Why do people hate Rapha more than Assos?

[AngryScientist]

i dont hate rapha or assos

[tiretrax]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

It continually amazes me the amount of time some people on this forum waste complaining about Rapha. It makes me wonder if these people spend most of their life complaining about things instead of focusing on the positive. If you don't like Rapha then don't buy Rapha products - end of story.




I just got a call as I was writing this reply from my wife that she has malignant melanoma on her face. This really makes you think about what a waste all the negative Rapha talk is. And what a waste negativity is in general.

Jeff

Really puts things into perspective. Best wishes for her (and you). I'm local if you need anything.

[Ahneida Ride]

WOW ...

6 pages of talk about Rapha ....

You can't pay for that type of advertizing !!!! Really !

Hey .... would people start hating HandleBra !

[Ahneida Ride]

I just visited the Rapha store ....
I kinda like their pink gloves .... something about that Rapha color
I find very appealing.

[choke]

Frankly I think they're both extremely over-priced. The absolute worst set of bibs I've ever owned were labeled Assos. As for Rapha, as others have said, the marketing just reeks of BS and it turns me off.

I guess I'm lucky because I find even the least expensive Castelli or Giordana bibs quite comfortable.

[fuzzalow]

Originally Posted by FastforaSlowGuy

I'm going to be sorry for asking this one, but given that a simple Rapha notebook generated 3+ pages in the Classifieds, I gotta ask: why all the hate for Rapha and not for Assos?

3+ pages of angst over a ridculously overpriced notebook that appeals to poseurs, who the heck would buy something stupid like that?!?! Must be some kinda maroon...

A comment or two, if I may:
Disagree about Rapha setting the stage for the wearing of non-Pro kit. I think there is occupational bias in that view insofar as the suggestion that the industry leads the style trends in cycling. IMO the industry sets their own commercial interests and that what they promote as the new new sometimes coincides with consumer tastes. For example cyclists may not neccesarily wear prokit because they like it, they wear it because there isn't much else the industry offers as otherwise. Until the industry stumbles on a new, new new that will spur sales because they haven't sold it before. Voila, presenting non-proteam looking kit.

During the whole pro kit time, Descent (the original, now defunct Descent) offered solid color jerseys with the dashed stripe epaulet trim. I bought those.

Anybody who has bought and used either Assos, Rapha or both I'd guess cares not a wit about the marketing of either. Because once you use the product it won't matter what anybody tells you, you now have the real world use of the product to decide for yourself. What is so hard about that?

Yes, I have read the counter arguments against these brands many times on this forum. Not that I don't care but that they all boil down to personal preference or, increasingly, a class warfare conniption - which always turns out to be not an argument but a drooling, incoherent & vindictive mess. My goodness me, it's an article of clothing not a call to jihad.

[fiamme red]

My observation is that the pro-Rapha people on the forum spend a lot of time and energy defending the brand against the "haters." This is just a bicycle forum, don't take yourself so seriously.

[Grant McLean]

Originally Posted by witcombusa

I'm with you Louis. Didn't need rapha to tell me it was OK to wear non team kit.

It's clear from some people's toxic attitude that trying to tell them anything
would be a total waste of time, even if their house is on fire.

-g

[Louis]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

I just got a call as I was writing this reply from my wife that she has malignant melanoma on her face. This really makes you think about what a waste all the negative Rapha talk is. And what a waste negativity is in general.

Sorry to hear that Jeff, and all my best for your wife's treatment and recovery.

Regarding the "negative" Rapha talk - as far as I'm concerned it's a game. Yes the marketing over-the-top, and yes I enjoy teasing folks about it, but no, this isn't a serious issue regardless of how you look at it. The cycling equivalent of J. Peterman.

[Rouleur88]

Neither, I vote for a bike.

[gianni]

I hate the elitism that is still too common with roadies -- whether it is Rapha or assos.

FWIW, if one wants to spend $300 on shorts then rock on.

Not for me.

[pdmtong]

I like Rapha
I like Assos
I like tii

[christian]

Those wheels are epically bad.

[texbike]

Originally Posted by fiamme red

Is that Derek Zoolander on a bike??? Maybe he's working on "Blue Carbon"!

[Louis]

Originally Posted by christian

Those wheels are epically bad.

Agreed - that Mae West line about too much of a good thing isn't always true.