[don simon fbpe]

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/rapha-to-be-bought-by-grandsons-of-the-founder-of-wal-mart/021688

That’s got to smart a bit.

Cue vociferous defending.

Topic

[petertoth]

i think i will read the wet

i think i will read the wet vs dry lube article again…much more useful and even more entertaining that this crap…

[don simon fbpe]

Supers79 wrote:

Good business for Asda! 

Careful with that sort of language, you’ll attract all sorts of wierdos who’ll spend the rest of their lives following you round the interweb thingy inventing things so that they feel good about themselves, or something like that. Be prepared for the odd personal attack too!. 😉

[don simon fbpe]

Beecho wrote:

Jesus boys. Storm in an espresso mug. One of these, natch:

 

Anyway, it’s a beauty out there today. Get your on your bike and ride and meet here later to agree that Chris Grayling is a prick.

Ride cut short due to broken rear mech hanger, but espresso a good idea.

Now is it espresso because it’s pressed or speedy? Not being Italian or even having visited there, I wouldn’t know.

Chao!

#LegsOfSteel

[Supers79]

Good business for Asda! 

Good business for Asda! 

[Beecho]

Jesus boys. Storm in an

Jesus boys. Storm in an espresso mug. One of these, natch:

 

Anyway, it’s a beauty out there today. Get your on your bike and ride and meet here later to agree that Chris Grayling is a prick.

[don simon fbpe]

Quote:

Strange old mindset some people have.

Please note – none of the above assumptions about your feelings are based on facts as you couldn’t be arsed to clarify what you mean and I’m not qualified in therapy…

Why not just say that you struggle with people who have opinions that are different to yours? You’ll look less of a cock and won’t waste so much time writing drivel.

 

‘Merci Wiggo’

HTH.

[alansmurphy]

So… I’m back late to the
So… I’m back late to the party…

Rapha as a brand sell expensive cycling clothing. They often limit (deliberately) kit that sells out and have a few items that form a sale (on rare occasions). In fact, the brand has such high advocacy that many items appear on eBay higher than their original selling price… They have gone for a bit of a split range in the last few years making ‘core’ products slightly more affordable to compete with higher end mass market producers such as Castelli.

They rent or own some pretty decent retail real estate in prominent cities across the UK, organise events, book signings and have ‘members’ who pay a monthly fee for free coffee to look at and have the first chance to buy their products.

You think an investor has paid a premium price and is going to attempt to look to mass market their products to bring them down to a Walmart/Asda level. Now, call me presumptuous but couldn’t they just have purchased Aldi and removed all but the middle 2 aisles? Do you think they’re going to rebrand the Rapha clothing to George, lure people in with loss leaders like 9p tins of beans?

And when this happens, because it obviously will, you will delight because you think the ‘Merci Wiggo’ t-shirt I purchased a couple of years ago will bring less of a smile to my face?

Strange old mindset some people have.

Please note – none of the above assumptions about your feelings are based on facts as you couldn’t be arsed to clarify what you mean and I’m not qualified in therapy…

[don simon fbpe]

Leviathan wrote:

Thought as much. This was like watching Sean Spicer drowning. If you won’t stand behind your own posts, just don’t even bother.

Stop back pedalling, you thought I was having a pop at Simon Mottram for selling Rapha for £200m and making a fortune.

Won’t stand behind my own post? What the actual fuck are you wibbling on about?

 

[Leviathan]

Thought as much. This was

Thought as much. This was like watching Sean Spicer drowning. If you won’t stand behind your own posts, just don’t even bother.

[Martyn_K]

Kapelmuur wrote:

I have only 1 experience of a Rapha product, a jersey which I printed with my own design before trying it on – I trusted the brand.

When I actually got to wear the jersey I was surprised at how short it was at the back.   I have a collection of jerseys by various manufacturers so I measured them all and the Rapha was shortest by 2cm – on average my jerseys are 4cm longer.   The jersey is a large and is 68cm long, I’m 5’9″ but need a large jersey as I have a 40″ chest, so length has never been a problem.

In sorrow rather than anger I wrote to Rapha and suggested that they warn customers that their jerseys are shorter than average.   Their reply was to refer me to their size chart and to state that the jersey was within manufacturing tolerance as the length can be between 68 and 74cm.   I was amazed that a premium manufacturer could have such a big manufacturing tolerance.

Lessons learned, always try on first and don’t expect too much from a premium brand.

 

Where as i have only had positive experience of the premium brand. 

I have twice had bib shorts repaired free of charge. Not their pro range either but what you could call their ‘basic’ Kilver Court special range.

I also had a pro team lightweight gilet on which both zipper pullers failed during the last winter. I really needed that gilet for the winter months and some spring mountain excursions so after bodging small cable tie as a puller i only sent it back this summer (18 months after purchase). Rapha could not repair and no longer had that specific garment for sale so they gave me a credit more than the value of the latest pro team gilet.

Rapha is pretty much the only brand i buy now, not because i’m a cycling snob. But due to the sizing suiting me, the quality and performance being good in addition to the excellent customer service.

 

I am firmly in the camp that an investor would not change a brand for the sake of change. Surely they would like to see a return on their investment not burn the brand and devalue it.

 

[Kapelmuur]

I have only 1 experience of a

I have only 1 experience of a Rapha product, a jersey which I printed with my own design before trying it on – I trusted the brand.

When I actually got to wear the jersey I was surprised at how short it was at the back.   I have a collection of jerseys by various manufacturers so I measured them all and the Rapha was shortest by 2cm – on average my jerseys are 4cm longer.   The jersey is a large and is 68cm long, I’m 5’9″ but need a large jersey as I have a 40″ chest, so length has never been a problem.

In sorrow rather than anger I wrote to Rapha and suggested that they warn customers that their jerseys are shorter than average.   Their reply was to refer me to their size chart and to state that the jersey was within manufacturing tolerance as the length can be between 68 and 74cm.   I was amazed that a premium manufacturer could have such a big manufacturing tolerance.

Lessons learned, always try on first and don’t expect too much from a premium brand.

 

 

[don simon fbpe]

Nick T wrote:

I’m starting to think that this don simon character isn’t actually Italian 

Please don’t add to the collective ignorance demonstrated here. 🙁

[davel]

Nick T wrote:

Nick T wrote:

I’m starting to think that this don simon character isn’t actually Italian 

I thought he was showing his backpacking credentials by throwing in some Vietnamese…?

[Nick T]

I’m starting to think that

I’m starting to think that this don simon character isn’t actually Italian 

[don simon fbpe]

Nick T wrote:

It wasn’t your “off the cuff” attempt at humour that was taken too seriously, it was your passive aggressive defence of your argument that led everyone to assume you were thick enough to believe such a binary world exists. Do us all, and especially yourself, a favour by letting it go now

Dude, been trying for days to let it go, but stupids kept coming back for more.

Chao!

[Author]

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