Rapha Core

[livingminimal]

Originally Posted by eBAUMANN

On sale, these pieces will be flying off the shelves, as they look like they will be great basic/everyday kit for almost anyone.

Yup. I definitely intend to own all colors and use it as everyday kit.

[ColnagoFan]

Originally Posted by eBAUMANN

Ill 2nd that, really enjoyed the video. That said, I dont really think these products were supposed to "WOW" in anything other than maybe their MSRP. On sale, these pieces will be flying off the shelves, as they look like they will be great basic/everyday kit for almost anyone.

I'm really curious as to the fit vs. the Classic (Classic 2 now I guess), and especially the ProTeam jersey. The PT is the gold standard as far as I'm concerned. Really really curious to see what they do with the revamp of that stuff...

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by pgrizzwald

How would you rank those bib options? Just curious.

A little more detail on my previous response.

There should be an image below, if not, please PM me.

The red chamois on the left is the Giro chamois, and the black one on the right is the Rapha. Two things stick out, the stitching to hold the chamois in place is totally different on the two shorts, with the Rapha seeming to be more robust.

The other thing to note is the normal stitching that holds the panels together. The rapha is a flat stitch. The Giro is not flat, it has a flap where the two pieces of fabric are stitched together.

Those are the kind of things that I'm wondering about in the new Rapha line. Where will they take ~$22 out of the classic bib shorts (assuming price is 3x labor and material)?

[denapista]

IMHO these price points make it easier for the average person to walk into a RCC and purchase stuff off the shelves... Not many of us are walking into a Rapha store and dropping $400-500 on a Pro Team Kit. We all wait on the sale or a gift card. People can now walk into the store and get a complete kit under $300..

Smart move.

[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by eBAUMANN

On sale, these pieces will be flying off the shelves

however, they're priced low enough that they likely won't have near the overstock that they do with their other pieces. i.e. they'll sell so well that they won't be put on sale at all, because why would they do that? except of course to clear out the less desirable colors and less common sizes. so if you're after the pink XXXL jersey, you might be very happy in six months!

[buckfifty]

I'm blown away by the price point, especially since you're getting the same chamois as the classic and those are just phenomenal

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

I too am getting four plus years of 150+ days riding on my rapha bibs. crazy they can last that long and not get thin or pad go flat.

After years of $200 rapha jerseys I think the core range is a jedi-mind trick to make us all think there is a bargain here.

Rapha is a very, very smart company. Can't wait for the definitive HSB case study.

or

and

They're paying attention to Instagram and the big kitpurn, kitwatch, w-t-f-kitz accounts. Most stylish cyclist hypeboyz like the full kit look. The full kit look will run you $300 to $350, which means you're basically paying $150 to $200 for the jersey as the bibs tend to be generic quality stuff. IMO, Rapha realized that the best way to get guys and gals to mix and match is to offer up a lower priced jersey. The logic will be: "I've got this crappy but good looking $350 kit which I must wear to justify my expenditure, but, BUT this low quality jersey (or bibs) is falling apart. I'll just get this Core piece to tide me over until the next Hypeboy presale. I'm only out $450!" Anyhoo, I think you'll be seeing a lot of these core jerseys and bibs paired up with your MAAPs and Jaggads.

[Drmojo]

Originally Posted by Lovetoclimb

As someone who is usually excited by their product lines this got a very meh reaction from me. The video was amazing though really nailing the "why I ride" perspective from some of their ambassadors.

The thing that gets me about the pricing is most of their jerseys are already down around that price when they're on sale and the higher end bibs can usually be found for only a little more, again on sale.

So really nothing from the aesthetics, price, or massive build up for a jersey and shorts impressed me, but happy to see the videos from this season's product lines are hearkening back to the old style.

Vulpine for the true aesthete

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

Rapha is a very, very smart company. Can't wait for the definitive HSB case study.

or

and

They're paying attention to Instagram and the big kitpurn, kitwatch, w-t-f-kitz accounts. Most stylish cyclist hypeboyz like the full kit look. The full kit look will run you $300 to $350, which means you're basically paying $150 to $200 for the jersey as the bibs tend to be generic quality stuff. IMO, Rapha realized that the best way to get guys and gals to mix and match is to offer up a lower priced jersey. The logic will be: "I've got this crappy but good looking $350 kit which I must wear to justify my expenditure, but, BUT this low quality jersey (or bibs) is falling apart. I'll just get this Core piece to tide me over until the next Hypeboy presale. I'm only out $450!" Anyhoo, I think you'll be seeing a lot of these core jerseys and bibs paired up with your MAAPs and Jaggads.

very well said right now. Rapha is really smart!

[livingminimal]

Man. Just watched the video. Really good. I love the bit about cycling not being a socially endeavor. Can totally relate. I'm the same way.

[ojingoh]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

very well said right now. Rapha is really smart!

I had the opposite response. They are adding yet another Rapha, so more potential confusion. They are competing with themselves and making less money.

My guess is they are using less expensive Chinese textiles and manufacture, maybe without the Elastic Interface-sourced chamois they have been using, to hit a price point. This is curious to me, coming from a company that is so good at marketing to affluent bike riders.

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by ojingoh

I had the opposite response. They are adding yet another Rapha, so more potential confusion. They are competing with themselves and making less money.

My guess is they are using less expensive Chinese textiles and manufacture, maybe without the Elastic Interface-sourced chamois they have been using, to hit a price point. This is curious to me, coming from a company that is so good at marketing to affluent bike riders.

its the bike industry, people will keep buying the top of the line stuff and the people that did not want to pay $200+ for a jersey will buy the cheaper stuff. Some people will not pay that kind of money for jerseys and bibs but the new line although still expensive compared to say, some pearl izumi, it has the brand and might sell to the people that would not buy the expensive stuff.

I don't think there is nothing to loose. Look at assos, they have many kinds of bibs. Some go for low $100 all the way to $400+, they are not competing with themselves, they are simply providing a way for people who would not buy rapha, to buy it. Its better to have new people that have less people buy a bit more expensive piece of kit. ATMO

[denapista]

Rapha just made their kits more affordable for everyone.

True rapha fans will still buy the Pro Bibs because we know of the amazing quality and feel. The average joe cyclists who doesn't want to drop $500 for a Bib/Jersey combo can simply get this new core kit.

Chess not checkers....

[druptight]

If my 4 pairs of classic bibs ever wear out I might try these next.

I bet you'll see plenty of these jerseys in the sales, but not the bibs. You rarely see the classic bibs on sale, and as long as the quality/materials are close, these ought to be the same. Plus, it's impossible to have seasonal overstock for classic/core bibs that are all black all the time. No reason to ever put them on sale unless you change the style/fit.

[SpeedyChix]

No women's bibs in this new line is a major miss. Although the current ones aren't super high-end but the chamois is great for long days on the road.

Giordana FR-C has been my go to bibshort but they have been making the legs shorter and shorter. Not a plus. Do they forget we use knee warmers with them???

It'll be a great day when someone finally puts out bibs with longer inseams....Catella, are you onboard with this???