Rapha not happy with Torm

Hmm… a lot of the detailing
Hmm… a lot of the detailing on Rapha jerseys certainly was new (not the ring pull zip) as I said above, people think that because the styling is classical that there’s nothing much technical going on, but Rapha’s success it seems to me is being innovative in terms of fabrics and detail while wrapping it all up in a slightly retro style.

We’ve had a fair amount of both Rapha and Torm kit through the office and the opportunity to compare the two… The Torm guys seem like good blokes, but if Rapha called the lawyers it surely can’t have come as much of a surprise.

All of my cycling kit is
All of my cycling kit is Rapha, having read all of the posts in this thread I am now sure that this will continue to be the case.
If I started a small business(which is what Rapha is) and built it up over a period of years and someone came along and so obviously copied my products and website including the look and the photography, I would take action to protect my business, In fact it is what any responsible commercial organisation would do.
I have no connection with Rapha other than being a very satisfied customer. By the way I’m 55, not well off and ride an Enigma before you start with the incorrect stereotypes.

i was a customer of both but
i was a customer of both but i will not be buying from rapha any longer

Stock on the website though,
Stock on the website though, so is it all sorted ?

As I said at the very top
As I said at the very top I’ve got no brief for either Rapha or Torm but, Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons again… 😉

So you set up a small company, do things differently, invest in designers, who come up with classically styled garments featuring well thought out and innovative design details, you use the best materials and you really make a thing about quality control and customer service, you invest in a good website, top end photography, and you take a punt on stock – that’s a lot of overhead for a small company. Oh, and you don’t pretend to be cheap either – that isn’t the point.

A few years down the line, you’re still a small company. Rapha (for it is they) are still small even by the standards of cycle clothing companies – it’s their profile that’s big. Then an even smaller company comes along and, to your point of view, takes the core of your range and simply copies it, slicing out all of that overhead in one go while still retaining a healthy margin thank you very much.

What are you gonna do? Well, ringing them up and asking them to stop copying your kit is unlikely to work… so your only real option is a cease and desist letter and the threat to take things further if they don’t. As step_hent said above this isn’t bullying it’s standard procedure. If the boot were on the other foot do you think Torm would do any differently?

I’m not a big fan of Rapha’s pricing, but people forget just how different they were when they came along – not that many years ago – and what an impact they’ve had on other cycle clothing companies particularly high end ones which have been forced to sharpen up their acts in terms of quality control, design and in particular customer service.

I own both brands, and some
I own both brands, and some Shutt stuff. Shutt is different to either brand in price, shape and fit – save the sportwool fibre and a ‘retro/classic’ overall aesthetic…so no point mentioning them again.
Fit of the Tørm is slightly longer in the body than Rapha. Rapha knit is slightly heavier… But not 2x the quality (fit/finish) to that of Tørm. So Tørm gets the nod on value.
I could justify buying in shirts like this ‘every other month’…Rapha is a ‘treat’…or once every 6-12 months…There’s no necessity to own that much cycling gear…is there?…but shhhh! don’t tell the wife I said that….
I’m not a fantastically talented, whippet, race boy..I’m a 40 something MAMIS (hey you can have MAMILs!… B-) ).
Yes, I like to ‘look good’ whilst out on the bike, giving an air of gentlemanly-ness..(yeah not a word, I know….)… I also like to be comfortable, (both brands win here)…but on a budget.
So I like to cycle…mainly by myself…a kind of 2 wheeled Billy – no – Mates…or should that be Gray Wolf…I’m only pleasing myself in the end – I’m sure my mirror poses don’t actually look ‘like that’ to other people …I don’t need to conform to any stereotype – I can (and do) make my own choices.
It is unfortunate that the bigger of the two brands has shown just how small (minded) they really are…instead they appear to be trying to thwart little David, and not relying on their own ‘brand success’ to ensure they do not lose their ‘niche’ market share…
Are they scared that their ‘Batty Boy’ clientele (By which I’m referring to a ‘section’ of the pretty boy R wearing crowd that need a certain brand to succeed in all that they do…whilst not really doing anything successful) will move away from them for a ‘cheaper, inferior, imitation of their imitation’…not bloody likely.
On the other hand if all that people are interested in is a good quality, reasonably priced, well performing and reasonably stylish, cycling garment..then let them vote by not buying Rapha goods…after all I know people that wear all the ‘A’ gear going and can hardly see their shoes for their bellies or cover any distance once out on their 5k carbonitis 1.2lb SuperSportif….now those ‘A’ prices are just bonkers…..(I won’t rant about them- unless someone REALLLY wants me to).

Quote:actually i have sold my

actually i have sold my addict R1 uberlight frame for a “steel is real” Enigma Extensor XCR custom frame

shiiiiiiiiiny 😀

Quote:like the LVIS 200km in

like the LVIS 200km in march for instance?

yeah, like the LVIS 200km. if it’s built in time, and i feel up for the challenge :S