If you’re a Team Sky fan then here is your chance to show your support with a personalised Rapha Team Sky replica jersey. You can have your surname printed along the side panels, as team members like Wiggins and Froome do.
The jerseys go on sale for a limited period only from this Friday, 26 April until 10 May. They will be delivered by 28 June, just before the start of the Tour de France. They will cost £95 which is £20 more than a regular replica jersey which has no writing along the side panels. There's just 1,000 jerseys in this limited run, with 100 allocated for women, so you'll have to be quick if you want to get your hands on one.
Team Sky weren't the first to put riders' names on the jersey – that honour belongs to Highroad Columbia – but they've made it a defining feature of their jerseys, and it has become an easy way to identify riders in the peloton when they’re zooming along the road.
The replica jersey is made from performance fabrics but not the super high-tech stuff used in the pro jersey (Rapha are producing team jerseys at various different price levels). A lightweight, breathable Lycra is used in the main panels with mesh side panels for increased ventilation. The fabric is treated with an antibacterial finish.
The side panels have been designed to hold the jersey in shape and to stop the pockets sagging when heavily loaded. Talking of which, there are three pockets plus a zipped pocket for your keys or other valuable items. The jersey is available in six sizes (XS to XXL).
You might as well go the whole hog and buy a pair of replica bib shorts to complete the look as well. This jersey can’t really be worn with regular shorts now can it?
The jersey will only be available from www.rapha.cc or by calling them on 0207 485 5000.
55 thoughts on “Rapha offer personalised Team Sky replica jerseys”
Pulls up chair, settles down
Pulls up chair, settles down with popcorn, awaits the commencement of battle…………..
I’ll get the ball trolling.
I
I’ll get the ball trolling.
I love Rapha but this is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
I can see that they are trying to shift these like football shirts but this is not football this is cycling and IMHO unless you are part of the team you don’t get a team jersey, let alone your name on a team jersey. Oh my goodness!!
I’m off to sulk in a corner. Hmpf.
Aside from the “Rapha issue”,
Aside from the “Rapha issue”, I couldn’t care less what someone wears on the bike. If it makes them feel good then go for it, I say. Wear what you like, yellow, pink, rainbow stripes, whatever. Let people feel included and stop being a snob about it.
If having their name printed on their shirt helps people enjoy themselves, gets them riding and more enthusiastic about the sport how is it a bad thing?
Mr. Rossi wrote:Aside from
But not rainbow stripes. Cycling has historically given a jersey for achievement, rather than a trophy. If you win the world champs, you earn the right to wear that jersey for a year in that discipline. Same with a national champs jersey. Only one rider, per gender, per discipline should wear that at any one time.
Team jerseys are different, and if you like them then wear them. Personally I don’t think it’s right, but that is just me.
mephistopheles wrote:I’ll get
+1
I wonder how many they’ve sent to journalists to get a free plug… 😉
My only problem with it is,
My only problem with it is, sky kit is encouraging people to wear dark clothing on the bike.
Martin
Mart0023 wrote:My only
Problem? Why can’t cyclists wear dark clothing?
Mart0023 wrote:My only
Shouldn’t be any more of a problem than people driving round in black cars…
sporran wrote:Mart0023
Shouldn’t be any more of a problem than people driving round in black cars…— Mart0023
Apart from when you get hit by a car, because driver didn’t see you, the risk as a cyclist is so much greater than as an occupant of a car.
But to the question itself, wear what you want. If you can afford rapha at al then good luck to you
Cant see the problem really.
Cant see the problem really. Its not yet a nanny state where we all say and do and wear the same thing so let people wear a top with their name on.
Team jerseys are, in my
Team jerseys are, in my humble opinion, for team riders. Same with National/World champs jerseys. So I fall on the ‘it is wrong’ side of the fence I’m afraid.
Super Domestique is a tad
Super Domestique is a tad long for a side panel and for that reason I’m out 😉
I’m pretty sure i dropped
I’m pretty sure i dropped Phil Gil the other day, he was in full WC kit, in Richmond Park. I should, like, so be a pro.
Apparently Rapha are doing a
Apparently Rapha are doing a bulk run with ‘Fred’ on the side and these will be available ex-stock from the shop.
