep - this. We have fabric suppliers having to bid extra cash with the yarn suppliers to secure their own orders. All those increased costs flow through the supply chain. Not to mention the leadtimes from the likes of Polartec. Bit of a global shitshow ATM.

Etxeondo?