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59 comments
i think i will read the wet vs dry lube article again...much more useful and even more entertaining that this crap...
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!.![3](https://cdn.road.cc/sites/all/modules/contrib/smiley/packs/smilies/3.gif)
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.
IMG_0319.JPG
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
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'![](/sites/all/themes/rcc/images/smilies/21.gif)
HTH.
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...
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?
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.
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...?
Please don't add to the collective ignorance demonstrated here.![2](https://cdn.road.cc/sites/all/modules/contrib/smiley/packs/smilies/2.gif)
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.![](/sites/all/themes/rcc/images/smilies/21.gif)
Chao!
If you get stuck on any of the big words, give me a shout.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/accessible-luxu...
NorthEastJimmy, unfortunately you can't see how chilled I am, this is quite funny from where I am from demands of times and dates that Rapha will decline to extreme examples to try and prove a point. Either folks are extremely stupid or plainly being obtuse. It might not just be a Rapha thing either, stupid knows no boundaries.
But knock yourselves out and come back with luxury brands that have been released to the mass market and NOT been had the brand devalued. And show me that this will not happen with Rapha. Otherwise.....![mail mail](/sites/all/themes/rcc/images/smilies/11.gif)
And another article including input from the ex-luxury brand advising brand guy himself https://gearjunkie.com/rapha-cycling-sells-walmart-heirs-rzc-investments who talks about the £85m being sold for £200m and precisely what has been bought. Kepp on keeping on guys.
Just no.
You were the one making a prediction. The onus is in you to demonstrate that the Rapha brand is about to be devalued, not on the people disagreeing with you to disprove something that you predicted won't actually happen.
So far you haven't come up with any sort of argument - but you have chided others for being stupid, obtuse and claimed they're missing your very basic point. And had the total lack of self-awareness to post 'play the ball, not the man'.
Drivel, it was an off the cuff comment that was taken far too seriously by a group of stiff backs.
Go for a ride my little cherubs.
Read the articles and learn.
You're just here for the bants and the humourless dweebs don't get it. Gotcha.
Going back to the earlier mantra of 'play the ball not the player' I am genuinely interested in your thoughts so a response to my post would be appreciated.
Don, you are on the level of Freespirit or Superpython. Your deflection skills aren't even up to those of Kellyanne Conway. Are you going to explain why it "smarts" or are you going to punt it into the stands? I'm going to bed, you have a whole day to come up with something, I am guessing you can't.
No, I won't. It has been explained andif you can't work it out, it's hardly my fault. Why should I reply and explain to someone who's only way of debating is to throw insults when they don't understand, or see their arse about, something?
Sleep well.
Chao!
I need your thought process explaining as the title suggests you feel that £200 shoes and £130 jerseys may start to be offered via the George brand. In turn you suggest those owning the merchandise will be upset.
The way I see it, a consortium of very rich men/women who have many businesses including one of retails largest have purchased a successful high end company that has succeeded in selling high ticket quality items. I would think that they are likely to keep their high quality high margin brand exactly where it is.
Would love to hear your thoughts to the contrary...
It's amazing to think that someone's so narrow minded as to believe that a person who makes their money selling cheap things to the mass market, would only buy an "exclusive" brand in order to knock the prices down and fling them out at fast as can be made. Bravo, OP. Bravo.
I wonder whether there is a point somewhere between these two extremes, I wonder...
But this'll be part of the vociferous defending that the OP mentioned, won't it?![](/sites/all/themes/rcc/images/smilies/21.gif)
no.
You want it explaining again? FFS!
If you don't even understand the point from a very, very, very simple title then I ain't going to do it for you.
Chao!
How many chances do you need to tell us what you really think? If it isn't what we already think. Why are they "smarting," is it the millions of pounds? Ouch, they must be crying back to their penthouses.
Resignation noted. I hope your legs are stronger then your intellect. Ad hominem intended.
Take some of your own advice and stop digging. As for intellect, I didn't jump to an erroneous conclusion then make an arse of myself trying to defend it, throwing in the odd insult for good measure.
But hey, if you think that personal insults is intellectual, I'm happy not to be on your level.
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