Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

That discounts most reviewers then.

Not being funny, but I am at a loss to see how much more effective the brevet gilet is compared to stuff from say endura etc, or am I really missing the point?

You're missing the point.

Rapha's about elitism.

And I say that as an owner of Rapha products.

Sorry that genuinely wasn't a troll, I just didn't read your post carefully enough! I do actually have one I want rid of, anyone interested?

A Rapha gilet isnt any better than say, Altura. In fact I have a cracking Altura Reflex gilet which is better in many ways, not least because it has a zipped pocket on the rear.

Nor is a generic waxed cotton jacket for example but you buy a Belstaff for the label.

Same with Rapha. I'm guilty of buying into it too, only in the sales mind. ;)

cheers. I have some Rapha stuff, and while I get some of the stuff, its the gilets I don't.

Pro team baselayer is nice. But confused how it works, but it's nice. Wasn't too pricey.

Is it made out of the same stuff as the Shadow kit? If so I might save myself 180 quid by getting a zip and a couple of pockets stapled onto it...

No, it's not. As far as I'm aware Rapha are the only people using the fabric used in the Shadow range. But I could be wrong.

I genuinely struggled to find a gilet as good as the brevet in terms of visability, hi-viz for low light but also big reflective stripes for when it is pitch black so had to suck it up and pay £20 more for the Rapha branding.

Maybe I didnt look hard enough..

Nor is a generic waxed cotton jacket for example but you buy a Belstaff for the label.

The waxed cotton on Belstaff jackets is a whole different breed to generic ones. If its reproofed regularly they'll last a hell of a long time. Many of the generics aren't even cotton, they're a polymer which has a relatively short lifespan. Even ancient Belstaff jackets will sell for cold hard cash long after a generic one has been binned due to the brand name alone.

Summoning @Chopsicle to the thread to bloody well explain himself

yeah but it's a Rapha pro team base layer, innit, and the the shtick on the site sounds mighty similar but maybe they're recycling the copyrighting rather than the fabric...

If you mean the Pro Team Softshell Baselayer, then no, it's not the same as the shadow. There's definitely a membrane in it. It feels pretty plasticky on the inside.

Merino socks are discontinued by the way. So do stock up.

which ones, the simple black and white ones or all the merino socks?

it must be said that my rapha socks seem to outlast all the other merino socks i have. other ones tend to shrink in the wash or fall apart at the seams

Merino socks are discontinued by the way. So do stock up.

are these the only ones available on the market?

Not @Dammit

(Seriously though, I would like to see an objective Gabba v. Shadow comparison test - maybe the Shadow jersey is actually worth the extra. Obviously no one knows unless they've used both).

I looked into alternatives to the winter socks (i.e. thick merino socks) and the Rapha socks on sale were actually cheaper than basic ones on eBay/Amazon etc. at the time. They were pretty much the cheapest available. And I don't need to say they almost certainly wouldn't fit as well or be as nicely designed.

If you have an alternative that costs less than £10 a pair please link away though.

The Vulpine are nicer and made in Italy.

Race socks though, not winter socks. I like the long pro team socks for warmer riding (currently £7.50 a pair, so just added some to my winter socks order), thick merino socks for winter.

Sorry I missed you last night by the way, glad to hear you're up and about.

Vulpine are nicer and pricier and also a bit small so size up. Their dogtooth merino/silk are amazing and warm (probably similar role to rapha winter). They do extra long merino too which I wear a lot, more versatile than rapha deep winter. Seriously, vulpine range of socks are very nice, and currently on sale (although still more expensive than rapha).

I'm sure they're nice but they look a bit thin and the description talks about hot weather riding? I need these to keep my feet warm on 5/6+ hour winter rides when the temperature's in the low single digits. My feet would melt if I wore the Rapha winter socks in summer!

Yes, then I can come. I'm more fun than @Chalfie

I'm not talking about the ones fussballclub linked to. Look at these:

http://www.vulpine.cc/uk/mens/accessories/dogtooth-merino-silk-socks-in-anthracite-yellow (thick and warm but only half-height)

http://www.vulpine.cc/uk/mens/accessories/merino-long-polka-socks-in-navy-red-charcoal (full calf coverage, thinner but still pretty good, between rapha normal and winter weight merino I think).

As someone who has a lot of both rapha and vulpine socks, and feels the cold, I think vulpine are generally better. The foot bit is much nicer! But size up.

I'm going to try and ride both days.

I've got some Vulpine socks - and whilst I like them I do feel like a right chump wearing anything Vulpine, they do feel nice.
I'm gonna add a bit of a buyer beware though - Vulpine do start to disintegrate after about a year. And the silk/merino socks shrank unusably small after two washes (30 degrees, delicate cycle).
I'll not buy them again - there's better merino socks out there that don't look like your mum bought them for you.