Alternatives to Rapha?

I'm sure it's really good. But that wasn't my point.

Well cycling is the sport of cunts anyway. So good evening to u 2 brother.

Castelli is now the official go-to brand of the roadie douchebag though.

I'm ten times more likely to read a Manual For Speed article than anything on Rapha's blog though, and you can get fucking fucked if you think I'd ever wear anything with SKY printed on it.
As long as the branding's minimal, I'd happily wear Castelli for training rides etc. It's the new Pearl Izumi (the quality of which is now complete and utter shit).

http://www.castellicafe.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IMG_1822.jpg

Fashion is a tricky subject, riding along with your tongue hanging out of your mouth, visage twisted into a horrific cum-face, is not fashionable, but I love my Rapha bits like the base layers, the PTJ, the hats, the rucksack, the odd jersey, cos they're so well thought out, maybe overpriced but understated, I look forward to my rides and part of that is due to knowing I've got the right gear for the conditions and also because vanity is not something u do for other people, it's something u do for yourself. So it really doesn't matter what other people think, I mean Christ, if I cared that much, I'd get changed before I got in the elevator at work. My daily rides are the majority of my weekly exercise and I do them at 90%. If u can do that and not waste energy or boil/freeze then it's just a pleasure. Sure a jersey is expensive, but only the same price as a night out in London mid week, and u just don't bother with those when u cycle in and out. So do people think you're a twat? Probably, but who cares, I feel great, and I'm not looking for new mates anyway!! Do they think you're a middle aged fat cunt? Sure they do if u are, but even if u are, keep this up for a year, cycling in pretty much all conditions with a big smirk across yer chops, and you'll soon have the body of a god, lol!

You lost me at lol

Me.

Regularly.

Lad

http://www.lfgss.com/thread1561.html?

:-)

Aether

Castelli have awesome materials, and some brilliant pads. None of this is of any use if the fit is bad. Which for me it is.

Assos are frankly the leaders in bib tech, and combine several materials in their tops to make the most technical gear out there. But you look like a living captian scarlet.

Rapha have nice materials, including a lot of wool, which some prefer. They focus on simple use of these nice materials, and a good fit.

For me Rapha bottoms offer the best fit. Both Assos and Rapha tops are equally well fitting. But I like to wear a certain amount of wool, and prefer the more simple material use.

I look like a MAMIL whatever. So I wouldnt pay the premium for style alone.

Other great performance brands IMHO are Giordana (the body clone stuff is very good), etxeondo, and de marchi. Plus loads of others. But all the tech in the world isnt going to compensate for a good fit. So try out some brands.

For 'stylish' cycle gear their are also loads of options.

Velobici
VeloSolo
Morvelo
Cafe du cyclist
Vulpine
ShutterVr
Tørm
Swrve

Someone linked to the Velobici site on the awesome jersey thread. Looks like nice kit for those with a taste for wool, and retro styling. I'm going to try the wool arm warmers.

I have tried the Velobici merino cycling jersey (Bob Maitland/Tommy Godwin), they're very comfortable and very warm too, the only annoyance is the arm is a little on the long side.

I'd want a bit more lycra content in a jersey. For awesome racing fit over my MAMIL body.

Armwarmers ordered though.

Lad

Not really. I just like to have fun and drink nice drinks which unfortunately, aren't cheap.

I also drink cheap drinks which unfortunately, aren't as nice.

(Not being married also helps.)

I have tried the Velobici merino cycling jersey (Bob Maitland/Tommy Godwin), they're very comfortable and very warm too, the only annoyance is the arm is a little on the long side.

They look nice (and pricey) but producing 'tribute' jerseys is too much of a Rapha rip for me.

I'd prefer it if they either came up with their own ideas or simply made nice clothes.

Everyone makes tribute Jerseys?????

I believe Rapha invented black and white photograpy, and the sheep though.

Everyone makes tribute Jerseys?????

I believe Rapha invented black and white photograpy, and the sheep though.

That's not quite what I meant, I know waffa weren't the first but it's something they, as a cycling brand, do very well. Velobici just looks like a poor copy in comparison, especially with the Tommy Godwin jersey.

They could at least choose different cyclists or classic tour stages to differentiate themselves.

Not really. I just like to have fun and drink nice drinks which unfortunately, aren't cheap.

I also drink cheap drinks which unfortunately, aren't as nice.

(Not being married also helps.)

I think by nice you mean overpriced.

Seriously, even including 'extras' I'd have trouble spending £140 on a weekend night out, let alone weekday.

Has anyone tried the Chapeau kit?

That's not quite what I meant, I know waffa weren't the first but it's something they, as a cycling brand, do very well. Velobici just looks like a poor copy in comparison, especially with the Tommy Godwin jersey.

They could at least choose different cyclists or classic tour stages to differentiate themselves.

Well tributing great cyclists, and cycling achievements, would have been the obvious chioce.

But then they probably didnt realise Rapha own this idea.

Maybe they could tap into the heroic achiements of the worlds great shuffleboard players.

I cycle down each isle and store groceries like bidons down a domestique's jersey.

An artist's impression of miro on his weekly shop

Small point: why would you use the Tour Eiffel as an 'icon' of the TdF? Surely you'd whack the Arc d'Triomphe, but then that won't look as good in the design. So instead just pick an arbitrary Paris landmark with no association with the Tour so it looks more spanky. I am disappoint.

I reckon it's likely that the average punters may not quite recognised Arc d'Triomphe as a landmarks whether the Eiffel is an obvious landmarks of Paris where the Tour end.

Average punters would be cyclists, non? I would expect them to recognise the Arc de Triomphe as the icon of the Tour end while the Tour Eiffel has no association with the race at all, to my knowledge. Terrible design whatever.

I think by nice you mean overpriced.

Seriously, even including 'extras' I'd have trouble spending £140 on a weekend night out, let alone weekday.

Not overpriced.

I don't like getting ripped off so I wouldn't pay for something I considered overpriced.