Rapha Quality

[Paperboy]

I bought the Core bibs and I must say for the price they are really good. Since rapha is making so many lines these days some of them are hit or miss. Some of them are really good in both performance and valie, for example the pro team training jersey. Good price good material good cutting. Some of their lighter offering are just too fragile and too expensive for what you get.

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These are the same two items I have from Rapha. I thought they were great for their price point, until I found out about Castelli. The core bib and pro team training Jersey are decently nice. I find that the value, fit and materials are just slightly better with Castelli stuff.

[zmjones]

Best winter jacket I ever had is Sportful’s Fiandre Extreme

yea because it is neoshell which is great. i really wish i could get the ornot magic shell but it has been out of stock forever. it is the newer, thinner, more packable version of neoshell.

I have a fiandre extreme in size M, brand new. Fluo yellow. Never wore it. If either of you are interested in making me an offer PM me.

well we both already have one obviously...

[sychen]

Have a few items.. And also as rcc member.. Some are great.. Some are not.

Great: recent items.
Brevet insulated jacket.
RCC pro team insulated gilet
Windproof winter longsleeve jersey.

Good items..
Classic and classic 2 jerseys
Summer base layers
Thermal padded pro team tights

Not so good..
Bibs in general.. Returned 2 due to poor stitching.. Replaced without fuss but a not great fit with too many seams..

Terrible..
Winter base layers.. Wool is bad.. (Q36.5 layer 3 are magical)
EF training jersey.. Loose floppy pockets.. Bouncing all over the place.

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[gazzaputt]

I used to buy nothing but Rapha. Great design and quality. But.

Bib short quality has alarmingly dropped away recently. Mostly stiching and they seem 'flimsy'.

Also the dispatching of goods had dropped away. To many 24hr deliveries arriving late.

I've compared to cheaper brand as DHB and higher end at Isoles.

DHB Aeron kit is fantastic value for money. Great fit, nice design and so far quality is great.

For me Isoles are far away above anything I have owned. Best kit I have owned. Great design, fantastic fabrics, well made, great fit and most of all a superb company to deal with.

[guyc]

I’ll echo the Aeron kit. Their Speed shorts are absolutely superb. A third of the price of Pro Team shorts and IMO a better product.

[Shrike]

I used to buy nothing but Rapha. Great design and quality. But.

Bib short quality has alarmingly dropped away recently. Mostly stiching and they seem 'flimsy'.

Also the dispatching of goods had dropped away. To many 24hr deliveries arriving late.

I've compared to cheaper brand as DHB and higher end at Isoles.

DHB Aeron kit is fantastic value for money. Great fit, nice design and so far quality is great.

For me Isoles are far away above anything I have owned. Best kit I have owned. Great design, fantastic fabrics, well made, great fit and most of all a superb company to deal with.

Yeah Rapha has been a nightmare in my past few orders. Two orders were delayed for weeks then they emailed to say one item was out of stock so they were sending the rest of the order. That happened on two orders this year. Another order has next day delivery paid for it and it wasn't dispatched for 3 days

They've changed warehouse and I wouldn't be surprised if they've reduced costs there in some way leading to order issues.

[Stueys]

I used to buy nothing but Rapha. Great design and quality. But.

Bib short quality has alarmingly dropped away recently. Mostly stiching and they seem 'flimsy'.

Also the dispatching of goods had dropped away. To many 24hr deliveries arriving late.

I've compared to cheaper brand as DHB and higher end at Isoles.

DHB Aeron kit is fantastic value for money. Great fit, nice design and so far quality is great.

For me Isoles are far away above anything I have owned. Best kit I have owned. Great design, fantastic fabrics, well made, great fit and most of all a superb company to deal with.

Yeah Rapha has been a nightmare in my past few orders. Two orders were delayed for weeks then they emailed to say one item was out of stock so they were sending the rest of the order. That happened on two orders this year. Another order has next day delivery paid for it and it wasn't dispatched for 3 days

They've changed warehouse and I wouldn't be surprised if they've reduced costs there in some way leading to order issues.

Same issue recently. I ordered two items, they sent me an email saying item 1 was out of stock and would be refunded but I would still get item 2. I then receive item 1 in the post with no item 2 and no refund. Still waiting for them to reply on what is actually going on....

[bikehaus]

Although some merino shirts lately and undershirts - have developed random holes in them?! I hand wash them all. Gentley. I am at a loss - no snags or anything. Anyone else experienced this?

