Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

*based on actual events

It's a nice bit of kit and a good price imo. But i'm gonna return mine as it's just an updated version of what I already have. Also the arms are weird and baggy.

Had some really good customer service from Rapha where I couldn't figure out how to apply some store credit to my order that I simply had to purchase before the sale ended. Sent them an email and they retrospectively applied it.

Not looking forward to Evri, of Hermes fame, bungling the delivery but from a technical point of view, having systems that are able to partially refund customers based on a voucher for a refund before the customer has recieved the order is very impressive.

If anyone from rapha is on here, trail lightweight pants in black please.

Feel heard, new explore pants look nice but a bit pricey and come in black.

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/mens-explore-pant/product/ALF01XX

Are they yompers now?

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oh god

God I'd forgotten about that word

Sadly, my favorite cycling jacket ever, my PTJ from 2015 is starting to fall apart after years of winter abuse ... This is truly an amazing piece of clothing, easy to layer whatever the weather between November all the way to March. I think @youramericanlover has similar feelings about this jacket.

What should I be looking to replace this with? Rapha/Albion or other suggestions welcome!

This was the softshell right? Any softshell you like by a good brand will do.

The quecha one used to be bang on but they altered it.
This one looks ok https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/windbreaker-jacket-softshell-warm-mt100-windwarm-men-s/_/R-p-324176?mc=8580219&c=BLACK

Could go look in arcteryx shop. https://arcteryx.com/gb/en/shop/mens/gamma-lt-jacket
https://arcteryx.com/gb/en/shop/mens/solano-jacket

Rab https://rab.equipment/uk/stormveil-windstopper-jacket

Ha this happened to me this morning! I took it off the drying rail and thought something was funky about it. It permanently honks, it has just been worn so many times. I did get a backup off ebay tho.

The best replacement for it (well it has been for me) is an Albion LS jersey and their insulated gilet. When it's below 4 add a ss baselayer, and jersey and gilet I think replicates the warmth and flexibility. A kinda pricey alternative but their library archive sale has most of this in your size atm (I only say this as you sold me a frame so I'm guessing we're they same size) and there is strava code knocking around that you can add to it I believe.

Going back to all the Evri complaints, I dropped off a return with Evri about a fortnight back & it says they still haven't sent it back to Rapha so I've not been refunded. Getting a bit tiresome now as it wasn't a cheap order! Should I be badgering Evri or Rapha? Not sure.

Name aside, the route itself looks really great. Basically the whole thing is beautiful. However, the Los Padres National Forest - which 165 miles of this route is in - is closed until March 14th to assess storm damage. And that'll be before clean up happens. I have no idea how they'll successfully ride that section safely. I suspect this route was devised before we experienced the huge rainfall that occurred in early January.

There's an entire Flickr gallery from the National Forest Service of storm damage. Its wild: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfsregion5/albums/72177720305549844/with/52647826820/

Oh wow! Thanks for sharing the gallery.

Okay thank you! I've got all of this so will keep things cheap. I found the jacket great for commuting though as a lazy option as you just put it in with a base layer and it works from - 2 all the way to like 10 ish and has some rain resistance

Yeah its IS really really good.

What size are you? I'll sell you my stinky one for a tenner 😂

an Albion LS jersey and their insulated
gilet. When it's below 4 add a ss
baselayer

Massively second this.

I've been an ultimate Karen and emailed them voicing my concerns. I did some sleuthing and the original route was devised at least seven weeks ago, which was around three weeks before the rain came and before the forest was ravaged. They should at least route it around the Los Padres. They say: 'Treat the land and all its inhabitants with respect.' Well, they shouldn't try to ride in the Los Padres. These are designated wilderness areas in many parts.

The Forest Service have stated they will either extend or drop the closure order on March 14th. It is my hopes that they will simply extend the closure order. Its not unheard of for the Forest Service to just close forests around here for months at a time. The Angeles was closed due to fire risk for 4 months in late 2021. Not only will forest use in this fragile state damage it, but also could potentially end up in dangerous conditions for the riders. Consider they have feet on the ground here in SoCal, I am surprised that they've gone through with launching the event tbh.

Same... I returned something on the 20th of Jan and its still not back with Rapha, today I spoke to some via the instant chat feature on the Rapha website, I provided the tracking details and was refunded instantly...

Haha Small in pro team stuff but Medium in Albion tops. And no thanks I think I'm okay 😂

Cheers, given this a go been refunded also now!

Just seen Ceo_of_year throwing his toys out the pram on Twitter and laying into one of his (now ex) customers.

Strange. Thought he’d be right behind a bunch of armband-wearers intent on global domination….

Next seasons colours?

😬

Looks like nice kit. Jerseys etc seem to be all polyester though, how would you say they compare to the Rapha merino/poly mixes (or better to the older all Merino Rapha jereseys)?

Didn't sell well in previous seasons.

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