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news
Rapha logo on black.pngRapha to supply Team Sky's kit for next four years
Sky Pro Cycling has announced that Rapha is to be Team Sky’s official clothing supplier for four years commencing January 2013.
The London-based firm will provide a full range of clothing and accessories for the team, including racewear, training kit, and clothing for riders while off the bike and for team staff.
Rapha will also be producing a selection of both cycle and casual clothing for supporters of the team, which has been supplied by German sportswear giant Adidas for the last three years.
“We are delighted that, after only eight years as a business, we have been chosen by Team Sky, the world’s number one team, as their partner,” commented Rapha’s founder and Chief Executive, Simon Mottram.
“We share their passion for performance and team ethic and are enthusiastic to inspire and engage a wider fan base around the globe.”
Sky’s Team Principal, Dave Brailsford, said: “Team Sky has achieved this year’s level of success because of a strong and steady vision to find improvement at every level to help our riders win.
“I see Rapha joining us next year as another step in that direction. They share our ambition and vision for cycling.”
The Sky Pro Cycling collection will go on sale in January 2013 both through the Rapha website and through certain cycling retailers both in the UK and internationally.
Rapha of course is a brand that polarises attitudes not least because of the pricing of its ranges, and certainly some of the initial reaction we've seen from fans is summed up by a tweet from Gavin Murdock who asks whether anyone other than the pros will actually be able to afford the Team Sky kit?
While exclusivity has always been part of Rapha's brand strategy, supplying such a high profile team is something that takes them into the mainstream so it will be interesting to see how - and whether - they address that.
The existing Adidias kit certainly isn't the cheapest out there, although at around £65 the jerseys retail at a little under half the cost of a Rapha Condor Sharp jersey, available on the Rapha website for £140.
All Rapha will tell us for now is that "out of respect for the current sponsor" no further details will be revealed until January.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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53 comments
Wearing Rapha and riding Pinarello, hmmm....does that mean they will only train in Richmond Park now?
Sorry, I jest slightly
Apart from the obvious price hike. What about all the tech that Adidas had put into the design of the kit, thats not going to be past over.
The other thing, Yes a British team in British supplier kit. But Rapha don't supply to the like's of Wiggle or Evans. So their prices will be even higher than before because they can use the "official kit supplier of Team Sky" on their tags and labels now
I wouldn't be seen dead in a Team Sky item and my feeling about Rapha are worse than that. Good luck to them. But its going to price Sky's fans to other team kit or make the Chinese "replica" market even better
As for JTL to Sky......doubtful
I would absolutely want them to wear something with a lot of colour about it. With a company that's supposed to be as stylish as Rapha i'm sure they have more than one crayon in the box.
For example, Garmin (ironically sponsered by Sharp) have a reasonalbe 2012 kit which i'd much rather see than Sky's dull black kit.
Their is no way I'd buy a Sky Team jersey - now it'll be in the same bracket as Assos gear. What's the difference between a £20 jersey & one that costs £65 ??? or more..
The only situation is fit and that is spurious !
Will have to be some pink on the jersey!
Pleased to see a British company involved. Both Sky and Rapha appear well managed so I reckon they have both done there sums. A bit pricy for me probably but good luck to all concerned.
Hope RCS is not a casualty though.
Better a fat middle aged man on a bike than in a car.
Very true. I recently saw a fat bloke in a polka dot jersey which might have been pushing it slightly though!
Sorry, I couldn't help it:
(apologies for the shonky photoshopping)
I just tweeted that as an exclusive 'preview' - sorry, couldn't resist
Funnily enough Garmin's kit was designed by Luke Scheybler, who was the co-founder of Rapha.
Hasn't Cav's best bud Paul Smith collaborated with Rapha a few times over the years? Could be something he's involved with and would bring some colour in to the equation!
You do know this is how rumours start, right?! Turning up as a 'serious' preview on another part of the web in 5-4-3-2...
Here's hoping
Ace!
Who will step up to the plate?
OMG I just saw a fat (ish) middle aged man riding a carbon bike near Richmond Park in what looked like a black jersey with a solo white stripe on the arm. Don't worry though folks he got done by a bin lorry turning left. Must have upset the cycle gods, that'll learn him won't it.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Adidas didn't produce any of the kit. Whether that's true or not, I can't say (bit of a pointless comment then!
)
On a separate note, it's a shame that Sky carried on being supplied by Pinarello - it would have been great to see them on Condor bikes.
Maybe you might find that Sky select the kit they want. Suppliers will put a full array of designs in front of them, but its the team management that select the final cut. I think dealing with Sky would be like having a high maintenance girlfriend !
So, let me get this straight, If I want to wear a bunch of adverts whilst cycling I have to pay someone a large amount of money! No thanks, that's the wrong way round.
Be interested to see how Rapha proceed with this deal. I'm sure they will be more likely to meet Sky's needs than Adidas if football teams can't get bespoke shirts why would a cycling team? Sure Adidas will do R&D but I bet they don't allow Sky as much power as Rapha will.
As for the Rapha haters, I bought a jacket in the sale and it was delivered to work. I explained to a mate the stigma of Rapha (as displayed above), he was amazed and asked me "why the F@ck" another cyclist would care what I was wearing. Genuinely shocked him the people would have any opinion other than "not for me". Don't get it in any other sport he said, hard to argue against him.
Overpriced? Easy answer, don't buy it. Save your money for that carbon frame or third bike you want. Chances are though, you've already spent a ton of money on something else, hope you like it as much as I like my Rapha jacket.
The Team JVA guys have just been handed some fresh material...
http://internationale.teamjva.com/
Just seen Rapha prices have gone up ... I bought 3 merino base layers last week as a 110quid bundle (usually 55 each). this week 140 quid bundle and 60quid each.
Other items I was looking at have also gone up 20 or 30 quid.
i'll stick to my assos
mmmmm is that a skyhike?
Can you imagine how happy the riders are? Not only are they getting what could be a really nice race kit but also quality off the bike stuff! And I'll be at the tour when they are handing out freebies
I'm not a great fan of SKY kit as I'm not a fat middle aged man that rides sportives as races, so buy this kit and beware! If you are in the Alpes around the time of the TDF, I WILL find you and I WILL come flying past you as fast as I can in my un-matching mix of hand-me-downs and eBay-bought kit. You have been warned 
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