Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Is it because @amey stopped buying?

it could very well be!

I went from Rapha at RRP to secondhand Endura.

Good afternoon Mr Mottram

Good afternoon Lance

Rapha is iconic. They are the reason brands like PAS and other upmarket brands exist.

undeniably true. shame they couldn't help themselves in pushing tonnes of stuff out to the market through sportpursuit/ebay archive sales. it definitely contributed to a loss of what was 'special'/exclusive about the brand (and yes I know I am a snob for thinking this)

saying that if you go to cinnamon cafe on a weekend every other person is wearing PAS stuff now too reeeeeeeee

what is to say that PAS wont be doing the same due to overstock etc?

I feel the snobby vibe has gone from Rapha since Core, which I think is great. It’s just good kit now, available at different scales. Doesn’t feel tribal like PAS and others. Got a lot of time for Rapha.

Sale? So what.

i'm sure it is only a matter of time; especially as they are selling through loads of smaller channels/shops now......

i actually just bought some bibs and jerseys at 40-50% off from their main store lol. making it competitively priced vs other brands (incl. maap) and hardly any difference vs new collections

The rear panel on my pro team bibs (the version with the tighter band around the legs) is going a bit see through. Not ideal for my fellow cyclists obviously.

Just wondering if anyone with a similar issue has managed to get the panel replaced/repaired?

They're completely fine otherwise so bit of a shame to consign them to turbo duties/the bin

just good kit now

Agree with this. The Rando shorts are the best 'baggy' shorts on the market. Well made, durable, functional and look good on and off the bike. They are a bit pricey, but unlike most shorts they last with constant use.

Granted they fall out of the Road scene stuff.

TBF the new endura stuff is pretty class

I dig the Universal Colours currently.

Out here in NZ it's all MAAP with the younger smoothlegs. Rapha is for 60+ pinarello crew

a big piece of the pie

That's not remotely close to reality.
Universal colours might have a bunch of Surrey and SW London customers, Rapha is huge globally.

Universal colours is as cool as DHB but twice the price

I did Hell of the Ashdown a few weeks back which has a good cross section of committed roadies and ambitious choppers, but the early season date and elevation is enough filter out most of the Altura Ultras. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Rapha still rules the road in the SE. There was scattered Maap layers, a few Hypersexual Lithe PNS types, and some scattered Albion - those were all making inroads yes, but otherwise it was Rapha everywhere. I did see a little Castelli which was nice, made ne nostalgic for 2014. Anyway it was Rapha on the Stayers, O'Reillys, Supersixes, even the SWorks types were generally Rapha (I rode it fixed in Albion natch)

Rapha makes good shit. But is it the best or coolest these days? Nah mate, nah

Oofff.

True though.

This shop on eBay is selling a whole heap of brand new Rapha stuff at properly cheap prices - grabbed a set of lightweight bib shorts for £50. Loads left.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/thebikeprojectlondon

The bike project is an amazing charity and cause.

PNs were hardly ever cool imo, the venn diagram of high income needed, style consciousness and nordic conformity meant it was always end up being showcased by the cream of roadies.

Have you ridden it fixed ?

PNS is pretty cringe

<3

Nice heads up cheers. Just as my tights pads are giving up.

Most of the city banker cunts wear Patagonia gilets. I don't get it.