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  #1  
Old 11-22-2021, 06:10 PM
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Simon Mottram stepping down as CEO of Rapha

Surprised that no one had posted anything about this earlier, but maybe no one cares (I'm not stating any investment, just the facts, ma'am). Ending his reign as CEO at the start of the new year but remaining on the board. New CEO William Kim has previous experience at Gucci, Burberry, AllSaints.

RCC members have … questions about the direction and fate of the club.
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:15 PM
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Do you have a link? Appears not to be in the news (from a quick google anyway)
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:19 PM
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https://www.rouleur.cc/blogs/desire-...m-to-step-down
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:33 PM
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My comment on the original Rouleur Tweet.



Quote:
Whoa.

I met SM when he visited my Chester workroom back when all garments were made in Britain. I was impressed then, and continued to be over the years and changes.

All the indie brands owe Rapha for paving the way for them. SM & Co started the niche, and perfected it.
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e-RICHIE View Post
My comment on the original Rouleur Tweet.
Nice. Even the Rapha haters have to admit that SM clearly has a deeply felt love of cycling. IMO he's a great ambassador for the sport.
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cgolvin View Post
Nice. Even the Rapha haters have to admit that SM clearly has a deeply felt love of cycling. IMO he's a great ambassador for the sport.
I have always said, and will reiterate again now, the haters only hate because they wish they had the idea first.
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:40 PM
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Well done, sir.
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  #8  
Old 11-22-2021, 06:46 PM
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He started an industry, shaped what road cycling kit is today.

Rapha is a cycling brand, now is a fashion brand. Doesn't bode well for innovation or quality but... time will tell. Fashion brands haven't done well taking on cycling.
I hope Mottram's influence continues...
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cgolvin View Post
IMO he's a great ambassador for the sport.
Some will disagree, but as well as being a great, truly passionate ambassador for cycling, he was a great CEO to work under, too. He was always very very good to me, and I was but the lowly I.T. guy at the time. He knew everyone's name in the building until the Walton buyout.
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Old 11-22-2021, 06:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e-RICHIE View Post
My comment on the original Rouleur Tweet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by e-RICHIE View Post
Whoa.

I met SM when he visited my Chester workroom back when all garments were made in Britain. I was impressed then, and continued to be over the years and changes.

All the indie brands owe Rapha for paving the way for them. SM & Co started the niche, and perfected it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by e-RICHIE View Post
I have always said, and will reiterate again now, the haters only hate because they wish they had the idea first.


Yeah, agree.

I have a real fondness for Rapha, admittedly I do not buy or wear their gear like I did 5-6-7 years ago, but it is good stuff and certain technical items they make are still my go to.

That said, I do feel like they paved the way and subsequently lost their way. I don't say that with any ill feeling toward the brand, more just a sense of sadness?

Maybe that's just part of the constant state of flux when it comes to business; it's easy to get to the top, hard to stay there.
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  #11  
Old 11-23-2021, 02:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e-RICHIE View Post
My comment on the original Rouleur Tweet.

[...]

All the indie brands owe Rapha for paving the way for them. SM & Co started the niche, and perfected it.
Agreed.

Prior to Rapha, clean, understated jerseys were uncommon. And the use of Sportwool was only available from a handful of brands from England--oftentimes Rapha lookalikes.

And for as "big" of a brand as Rapha is, they've managed to stay on the pulse of cycling by introducing new lines when certain disciplines became more popular.

cyclocross in the late noughts - CX jersey
randonneuring in the 2010s - Brevet
bikepacking ~2017 - Explore
mtb 2020 - mtb
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  #12  
Old 11-23-2021, 02:23 PM
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I've always liked the brand. When they first came on the scene, their website was required reading. It was so different than anything out there.

I'd also say that, from my observations, prior to their simplistic/clean designs, kits in general where much more garish and busy. And, lots of "team" kit stuff out in the marketplace then as well.

They definitely started a new wave in kit aesthetics.
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  #13  
Old 11-23-2021, 02:37 PM
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I guess he has enough FU money now and wants to slow down or move on to other projects.

No question Rapha made a significant contribution to the cycling garment industry, but they also helped manufacturers jack up their prices across the board. I've had their kit and for the money I prefer other brands for bibs/winter kit and absolutely not a big fan of their (to me) boring AF solid colour kits. Give me colour and give me patterns. Be bright, be seen!

Interesting their incoming CEO's background. With Pinarello being bought out by the Louis Vuitton group a few years ago, and continued moves like this, the sport will lose (or has already lost) its roots in the working classes of northern europe. A somewhat expensive sport will just continue to get more and more expensive.
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Old 11-23-2021, 02:42 PM
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welcome to 2021, where superbikes are $18k, 'mid-range' is $6k and 8kg, non luxury family suv's are $45k and $100k cars and trucks are commonplace.
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  #15  
Old 11-23-2021, 03:29 PM
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Not sure how widely known this is, but Simon has an autistic child and devotes a lot of time to charity work for autism (e.g., the annual Manchester-to-London ride benefits autism awareness, I forget the actual name of the charity).

I imagine that after stepping down he'll spend a good portion of his time on this, just a guess.
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