My Rapha Illusion died on a
My Rapha Illusion died on a Sportive last Sunday when I was surrounded by “Cuddly” Men decked out in an array of R products. I was horrified as I had fooled myself into thinking I was more akin to the beardy gurn whippets as portrayed on the site. This was until a cruel reflective object caught me within the rotund flock. I was found belonging & unremarkable, a pained pout couldn’t save me. Liposuction might. Sob.
Still gonna buy a pair of shorts just not the pro line.
Let me see, that is one Dr.
Let me see, that is one Dr. plus christian name, middle name, spare name and surname, means I would need atleast an XXL just for the name. :O
“I’m telling you, my name IS
“I’m telling you, my name IS Wiggins and that roundall thing was my trademark long before he started riding for Sky!”
(Seething with rage)…Unless
(Seething with rage)…Unless it’s made from the same material as the pro jersey, it is NOT a replica. A replica is an exact copy.
The Rumpo Kid wrote:(Seething
No, the definition of a replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. A replica does not necessarily have to be functionally identical. A gun replica for example would look identical to a real gun but not have the actual mechanics required to fire bullets.
The Rapha Sky Pro jerseys are not replicas, they’re the real thing, while the Rapha Sky Replica jerseys are exactly that; a replica that is visually but not functionally identical.
Mayhem SWE wrote:The Rumpo
No, the definition of replica is an exact copy (OED). How can these be visually identical if they are made of a different material? These are imitation team jerseys (i.e. not team jerseys at all), and should be sold as such. (Not that they’d get many buyers).
It’s like name stickers on
It’s like name stickers on your bike. Fine if you have a team of mechanics with 20 bikes to sort out but if it’s just you then it’s personal vanity which – like hair dye and capped teeth – aint fooling anybody.
Named kit is like a national champs jersey. In my club only the actual national champs wear them….
That’s only £1.25 per letter
That’s only £1.25 per letter for me, BARGAIN! 😀
road.cc wrote:Team Sky
I’m always hearing this nonsense Actually the honour goes to Mercatone Uno in 1998 who had all the team members names (not just Pantani) across the shoulders on the back like football players… see pic below for evidence.
Three classic topics in one,
Three classic topics in one, here we go…
1) To the people who say you shouldn’t ride in team kit, boo to you. Cycling teams SELL them for EXACTLY the same reasons as football, rugby, cricket teams et al do it; to raise revenue and encourage a fan base. If you want to be above such behaviour then fine, just don’t buy it yourself, but don’t be surprised when you see some chubby Sky boys out on sunday, just as you will see some middle aged Chelsea/ManU players down the local five-a-side (not Ryan Giggs.) I go to work to EARN money to buy stuff and if some of this is bike jerseys so be it, that is how I earn the right to wear it. If the commercial imperative is too disgusting then stop watching procycling, if you hadn’t noticed all the teams are sponsored as there is no such thing as a home town for a bike team.
2) Rapha kit costs what it costs. It seems too much to me so I haven’t got any, so I can’t really comment on its quality. Maybe one day soon I’ll get to find out for myself but until then I would rather spend more money on my bike. It is what it is.
3) ‘encouraging the wearing of dark clothing,’ this should be entirely encouraged. I recently said to a friend that I overtake many ‘clones’ wearing fluro yellow jackets on the way to work. He accused me of justifying my fashion choice. It is true I do not want to have to wear the same as everyone else, or even the same thing everyday. It makes my skin crawl thinking just how dirty that jacket would become, or should I buy 5 matching fluro jackets? I have been riding happy for 15 years and always worn a variety of (team) colours, but until about 2 years ago no one ever said anything about what I *should* be wearing. It is good that more people are now cycling but the recent idea that you need to be wearing one colour to be safe is fallacious. So wear black and get some lights if it is dark, if a motorist isn’t looking he won’t see you whatever you are wearing.
I wear europcar shorts
I wear europcar shorts because Tommy Voeckler kicked ass the first time i ever watched any pro cycling and got me hooked (before i had a bike), Omega-Pharma gloves…i like Cav and they were £2, and a team sky jersey as i support them. I dont wear them all at once. I just dont get the not wearing team kit. Sorry
Ha ha ha, this is a great
Ha ha ha, this is a great poke in the eye for the misery guts types who can’t cope with replica team kit on everyday cyclists. I hope they sell them by the bucketload. And if Rapha say it’s a replica then yes, it’s a replica.
