Rapha Repair Delays

[midnyterambla]

Had an uneventful (luckily) "low side" crash a few months back in the rain. Although I nuked a pair of overshorts and tore a small Quarter sized hole in my Rapha City Jacket and Rapha merino sweater - luckily no major damage to body or bike.

I filled out the Free Rapha Repair Service (https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/repair-service) form and shipped my jacket and sweater back to the UK for repair (Dec '22). I received a email in early January confirming that they had received the package and to "please allow 6-8 weeks for the repair to be completed".

In mid Feb (6 weeks later), I received an email saying "We are pleased to confirm that our repairs team has received your Waterproof Jacket. / Please allow 6-8 weeks for your repair to be completed." They also had to confirm what exactly was in the shipment - "there were two items in the box" and to please confirm what they were.

When I explained that I had received a similar email 6 weeks earlier, I got the following reply:

"Unfortunately due to some technical issues at our repairs partner, we have seen a bit of a backlog grow, we are working hard to fix your item and stay committed to ensuring that your item reaches you as soon as possible. / I do apologise for these delays and any disappointment that this may cause."

Therefore, in the unpleasant circumstances that you have torn your swanky Rapha kit, fill out the form (https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/repair-service), send it off and BE PATIENT.

Will update everyone with the outcome and timing.

Ride hard and ride safe,

[Pinned]

Rapha's repair service has been 3-4mo lead times for years. Personally, I'd rather self-repair or have it done locally instead of wait. Many of these fabrics can be quickly patched with adhesive patches or sewn with patches by a good tailor - that is what Rapha is doing anyways.

[adub]

Companies do this as a greenwash to make it appear that they want you to repair rather than replace.

It's not about the service of turning your repair around quickly, they don't charge for it!

[m_sasso]

You lucky dog, try Marmot outdoor equipment, my tent fly seam tape is disintegrating into flakes and non existence.

Contacted customer service just after Christmas initially.

Their life time warranty request online system is broken, we will contact you when it is repaired.

Received a message from customer service last week, their online system is finally fixed.

This past Friday Feburary 24th I finally was able to apply for warranty service on my tent fly.

Repair or replacement wait time 20 weeks, yes twenty weeks! For all warranty outdoor equipment work https://www.marmot.com/warranty-repair.html

Well that means no tent until the end of summer! Really! No Really!

[midnyterambla]

Your morning dose of hilarity - I finally got my "repair" back from Rapha and, HOO-BUDDY, is it something (see below).

They did a solid B+/A- job on the city rain jacket but the knit repair looked like something from the Island of Dr Moreau's Custom Tailoring and Dry Cleaning. As my buddy and fellow PLF devotee said, "extra Rapha stripes!"

I'm tempted to write a "LOL - srsly?!" email to Rapha Repairs, but I guess the jokes on me as I really got what I paid for (free).

Should've listened to the people on the forum BEFORE I shipped them to the UK for ~5 months. @Pinned - you called it!

If you actually need repair of technical gear, check out Rainy Pass (https://rainypass.com/) - they've done work on Arc'Teryx for me before and they do A+++ work

[CNY rider]

Well it’s……creative.

[charliedid]

Price was right, gift horse and all that.

[Alistair]

Was the tear in the elbow of that jersey bad enough to warrant a full section replacement? If so, that's about as good as you're going to get, I have to imagine. If it was just a small hole, I would have expected a small patch.

I had bibs (knicker length) repaired by Rapha eons ago and they came back fine. Just a 2"x2" patch over the hole that was sewed correctly.

[pdmtong]

Rapha is going to fix it in manner that is fastest, easiest and most cost-effective for them.

The resultant aesthetic is not the driving factor.

[72gmc]

Already mentioned but worth mentioning again: a business that is all about repairing gear is probably going to be better about repairing your gear!

Rainy Pass is excellent. They've made repairs and modifications for me in very little time at good prices.

https://rainypass.com/

[rallizes]

If I want it done quickly and to my taste I will pay for it.

[midnyterambla]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

Rapha is going to fix it in manner that is fastest, easiest and most cost-effective for them.

The resultant aesthetic is not the driving factor.

[HIT] => nail, head