Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Got all three - soft-shell is lovely but mega mega toasty, the cut on the rainjacket is fantastic but find it too sweaty for a lot of riding, wind jacket is just right atm for normal riding with a baselayer underneath. If I had to pick one, I'd get the softshell

Got all three - soft-shell is lovely but mega mega toasty, the cut on the rainjacket is fantastic but find it too sweaty for a lot of riding, wind jacket is just right atm for normal riding with a baselayer underneath. If I had to pick one, I'd get the softshell, but the wind jacket is the most sensible all-rounder option.

These are just two, though.

I have the rain jacket and it's excellent - I have no complaints about it.

It keeps the worst of the water out but isn't totally waterproof - the underarms and the side panels are made of a more breathable material. This means it doesn't get too sweaty.

I'm impressed with it.

Want Acronym or Arcteryx Veilance to do an insane technical cycling jacket and show these noobs what an overpriced coat really looks like.

Agreed!

Got the Bomber Jacket through the post this morning. If i had got a jacket tailored, it would have the same measurements as this Bomber..... Really nice.

Got all three - soft-shell is lovely but mega mega toasty, the cut on the rainjacket is fantastic but find it too sweaty for a lot of riding, wind jacket is just right atm for normal riding with a baselayer underneath. If I had to pick one, I'd get the softshell, but the wind jacket is the most sensible all-rounder option.

May go for the Paul Smith Rain jacket in the clearance section as it's that bit cheaper although the wind jacket is quite tempting.

Thanks for the opinions people

The fit of the P.S. jacket it's weird. I have the Wind jacket and fits perfectly. The P.S. is too tight underarms and I tried one size up but that was way too big. The problem is the P.S. doesn't stretch (like the Wind or Rain jacket do). Also the "storm tail" on P.S. makes it too bulky in my opinion.

The Mac Softshell was on the website briefly on Thursday @ £350,vanished... then pops up again @ £400!!

Doesn't do anything for me but they do seem to make it up as they go along sometimes on the pricing front.PS Rain Jacket intro'd at £270 originally,Track top £150,PS Merino was also £150 back in the day.

Also wish that Mottram chap would get over his Blue Fetish.I hate blue.

No more bloo Mottie-Boy.Capice?!

£40......... FUCK!

That said, it's the thought process behind the product that gets my goat, rather than the price.

@ Wibble, i'd go for the wind jacket - use it all year with decent layers, although I tend to ride hot.

just had the email for the Mac shoftshell, eye-watering price

Am I the only one who thinks that £400 for a designer jacket that has just been released sounds about right?

Also for some weird reason I'm sure it was £350 on Friday... but then maybe Not the Dude doing a Derren Brown on me.

Value is relative I suppose. Technical clothing is usually expensive - if it's good and durable, it's worth it. I've paid £350 for a triple gore tex Ski jacket in the past - it lasted me 5 years.. was well worth the money.
They say that cycling is one of the most difficult activities to design technical garments for because of the extremes of temperature, the amount of exertion and need for waterproof but breathable fabrics. With that in mind - £400 for the best jacket seems about right (if it is in fact the best jacket)

The best designer jacket? Beats me.. haven't heard of this c_change stuff until now.

http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/technologies/c-change.html

Is it soft shell specific, or does it appear in shells like gore-tex / event? Is it an interior fabric or external?

Am I the only one who thinks that £400 for a designer jacket that has just been released sounds about right?

Also for some weird reason I'm sure it was £350 on Friday... but then maybe Not the Dude doing a Derren Brown on me.

Is Rapha 'designer' though? It's brilliant kit (I have the classic softshell as well as shorts and other bits and pieces), well enough made and it certainly looks good. As you say, well-made sports kit that will last always comes at a premium, but there is always a sneaking suspicion that Rapha is priced high, possibly for 'aspirational' purposes, rather than a need to achieve a certain margin.

At the end of the day something is worth what people are prepared to pay for it. Margins applied by retailers are often arbitrary and are not tied into want each product needs to achieve to make required profit levels. Pricing is more about market-postioning, competitors [prices or simply what you think you can get away with. Sometimes prices are aritificially inflated simply make future discounts look better.

Rapha clearly market themselves as a luxury, aspirational brand and the high prices are part of that, so for what they are I do believe these products could be cheaper, something re-inforced by the fact originally the bomber jacket was released at £350 them quickly bumped up to £400. Its as if something applied the say 50% margin the company is looking to make on all its products and someone else came along and said, actually we can get £400 for that, chuck an extra £50 on it

I think so yes.

This isn't a fullproof definition, but to me, 'designer' means clothing which carries a premium because of the brand name attached to it.

The brand name may have a value/be desirable due to good design - style, fabric, quality, etc. however, the name itself will also sell a product regardless of what it is attached to*.

IMO Rapha falls into my criteria, ymmv.

• this doesn't necessarily mean it's not good a good product.
  

It doesn't seem to bother people - they're selling out pretty quick!

Ridic

Ridic

I'm reminded of this delightful piece by Simon Mills:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/article-24000564-simon-mills-from-party-boy-to-lycra-lad.do

Men who once thrilled to Kraftwerk and Italian piano house get a thing for cycling gear because it reminds them of their original Balearic jaunts and harks back to Weller during his Cappuccino Kid days. They are delighted to discover that you can easily splurge £700 on an outfit by Rapha, regarded as the Gucci of cycling clobber. The Rapha range is beautifully made and logo-free.
(if only!)

Ridic

Has yours arrived yet?

The best designer jacket? Beats me.. haven't heard of this c_change stuff until now.

http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/technologies/c-change.html

Is it soft shell specific, or does it appear in shells like gore-tex / event? Is it an interior fabric or external?

It's the membrane so would be sandwiched between inner and outer. Mammut have put it in hardshells which are about £350

It's the membrane so would be sandwiched between inner and outer. Mammut have put it in hardshells which are about £350

So you're saying £400 is a good price then?

Blimey... Rapha, nice and reasonably priced thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

#toopoortobuyone

So you're saying £400 is a good price then?

Blimey... Rapha, nice and reasonably priced thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

#toopoortobuyone

If Rapha's quality was the same or similar to Mammut or Arcteryx then their technical outer layers would be priced about right. (Although I do believe the law of diminishing returns is evidenced here.)

But.... I think there's been a drop in quality over the years.

The new zips used aren't as good as the used to be, the actual build quality doesn't seem to be as good, the quality control isn't there, the sizing is particularly hit and miss (for me anyway - sometimes I have to try on two or three of the same item in the same size before one fits) and the materials used don't seem to be as hard wearing as they used to be.

My three/four year old fixed jersey is still in almost perfect condition yet the R+PS jersey I bought lasted three washes.

I'm actually becoming wary of spending money on Rapha now as I don't believe it to be as good as it once was.

Schoeller do a sample sale: http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/factory-sale.html

Group buy?

Then make the first LFGSS ultimate riding jacket?

Exactly.

Anyone else think it total bollocks that the Mac jacket SOLD OUT instantly then 4 days later they have a full size run ?

Marketing tactic ? – To create a buzz about the product & any one sat on the fence about the purchase buys thinking
I could sell out at any point ?

They did the same with the Pro Team Jacket . . . .

either that or production fuck up.