This may be moths, they love to eat merino.

[guyc]

Almost certainly.

Get some cedar wood repellent and stick them alongside the merino items.

[853guy]

Pas normal color palette is really nice imo. But that big ass text really ruins it... I ain't paid to be a moving billboard. Assos please adopt better colors for the jerseys and stick with minimal branding

I just got a clearance race cape for good discount, it's the 1 way zipper model. Hope it holds up fine, will be using it this winter season

From my casual observations of riders I see out and about, I’d estimate at least a third are wearing current or historical pro-team kit, and at least another third are wearing club kit, all of which are liberally emblazoned with sponsor logos of every description. That’s not even taking into account their bikes, in which nearly every inch of surface area serves to remind us which frame, component group, bar, stem, seat post, wheel set and tire brand they’re riding.

I personally don’t think PNS is particularly anomalous when considered within the context of cycling’s proclivity for brand identification as self-identification. The guys who bought and rode US Postal kit and a Trek 5500, or show up in full-blown Rapha RCC kit with a pink stripe on their bike are perhaps indicative of how willing some are to embrace the brand values of corporate entities in the name of "individalism".

Best,

853guy

[guyc]

Or naybe they just like the colours and don't really care what anyone else thinks about what they've bought with their own money.

[853guy]

Or naybe they just like the colours and don't really care what anyone else thinks about what they've bought with their own money.

Maybe.

The interrelationship between brand image, brand loyalty and customer satisfaction is a complex one, and it’s impossible to discuss individual customer choice outside of the aforementioned variables, not to mention, the power of emotional branding (creating a bond between the customer and the brand that cannot be fully rationalised).

I’d suggest that had Lance never won the TdF, my guess is there wouldn’t have suddenly been a whole bunch of guys who wanted to wear US Postal kit and ride a Trek just ‘cause they all loved the colour blue. The influence brand loyalty (belonging) and brand emotion (aspiration) can exert over consumer behaviour should never be underestimated, even for those who believe their actions are independently volitional*.

Best,

853

*I write this as someone who's worked across ad campaigns for Audi, Skoda, VW, McDonald's, HSBC, Samsung and Virgin in the last twelve months.

[smartyiak]

Which one of you "mechanics" is buying this?

https://www.rapha.cc/us/en_US/mechanics ... %20Monitor

Most I know will be sticking to Dickies and Carhartt.

[Broady]

Which one of you "mechanics" is buying this?

https://www.rapha.cc/us/en_US/mechanics ... %20Monitor

Most I know will be sticking to Dickies and Carhartt.

I wouldn't wear it in the workshop but I'd happily wear it in the pub, clean looking garms.

[Js2]

Pas normal color palette is really nice imo. But that big ass text really ruins it... I ain't paid to be a moving billboard. Assos please adopt better colors for the jerseys and stick with minimal branding

I just got a clearance race cape for good discount, it's the 1 way zipper model. Hope it holds up fine, will be using it this winter season

From my casual observations of riders I see out and about, I’d estimate at least a third are wearing current or historical pro-team kit, and at least another third are wearing club kit, all of which are liberally emblazoned with sponsor logos of every description. That’s not even taking into account their bikes, in which nearly every inch of surface area serves to remind us which frame, component group, bar, stem, seat post, wheel set and tire brand they’re riding.

I personally don’t think PNS is particularly anomalous when considered within the context of cycling’s proclivity for brand identification as self-identification. The guys who bought and rode US Postal kit and a Trek 5500, or show up in full-blown Rapha RCC kit with a pink stripe on their bike are perhaps indicative of how willing some are to embrace the brand values of corporate entities in the name of "individalism".

Best,

853guy

Yes, for that reason I don't buy jerseys unless its subtle and not a moving billboard. I am not a fan of full blown rcc or wearing the brand's full kit uniform per say. I really don't want to flash MAAP / PNS (overuse of helvetica typeface , wish they just have a small pns instead of plastering the whole thing behind your back....) all over. Just a matter of personal preference, i love their color palette though.

I've recently gotten some ornot jersey, super minimally branded and nice color blocking. They have enough colors to go with other colors and mix and match. So far so good, I had a minor zipper stitching issue with 1 in which they replaced it for me no questions asked.

The materials used and cut is not techy assos level, however its good enough and the style more than makes up for it. Price point is pretty good too.