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ARGH…. Rapha

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  • February 15, 2014 at 12:30 pm #20707
    Gkam84

    By now, you ALL know my distain for the brand of Rapha.

    Well it seems that I may not be on my own for very long. I got an email a couple of days with some unofficial news about a new Rapha jersey, from a “mate” who loves to wind me up.

    Anyway, I thought he was just taking the piss. He was telling me about this special edition Pantani jersey…

    I thought to myself, they wouldn’t dare….BUT, oh yes they would.

    Not only would they dare to use Pantani as a cash cow with a jersey, they have also helped make a film about him “The accidental death of a cyclist”

    [quote]April will see the official release of The Accidental Death of a Cyclist, a feature-length documentary telling the story of Pantani’s dramatic rise and fall. Rapha will be commemorating the life and career of Il Pirata with a special edition Jersey due to be released in April.[/quote]

    This has got me REELING….What are they playing at? He died before Rapha was even around. They had nothing to do with him in his cyclist career….

    Rapha are just cashing in on his life, our memories of him and his legacy.

    I will stop now, because I will get into some unfriendly language. I know alot of you like/love Rapha, I’d love to know what you think of this disgusting move?

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  • February 16, 2014 at 10:16 pm #774557
    0
    allez neg

    Apart from a couple of T
    Apart from a couple of T shirts and the skincare they do, I can’t afford Rapha. I know that fundamentally, it’s all bollocks, their image and “heritage”, it’s all synthetic – a brand formed in the 90s (?) and yet trading on the aesthetic of the 60s and 70s continental scene, borrowing the icons of the era.

    That said, I always percieved roadies as tightwad, deeply unstylish and uncool – early Sunday morning runs in mismatched kit bought at much-haggled discount prices on boring bikes – stark contrast to the baggy shorted MTB types on bikes dripping with cnc-d (and purple anodised) high end esoterica. MTB-ers were cool, roadies of the early and mid 90s certainly not.

    Whether Rapha created the current wave of style and coolness that road cycling currently enjoys, or whether their brand image is just very adept on surfing on that wave I’m unsure, but they do it very convincingly, and I consider their clothing very desirable – their evocations of romantic suffering up alpine ascents by mahogany skinned continental types fuelled by espressi is much more desirable than images of 8am time trials along some grey British bypass by blokes in faded dayglo and deep heat.

    I understand how Rapha may provoke sniggers at well-paid but chubby MAMILs forming mobile chicanes on 5k bikes all clad in their gear and fervently Strava-ing their slowness, but equally I would chuckle slightly at the ebay and aldi warriors who rejoice in their reverse snobbery. Ride your own road and let your legs and lungs earn respect.

    Hatred of either group? Nope. Each to their own.

    February 16, 2014 at 9:44 pm #774555
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    stuke

    Dopers aside, what is your
    Dopers aside, what is your issue with Rapha Gkam84 ?

    February 16, 2014 at 6:47 pm #774553
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    Cyclist

    I love Rapha kit. Quality
    I love Rapha kit. Quality stuff, my opinion, just like you don’t like it, I doubt you don’t have a real argument too why you don’t? Just like I don’t like endura kit, I have no real reason I just don’t. I have a number of Rapha items and they wear well wash well and are extremely comfortable and will last for a good time.

    I started to watch the youtube clip but turned it off as soon as the header flew on saying…
    ‘Natural talent’
    That has gripped me more… Hero worshiping a confirmed PED and coke user hmmm what an idol, do people worship him, because he died early…. Of drug use. He is worse than armstrong IMHO, but as he was an Italian with flair?? If your an American it’s called arrogance and bullying! I don’t support Armstrong in anyway, but it is looking like one rule for one and one for another, Pantani was a drugs cheat and coke head we new it then we know it now, let’s not brush over it when others are being vilified over it and the sport is trying to give us clean new icons of the sport. TBH it makes me sick. And to be clear that is one item of Rapha kit I have no interest in.

    Also just maybe, trying not to be cynical, but maybe Millars redemption could be down to having a sister in cycling PR? Just a thought. I have know doubt whatsoever that in a room on his own he has toasted himself too a job well done!

    February 16, 2014 at 5:10 pm #774551
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    themartincox

    I guess when you run your own
    I guess when you run your own cycling attire company which is super-successful regardless of the pricing/branding strategy then you will be able to make a jersey in reverence of one your heroes.

    Simon Mottram is happy to call Pantani a hero of his, he owns Rapha, therefore he gets to do what he wants.

    My guess is that it will be elegant and understatedly classy, and will sell like cakes that are hot!

    February 16, 2014 at 5:05 pm #774549
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    S13SFC

    If you are getting outraged
    If you are getting outraged by Rapha then you really need to take a long hard look at your priorities in life.

    To me Pantani is a drug cheat and celebrating anything about him is akin to saying Saville was an OK DJ despite his decades of abuse.

    February 16, 2014 at 2:32 pm #774547
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    700c

    Yeah the Prendas stuff would
    Yeah the Prendas stuff would be more controversial on the face of it than Rapha -take the giro d’italia Magni Jersey, for example.. Yet I still own and wear it as it’s a quality garment that looks nice!

    Agreed that Rapha are annoying though – it’s a bit irrational and probably to do with their success and particular following rather than anything they’ve ever done to me!

    February 16, 2014 at 1:48 pm #774545
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    mtm_01

    bikeboy76 wrote:mtm_01

    bikeboy76 wrote:
    mtm_01 wrote:
    Millar is reached redemption for his actions since.

    I am very skeptical of Millar’s ‘I took drugs and it made me sad. I am very sorry, please buy my book,’ bit. He still has an asterix beside his name.

