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perv-fabric
repped.
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You ........blah.........blah............ though they do bask in their exclusivity.
..............blah.............blah............other than the seemingly excessive RRP of their products.how do they bask in their exclusivity? surely its their business model to sell less for more. why does nobody complain that aldi sell their cycle clothing too cheaply and at the price the sell for somebody must be getting a very raw deal?
excessive rrp assumes you know how much their running costs are, how much they spend on advertising, sponsoring a cycle team, how much they spend on employees, buying designs and buying materials.
given that we dont have to wear rapha to be accepted and furthermore we dont have to be accepted why are so many people worked up about another mans success.
enjoy what you wear and know why you wear it.sorry if i missed something.
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excessive rrp assumes you know how much their running costs are, how much they spend on advertising, sponsoring a cycle team, how much they spend on employees, buying designs and buying materials.
As I've said, this was an assumption that I have since been informed is unfair and baseless.
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This is because they have made the brand aspirational, so you beleive you are buying into a pricey exclusive realm
in reality it's just good kit that is surprisingly competitively priced
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You keep coming back to this and I really don't know why. Besides I really don't think you have any right to assume what people are earning.
Well, I come back to it because :
a) i know it it annoys you :) ( absolving smiley face), and
b) i suspect it to be true - you do seem to be quite bitter about the amount of profit you assume them to be making, something which you may or may not have the right to do.
I can assume what you earn, if i like - marketing companies do it all the time, after all.FWIW, My assumption that Rapha inflate their prices artificially has been quashed after a bit of digging around, though they do bask in their exclusivity.
If it's easier for you just to tell me I'm having a whinge then I'll not bother pursuing this.
What do you mean 'inflate their prices artificially' ? How does a commercial company do that anyway? You seem to be under the impression there's some kind of central fixed index of cycle clothing prices that Rapha are bound by. All prices are 'artifically inflated' by the vendor,there are no rules about how much profit you are allowed to make on any given item.
I wasn't saying that Rapha is an unethical company. That's a provocative way of putting it. I was suggesting that they can afford to be greedy because there's no competition, though as I've pointed out there is no evidence to suggest that they are being greedy other than the seemingly excessive RRP of their products.
Well, you were saying that. You said they were profiteering, which is by definition unethical.
What is an 'excessive RRP' ? People in business charge as much as the market will pay. It really is as simple as that. What annoys me, and it's not you personally at all, is the general attitude of some of this forum that companies making cycle related stuff are somehow not bound by the usual rules of capitalism, and should instead be run as some kind of benign collective where 'cool stuff for all' is the only bottom line. -
This is because they have made the brand aspirational, so you beleive you are buying into a pricey exclusive realm
in reality it's just good kit that is surprisingly competitively priced
Fair fucks, well put.
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What's Rapha?
isn't it that appropriation of the St Raphael jersey? never realised they were making a business of it.
Not quite, there was a team called Rapha Geminiani, (see http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/ploegfiche.php?id=3812 for the jersey) but it seems to have been associated with St. Raphael according to http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15826577.
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Oh yes... I know already what phrase can be used to describe this, but let's roll with it anyway, here's the press release:
At Last Women’s Cycling Clothing Gets The Rapha Treatment
March 2010. Following numerous requests from customers and female cyclists luxury road cycling emporium, Rapha, are launching a capsule women’s range in March.
After five years producing the most stylish and functional clothing for male road cyclists, a clear gap still existed for classic, elegant cycling clothing for women. More than 30% of cycling journeys in the UK are now made by women and research showed that women were already buying, and loved, Rapha men’s clothing and wanted similar items made to fit them perfectly.
After much research and testing, the finish, design and quality of the range is to the usual standard expected of Rapha clothing and will include a women specific version of the Classic Jersey and the Stowaway Jacket. Cycling Shorts will also be part of the range and will have a high waist-band for comfort and to avoid exposed flesh on the back and a snug fit around the waist, along with being cut longer in the leg for a flattering silhouette. The design gives the support of bib-shorts without the inconvenience. Rich colours dominate the range with the Classic Jersey available in red and black (with women’s arm warmers as in the men’s version) and the Stowaway available in red and cream. The range is distinguished by a subtle red and cream trim throughout, and no flowers in sight!
Rapha’s CEO, Simon Mottram, said of the range:
“We had so many requests from women who love Rapha clothing and wanted the same but with a women-specific fit. This was our inspiration and we are offering something befitting the class and style of the sport and the women who are involved in it. We realised early on that the women’s range should be an extension of the men’s one and we’ve avoided girly colours and floral prints. A passion for road cycling is at the core of everything Rapha does and as with the men’s clothing each product will contain a story label inspired by the legends and character of the sport.”It is planned to extend the range as there are lots of Rapha menswear products which deserve a women’s version. For Spring Summer 2010 the existing menswear range will expand to include more of the smallest sizes (XS and S) to accommodate the growing female customer base. All Rapha clothing is tested under extreme conditions and the women’s range will be no different. A grass-roots team is being developed in London and the South East and ongoing feedback from the riders will be invaluable.
The important bit is just this:
http://www.rapha.cc/women -
It looks nice...
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a forum member has been approached to join their racing team
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Sugar and spice and all things nice... bit steep though.
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Are they going to do the silk scarf in a women's fit?
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Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?
Posted by
@Velocio
The thing is, that they are only exclusive because nobody else makes cycling gear that is both decent quality and good looking.
I can't believe that other companies have not seen what Rapha offer and tried to take a bit of the market, but they haven't. Most cycling gear is still all about day-glo power rangers shit in skintight perv-fabric. It's not rocket science to make some that isn't.