If you sad rule-followers lived near me I’d love to buy one, persuade a few chubby mates to do the same, and we’d ride past your house in our team replica jerseys EVERY FECKIN’ DAY.
😛
Simon E wrote:Ha ha ha, this
+1 👿
Simon E wrote:Ha ha ha, this
So if Rapha printed the SKY logo on a black cotton t-shirt, they could call that a replica team jersey as well?
The Rumpo Kid wrote:So if
I don’t know and don’t care, they can call it what they like. Why not ask them if you’re that bothered?
Simon E wrote:The Rumpo Kid
If you don’t care, why did you make the assertion that Rapha can define what the word “replica” means in the first place? I would ask Rapha why they are ripping off the SKY fanbase by misrepresenting their product in this way, but I’m not too confident of a reply.
The Rumpo Kid wrote:If you
Pay attention, cloth-ears.
Rapha don’t define the term “replica”, that’s what a dictionary is for. They can describe it as they wish, it will make no difference to me, and probably not to the people who consider buying one.
Are you some kind of self-appointed moral guardian for “the SKY fanbase”? The team’s supporters are individuals who can surely decide for themselves.
Simon E wrote:The Rumpo Kid
“If Rapha say it’s a replica, then yes, it’s a replica” Sound familiar? Before you insult others you should look back over your own posts.
I’ll wear what I choose,
I’ll wear what I choose, thanks.
But I won’t be buying Rapha because it’s too expensive for my taste. In my drawer I have a Europcar 2011 replica (won in a competition, realy good quality), HTC Columbia replica bibshorts (sent by Evans to review), my club kit, and various other brands.
I’ve also got a 2011 Adidas Sky gilet, bought cheap and to date unworn (offers?)
What I won’t do, ever, is ride in, for example, HTC shorts, Europcar jersey, Sky gilet. That would just be silly! :O Similarly, you won’t find me in rainbow stripes or a national champion’s jersey. Some things you have to earn.
I reckon people can wear whatever they choose and look like a d1ck if they wish. I will think no less of a rider I see in a SKY replica than somebody in Aldi gear, really. I’ll still try to drop them, and say “hello” on the way by.
My other highly subjective personal rule is – no greeting people without helmets, or riding on the pavement.
They only really need to
They only really need to print one – with TOSSER written on it.
I think the Big Bang Theory
I think the Big Bang Theory has taken over in relation to defining the word ‘replica’.
Do be very careful of the position of that word on Ebay. ‘ Rapha Replica Team Sky jersey’ might be genuine Rapha. ‘Replica Rapha Team Sky jersey’ will be something made out of cheap Lycra in China. 😀
As for wearing black? Well. When not in my garish and vulgar club kit I pretend to be Kristian House in RCS black. Having met Mr House I have to admit his upper arm is like my wrist so we might not wear the same size. On TV he looked the same size as me… :/
The definition of a replica
The definition of a replica *specifically* includes something on a smaller scale to the original. So if I made a little replica of the Statue of Liberty, would I have to actually have to make it out of copper and leave it to weather for a few decades? Or could I just make it out of plaster of paris and paint it so that it looks like weathered copper? You might want to extend your pending lawsuit to every tat shop in every tourist location, ever.
No. Because that wouldn’t look like the team jersey, it’d look like a t shirt.
Dave Atkinson wrote:The
You seem to be contradicting youself. Your “replicas” of the Statue of Liberty would look as much like the original as a t-shirt would look like a team jersey.
Like someone’s already said,
Like someone’s already said, a pro team jersey made with the exact same fabrics and specs as the ones the pros use isn’t a replica. it’s a pro team jersey.
Dave Atkinson wrote:Like
My interpretation is that a genuine pro team jersey is one that has been issued to the pro team. A replica, although identical in every repect, has not. This is how sports memorabilia is generally advertised.
If someone did a football
If someone did a football team cycling jersey I’d definitely wear a West Ham one…
Quote:This jersey can’t
A good question. All I know is, every capitalist wants to have the Rapha touch. (That’s a link to my archives, before moving here.) The only thing Sky I have is a dish, and even that just gets Freesat.