    It’s the forming of Garmin with Vaughters that’s done a lot to convince me he’s fine since the ban – pretty much everyone major on that team the last few years has been a doper (obviously there are exceptions) but it seems to be a home for the former dopers to be happy and be clean. Has anyone on Garmin been popped for doping recently for example (I bet I’ve missed someone obvious…)?
    Could argue a fair few of the other teams like say Astana/RadioShack at the time Garmin started were not necessarily anti-doping.

    February 16, 2014 at 12:38 pm #774543
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    Leviathan

    mtm_01 wrote:Millar is

    mtm_01 wrote:
    Millar is reached redemption for his actions since.

    I am very skeptical of Millar’s ‘I took drugs and it made me sad. I am very sorry, please buy my book,’ bit. He still has an asterix beside his name.

    February 16, 2014 at 11:34 am #774541
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    Colin Peyresourde

    mtm_01 wrote:mrmo

    mtm_01 wrote:
    mrmo wrote:
    crazy-legs wrote:

    How one person can be a flawed hero and one seems to have a special place in hell reserved for him. How some can be ignored or forgotten, others become famous (or infamous).

    IMO, part of it is how they handle the admission of doping, do they deny to the end, hold their hands up but say they made me do it, or do they try and do something to stop others making the same mistake.

    Pantani and what would have happened, we will never know.

    This is largely how I respond to dopers – Di Luca is a joke for being unrepentant, Millar is reached redemption for his actions since. Millar’s probably the only one to go from doper to revered again, the only others I can think to do some good are Hamilton and Landis but they’re motivated out of a sense of self-centeredness (‘Why is it just me getting popped for this?’).

    I like Miller too. It’s a nice story for someone whose sister does cycling PR. I’m being a bit cynical but the cover story of reformed doper has allowed him to avoid greater scrutiny and suspicion. But given that he’s not a regular winner he at leasts knows better than to shine the spotlight on his achievements.

    February 15, 2014 at 11:16 pm #774539
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    mtm_01

    mrmo wrote:crazy-legs

    mrmo wrote:
    crazy-legs wrote:

    How one person can be a flawed hero and one seems to have a special place in hell reserved for him. How some can be ignored or forgotten, others become famous (or infamous).

    IMO, part of it is how they handle the admission of doping, do they deny to the end, hold their hands up but say they made me do it, or do they try and do something to stop others making the same mistake.

    Pantani and what would have happened, we will never know.

    This is largely how I respond to dopers – Di Luca is a joke for being unrepentant, Millar is reached redemption for his actions since. Millar’s probably the only one to go from doper to revered again, the only others I can think to do some good are Hamilton and Landis but they’re motivated out of a sense of self-centeredness (‘Why is it just me getting popped for this?’).

    February 15, 2014 at 11:16 pm #774537
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    mtm_01

    mrmo wrote:crazy-legs

    mrmo wrote:
    crazy-legs wrote:

    How one person can be a flawed hero and one seems to have a special place in hell reserved for him. How some can be ignored or forgotten, others become famous (or infamous).

    IMO, part of it is how they handle the admission of doping, do they deny to the end, hold their hands up but say they made me do it, or do they try and do something to stop others making the same mistake.

    Pantani and what would have happened, we will never know.

    This is largely how I respond to dopers – Di Luca is a joke for being unrepentant, Millar is reached redemption for his actions since. Millar’s probably the only one to go from doper to revered again, the only others I can think to do some good are Hamilton and Landis but they’re motivated out of a sense of self-centeredness (‘Why is it just me getting popped for this?’).

    February 15, 2014 at 10:31 pm #774535
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    Colin Peyresourde

    Pantani basically confirmed
    Pantani basically confirmed that the drug testing was inadequate to me. The nonsensical rides of Virenque puzzled me until the Festina affair and then you have this lunatic dancing up the mountains like he was filmed with helium.

    There’s a part of me that was spell bound and fascinated at it as a feat, but in the same way that I was spell bound by Lola Ferrari’s monumental tits. It was amazing to see, but also appalling because of the artifice. It wasn’t real.

    For a long time I didn’t really understand how he was caught and Armstrong wasn’t. I was disappointed that he was unable to upset Armstrong’s domination when he did come back. That actually helped to kill cycling for me a little bit.

    I think it a bit sad that Rapha is commemorating him. I see him as a tragic character, but not one worthy of hero worship. From all accounts he was a deeply flawed character and a victim of his time. Pity him.

    February 15, 2014 at 10:15 pm #774533
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    mrmo

    crazy-legs wrote:
    How one

    crazy-legs wrote:

    How one person can be a flawed hero and one seems to have a special place in hell reserved for him. How some can be ignored or forgotten, others become famous (or infamous).

    IMO, part of it is how they handle the admission of doping, do they deny to the end, hold their hands up but say they made me do it, or do they try and do something to stop others making the same mistake.

    Pantani and what would have happened, we will never know.

    February 15, 2014 at 9:59 pm #774531
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    Nick T

    Because some (Pantani) you
    Because some (Pantani) you can forgive in the way you would forgive a child that gets mixed up in trouble.

    Others (Virenque) can never be forgiven for appearing to be a horrible, fox eared twunt of a child who courts trouble.

    February 15, 2014 at 9:23 pm #774529
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    crazy-legs

    I still don’t get the
    I still don’t get the astonishing double standards that some people have over the issues of doping. The different reactions to Armstrong, Pantani, Riis, Landis, Millar, Virenque…

    How one person can be a flawed hero and one seems to have a special place in hell reserved for him. How some can be ignored or forgotten, others become famous (or infamous).

    The overreaction to Rapha is highly entertaining too. 🙂

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