Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

love it as a thing (think it's one of the best looking things rapha do) but don't wear it often as I run quite cool ;)

also, shoulder pad good for carrying bike and running. less good for (left) shoulder bag wearing.

Went into Condor the other day. God, Rapha is pricey. Nice though.

overkill

When's the sample sale?

There aren't any more.

I saw that posted upthread but has that been confirmed?

Fuck THEM

That won't exactly encourage them to say "Why not? We'll have a sample sale!"

It will if I email it to them enough times

They are growing- it's a matter of time before they are in TK Maxx, patience.

So what did those dirty Manc bastards do at the sample sale up there that caused Rapha to decide to stop them altogether?

Is that andyw?

Or Manc Ronnie?

Any opinions on the cross jersey?

http://www.rapha.cc/cross-jersey-1-2

I've got one, and I love it. Great design, and good for the weather at this time of year. Wore it in conjunction with a base layer last weekend, and it was perfect for 10-15°C rides.

Two questions:

1. What's going with Rapha sizing?
   
   

I just got the Lombardia jersey (nice but...etc) in the size recommended by the size chart (and the same size as my other jerseys) and it was tiny. There's no way I'm fitting into it.

I also got a gingham shirt again, in the size recommended and the same size as my last Rapha shirt..... And it's huge.

Both of these are supposed to be a medium. I have Rapha items in sizes small, medium and large but I thought by now they would have standardised the sizing. When ordering from the website, this is a bit of a nuisance.

1. What's going on with Rapha?
   
   

No club discounts, no sample sales and a hike in prices. Is this a marketing ploy to keep it expensive and out of the hands of the chattering classes or do they really need the money?

Sorry for the minor rant, I'm just annoyed that my lunchtime is now going to be spent going to the post office in the rain rather than watching Bargain Hunt....

LOL, do you want a shoulder to cry on?

How would the sizing of that shoulder be?

No club discounts, no sample sales and a hike in prices. Is this a marketing ploy to keep it expensive and out of the hands of the chattering classes or do they really need the money?

TBH I always felt the sample sales were a little bit below the brand :|

They'd be much better setting up some of fake ebay accounts and shifting it that way.

Or maybe it was all just an elaborate marketing ploy to make people who could afford the product, but thought it was over priced, realise how amazing it is and pay full RRP.

LOL, do you want a shoulder to cry on?

No thanks, I'm coping. Just.

LOL, do you want a shoulder to cry on?

Would that be the reinforced shoulder or the normal one?

Two questions:

1. What's going with Rapha sizing?
   
   

I just got the Lombardia jersey (nice but...etc) in the size recommended by the size chart (and the same size as my other jerseys) and it was tiny. There's no way I'm fitting into it.

I also got a gingham shirt again, in the size recommended and the same size as my last Rapha shirt..... And it's huge.

Both of these are supposed to be a medium. I have Rapha items in sizes small, medium and large but I thought by now they would have standardised the sizing. When ordering from the website, this is a bit of a nuisance.

It's been a problem for a while now, and it's one of the things I always mention in the annual survey. I variously have XXL(!), XL and L stuff that fits, and it's sometimes impossible to tell what you're going to need to order. I can understand certain stuff being cut 'racier' vs 'casual' but it's often way more random than that, and it can be quite annoying.

I've taken to either ordering two sizes and sending one back, or trying the item on in Condor or the Cycle Club before ordering. Neither is ideal of course.

Having said that, it's not like other companies don't have the same problem - e.g. Uniqlo's random t-shirt sizing.

Having said that, it's not like other companies don't have the same problem - e.g. Uniqlo's random t-shirt sizing.

At £4.90 and available from shops in most cities I can cope with that when buying t-shirts but, when having to order from the website and paying upwards of £150, I want it to be easier.

Ordering two of everything is probably the way to go as long as the trip to the post office for returns every time isn't too much of a hassle.

TBH I always felt the sample sales were a little bit below the brand :|

They'd be much better setting up some of fake ebay accounts and shifting it that way.

Or maybe it was all just an elaborate marketing ploy to make people who could afford the product, but thought it was over priced, realise how amazing it is and pay full RRP.

Think where the sample sales were. East London.
A slight reduction in prices is a small sacrifice for shifting stock and creating brand buzz/awareness.
These things are great to drive traffic to the website and help brand profiling.

Sample sales always make sense to me, as long as there are samples to sell/old stock to shift. They don't make the brand look cheap - they just create hype

Think where the sample sales were. East London.
A slight reduction in prices is a small sacrifice for shifting stock and creating brand buzz/awareness.
These things are great to drive traffic to the website and help brand profiling.

Sample sales always make sense to me, as long as there are samples to sell/old stock to shift. They don't make the brand look cheap - they just create hype

agree