Quote: You seem to be
not really. a miniature statue can *look* exactly like the real thing, if made well. just smaller. But you wouldn’t have to make it out of the same thing. A jersey doesn’t look like a t-shirt, save for the fact that it’s vaguely the same shape and colour. A marks and spencer business suit isn’t a ‘replica’ of a Paul Smith suit just because they’re nominally similar either. the replica sky jersey has been specifically designed to look like the pro team one. it’s a replica for that reason.
that’s exactly what it is: your interpretation. your point seems to be that people are being deceived. they’re not.
having spent some time working on this website in my past – http://www.footballmatchshirts.co.uk – i can reasonably confidently tell you that there’s no such thing as a ‘replica’ football shirt that’s identical in every respect to the ones the pros wear. so does that mean replica football shirts don’t exist? someone should be told.
Dave Atkinson wrote:Quote:
not really. a miniature statue can *look* exactly like the real thing, if made well. just smaller. But you wouldn’t have to make it out of the same thing. A jersey doesn’t look like a t-shirt, save for the fact that it’s vaguely the same shape and colour. A marks and spencer business suit isn’t a ‘replica’ of a Paul Smith suit just because they’re nominally similar either. the replica sky jersey has been specifically designed to look like the pro team one. it’s a replica for that reason.
that’s exactly what it is: your interpretation. your point seems to be that people are being deceived. they’re not.
having spent some time working on this website in my past – http://www.footballmatchshirts.co.uk – i can reasonably confidently tell you that there’s no such thing as a ‘replica’ football shirt that’s identical in every respect to the ones the pros wear.
Yes there is. I own one. (Adidas 1992 Soviet Union, Sensible offers only.)
The Rumpo Kid wrote:Yes there
Given the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991, I reckon you were done.
Can I interest you in a bridge? You’ll have to arrange shipping from Central London…
😉
Simon_MacMichael wrote:Given
True, but a united ‘Soviet’ team played in the European Championship in 1992 as the CIS, Commonwealth of Independent States.
bikeboy76
Thanks bikeboy. That’s what makes the shirt, even though not actually one worn by the team, such a rarity. It was the last football shirt with CCCP (SSSR) across the chest. Really Simon…
The Rumpo Kid wrote:bikeboy76
Gawd should have remembered that… given Scotland beat CIS 3-0, a match I thoroughly enjoyed watching, something I can’t say about all their games… shame we only had Holland and Germany to make up the numbers in the group 😉
Sorry, Rumpo
Simon_MacMichael wrote:The
Apology accepted Simon. I would make a comment about Scottish football, but I’m on pretty thin ice given that Ireland didn’t qualify in 1992. However they were of course the best team at USA ’94. (I can prove this using statistics).
Looking forward to the
Looking forward to the release of replica, personalized Rapha/SKY helmets to allow the missing topic of protective headgear to be added to the tryptich of rapha, visibility and team kit that appear to result in so many spittle-flecked keyboards.
if they are exact replica’s
if they are exact replica’s shouldn’t they come in Pro only sizes rather than the XXXL that I suspect most of these will be ?
gazer117 wrote:if they are
🙂
i’ll add ‘use of the word replica’ to the list of things that get people cross, we’re planning some sort of perfect storm article. maybe a replica rapha hi-viz helmet or something.
46 commenst so far, with
46 commenst so far, with untold comments around the word ‘replica’ !!! Some people need to get a grip
Only 100 allocated to us
Only 100 allocated to us women… Somewhat of an afterthought or do we have more taste.. 🙂
All this talk about
All this talk about ‘replicas’ and what it is and isn’t. It is really simple. It is a Rapha Sky jersey, that is all. It is not the same material or cut as the riders but the graphics are the same.
I have a Leopard trek medium jersey from a few years ago and a large ‘aero team’ jersey in the same design, the difference is one is a more conventional jersey and the aero is a lycra-y meshy clingy jersey as worn by the actual riders. So if you want to be aero and ride like Froome/a whippet in a bin liner but the more expensive jersey. If you just want a traditional jersey but in this years Sky colours, get the ‘replica.’
It is the same thing that Nike have been doing with Rugby jerseys for the last decade, there is a tight players version and a looser supporters style shirt in the same design but not made from the same technical materials.
Cringing. And in time
Cringing. And in time honoured Rapha fashion, a total rip off. Like wearing a Manchester United jersey. And not even their die hard fans do. Perhaps you could get one with Victim down the side (|: