[Closed] Rapha-Sky ends 2016

In 2012 Rapha announced the beginning of a four-year Partnership with the world’s number-one professional racing team, Team Sky. Rapha has been a part of Team Sky’s countless achievements since then, including two Tour de France victories and success on all types of terrain and in all conditions. Together, we have redefined performance and style in the peloton, both on and off the bike. It’s been an amazing ride so far and the success of the Partnership has been beyond expectations.

After reflection and discussion, both Rapha and Team Sky have decided not to renew our Partnership beyond the current four-year deal, which concludes at the end of the 2016 season.

For the next year Rapha will focus on the Research and Development projects that are already in progress with the team. With several special new products due to be released in 2016, we now look forward to an exciting final season with Team Sky and celebrating the Partnership in style.

Going forward Rapha will continue to find Partnerships that serve and connect with our customers wherever they are from, and across the many levels and disciplines of this beautiful sport. The success of our Cycle Clubs and the RCC (Rapha Cycling Club) gives us the confidence to keep moving forwards, to try new ventures and trust our instincts. From 2017 we will continue to support racing in many ways, especially locally, but we will also focus on new geographies, partnerships and categories. We will be announcing news on these exciting developments soon.

Good, the Adidas stuff looked much better....let's see a return to that please!

Aldi ftw

Kinda glad about that really.

Whilst a lot of what Rapha have done in development linked to Sky has been very beneficial to us lot, it does now seem to have come to a natural end.
The Pro Team stuff is just amazing, the new range is clearly head and shoulders above what has been in the range. I hope the development continues and I see supporting a more Corinthian spirit in racing/riding the way forward.
The Clubs (RCC) are fantastic, we get to meet folks from all over the world who ride in the same spirit. That alone has been a huge success for them.

I fully expect Sky to adopt the Adidas range the Track guys and Olympic guys use, seems to fit nicely into their outlook too.

Box Hill will be strewn with finances Rapha tops! The sponsorship has clearly been good for Rapha and I presume they'll continue sponsorship of other people.

In some ways the team sky and other rapha side didn't really feel right together. I think their following is strong enough to go well without running a mass line of replica kit in black.

Am I the only one who is hugely meh about Adidas as a cycling kit brand? Maybe I'm too conservative (small c) but I have no interest in wearing or buying a generic big sport brand looking to expand into a different market it has no heritage in? I'd also have thought that was quite a common attitude amongst old school roadies (who I appreciate are a smaller market than the newer riders who make up the boom).

In some ways the team sky and other rapha side didn't really feel right together.

I always thought that too - the niche/elitist ethos of Rapha and the mass-market, Fox Corporate monster of Sky always seemed an odd mix, but then what do I know.

Am I the only one who is hugely meh about Adidas as a cycling kit brand? Maybe I'm too conservative (small c) but I have no interest in wearing or buying a generic big sport brand looking to expand into a different market it has no heritage in? I'd also have thought that was quite a common attitude amongst old school roadies (who I appreciate are a smaller market than the newer riders who make up the boom).

I can't see them going back to Adidas, the track and road side are going away from each other, I'm sure Sky are stopping the sponsorship of the track team imminently too.

No idea who it will be next but I suspect it'll be a bog name, Assos maybe? They don't sponsor anyone in the pro peleton do they?

the niche/elitist ethos of Rapha

Makes a lot of sense, Rapha have had huge exposure from the Sky deal and would continuing to fork out the same huge amount bring them to the same amount of new customers again?

If Adidas do pick it up then I guess they'll expect to gain credibility as a top-end kit manufacturer - and they certainly have the money to invest in technology and expertise.

No idea who it will be next but I suspect it'll be a bog name

Twyford? Armitage Shanks?

isnt the adidas stuff all made by Nalini anyway?

while there are many good reasons to buy Rapha kit. Cycling heritage is not one of them....

I never got the fit between Rapha and Sky either, always seemed odd to me. Assos don't sponsor trade teams for a good reason, they believe their kit to be good enough that it will sell its self.

If Adidas do pick it up then I guess they'll expect to gain credibility as a top-end kit manufacturer

I don't think that's true, its all about reinforcing the brand with the general public. Adidas don't really do high end kit in many areas, except maybe football boots. Most of it is mass consumer, fashion driven items.

You know who owns rapha don't you?

several shareholders including Active Private Equity, a firm who also own part of Finisterre and Evans Cycles? Which is irrelevant to the image/ethos/elitism of them as brand - Bentley are owned by VW, Cervelo are owned by Pon who also own budget brand Univega.

while there are many good reasons to buy Rapha kit. Cycling heritage is not one of them....

I completely agree. I used to be a bit of a detractor as I dislike their po-faced image and marketing, but having tried some of their kit I am a big fan of it.

isnt the adidas stuff all made by Nalini anyway?

they're (Adidas Cycling and Nalini) both owned by MOA so probably a huge amount of overlap. Possibly my attitude is influenced by a lifelong dislike of football (not trying to troll or derail the thread), and with it many brands that I associate with it.

You know who owns rapha don't you?

Captain Flasheart?

A quick google didn't provide me with any real answers, out of curiosity who does?

erm, see post above yours?

http://apeq.co.uk/

for Rapha paid to sponsor Sky during that time, they would have to spend x times more in marketing to get the same coverage.

Maybe Sky asked for x amount more, and Rapha has decided is wasn't worth it.

Sky only go to the Japan cup, because of Rapha, as as they said in their press release, they want to focus on certain geographical areas.

My other thought is, Sky, has been wearing quite 'fashionable' stuff, who is going to take that up?

😀

but I have no interest in wearing or buying a generic big sport brand looking to expand into a different market it has no heritage in?

Now what will the sportive winning delusionists wear?

benji - Member
Now what will the sportive winning delusionists wear?

I maybe being thick, but didn't Adidas do the Sky kit before Rapha?

yes, and I heard at the time, that Adidas was pulling out of cycling.
Rapha stepped up, being British, and like the team at time, was going to offer a new British outfit to grow into.
Seems that one of them, may have (or thought to have) grown too big.

Now what will the sportive winning delusionists wear?

maybe they will join a club, wear club kit and learn to ride properly in a group?

maybe thats a bit optimistic 😥

[i]Maybe Sky asked for x amount more, and Rapha has decided is wasn't worth it.[/i]

I don't think that's the case. I would imagine Simon Mottram being a branding 'guru' has decided now now is the right time to walk away from sky. They've increased they're turnover massively through the partnership and there's a risk of brand saturation.

Everyone knows Castelli is the new Rapha anyway.

Sportful or Ale will be the new Castelli in a year's time.

[i]Everyone knows Castelli is the new Rapha anyway.[/i]

Really? Castelli is very good kit, as is Rapha, castelli has never tried to imitate rapha

[i]Sportful or Ale will be the new Castelli in a year's time.[/i] Sportful is part of the same parent company as Castelli.

^^ I've got a few Sportful bits of kit and they are up there in quality with my Rapha stuff already I reckon.

(Hey, Gary, I hollered at you last Fri afternoon on the M77 cyclepath - I guess you were heading home from work, I was going other way on a blue CDF 🙂 )

I thought that the adidas kit was worn purely because they have the contract to supply the GB Olympic teams for all sports so the track cyclists got it as a result of that deal rather than anything unique about the team.

Given the involvement in the GB Team of a number of prominent members of the Sky road team there has been alot of blurring of the lines as to what is Sky and what is GB Olympic

[i]Thread Hijack on[/i]
Yeh I thought it was you Iain but only after I'd passed but I did say hello. I was heading home but not from work, just out for a wee spin as only got back on the bike last week after the surgery. Think we passed earlier near Fenwick going in the opposite directions.

Back to commuting today, picked a fine day for it!
[i]Thread Hijack off[/i]

Castelli have a history Rapha would die for, oh and they make proper quality clothing.

[url= http://www.castelli-cycling.com/history ]Castelli cycling history[/url]

Now what will the sportive winning delusionists wear?

DHB? Darn it there goes my wardrobe 😆

dragon - Member
Castelli have a history Rapha would die for

Rapha are far, far better at convincing people they're buying "heritage" though. Neo-roadies love a bit of heritage in their bidons. Chapeau!

Actually, the new Rapha will be a brand you've not even heard of. And once you've heard of it, that fashion will have passed and you'll need to replace all your kit with stuff made by one family who live in an obscure Italian mountain village somewhere in the hills above Bagni di Lucca.

Maybe Lusso should step up to the mark and offer there services, proper home grown apparel with no snob value.

Maybe the new brand will be Zappi???....due to be launched any day now

I'm not surprised at all.

Rapha = elitist
Supporting team Sky is a bit, well, common.

The team sky kit is 25% ish less than the standard versions of Rapha kit - if the bibs have a white stripe they're more expensive than the Sky blue striped ones. Rapha are basically under selling their own brand.

The team sky kit is 25% ish less than the standard versions of Rapha kit - if the bibs have a white stripe they're more expensive than the Sky blue striped ones. Rapha are basically under selling their own brand.

Some might argue that it's the Sky kit that's at the "right" price, though. No under selling about it....

Maybe Lusso should step up to the mark and offer there services, proper home grown apparel with no snob value.

You can't buy history.

Rapha is wonderfully marketed, and some of their products are lovely, but a classic cycling brand it is not.

Maybe if they were on the shoulders of many Grand Tour and classics winners over a number of years then they would create the history they're looking for.

Pity they didn't stick it out, but obviously not working for them financially. With the massive amount of exposure that they will give a company, it makes sense for it to be something for a bigger company than Rapha. Shame, as it could have been something quite iconic had it continued.

Rapha is wonderfully marketed, and some of their products are lovely, but a classic cycling brand it is not.

Neo-roadies don't give a shit about that. It's expensive and works for people who didn't know cycling existed before Wiggins won. As before, calling your bottle a bidon doesn't give you "heritage", but it can make someone millions.

Rapha are bloody geniuses. Tapped in to the market perfectly at the perfect time to milk the MAMILs. Genius. Bloody genius.

So much hate in one paragraph there, so much.

Aww, diddums. Did the nasty man say something you didn't agree with about your beloved brand?

Hate? Not really. Amusement that so many suckers have bought in to their genius? Yes.

Find a new brand to show off how much you spend instead.

Nothing to do with how much you spend, more about clothing that performs well and looks good. The fact your choice of cycling clothing causes so much consternation in those who don't chose to buy similar is just a bonus and adds to the value.

I suspect the Rapha image harms the brand as much as it aids them. I cant be alone in feeling a bit embarrassed wearing a new bit of rapha kit for the first time but after a while i forget that because its really comfy and well made, so my concerns are put to one side.

The finish of the clothing is IME better than most of the competition with the exception of Assos. The customer service is also pretty good too.

Good thing it's over soon, the connection with Sky cheapened the brand.

There must be far more words on the internet debating the moral value of Rapha than reviewing their actual products.

And often from people that you'll find spaffing over premium-priced watches and other consumerist guff in other threads.

It's time to get over it guys. Or am I going to have to post the "Let It Go" video?

I must confess I too was a rapha hater for many years till a non cycling friend got me rapha vouchers .. Being a tight wad I just got there arm warmers(6) years ago .. They're still in good nick and my go too arm warmers ..

Over last few years I've acquired winter jerseys-bib shorts-knee warmers and a few casual type items and it's honestly some of the nicest best made durable kit I've owned !! Only ever bought on sale though

8)

I tried wearing Rapha but it didn't work. I was no faster than before. I think the weight of history slowed me down. Seriously though, you've got to love a brand that sends out packages labelled 'Kings of Pain' - what must the postman have thought? 😉

Hate? Not really. Amusement that so many suckers have bought in to their genius? Yes.

Find a new brand to show off how much you spend instead.

I agree if you're talking about things like the Paul Smith tie in, but most of the stuff is priced as per other premium clothing brands. Assos, Exteondo etc are often more expensive. The quality of those brands are top notch and can make a huge difference to you when you're spending long days out on the bike. I have no Rapha stuff (other than a cap I bought my son), but people tell me the quality is top notch. I certainly don't think it's about showing off. People get cars for that, not cycle kit!

@captainflashheart has it spot on.

i bought rapha when they first started , just because i liked the understated look and quality of it, but have stopped getting anything from them for many a year, partly due to the ever increasing cost, but also because i got disillusioned with the image they are aching to create / project - especially the "limited editions" every 2 months seem a shallow marketing scam to try and bring history of exceptional races / moments in cycling into their brand at a more than premium cost.

I associate the brand with 'surrey man' and having had to spend a painful number of mornings stuck behind a group of Rapha clad MAMILS as they wobble their way through Esher, Epsom, Dorking etc it has tarnished the brand for me....same as if i won the lottery i wouldnt wear a Rolex or drive a Ferrari, just something 'yuck' and a bit try-hard about those brands.

i bought rapha when they first started , just because i liked the understated look and quality of it, but have stopped getting anything from them for many a year, partly due to the ever increasing cost, but also because i got disillusioned with the image they are aching to create

I do wish that some companies would sell versions of their kit with the branding taken off completely for people who just want the quality, fit, function and design rather than the tacit connection to the marketing - which may not appeal.

A good example is that Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirts are great quality and fit me like a glove. However, if they only sell versions with mega "look at me" branding all over them then they're missing out on sales because I'm 34 years old and not 14.

I think the one thing that Rapha did well was tap into the British desire for understated clothes. Italian brands while IMO are of better quality, tend towards the Euro fluro, big trade logo style side of things. That's why I never understood the Rapha / Sky tie up, as suddenly there were logos all over Rapha stuff and a tainted brand at that, weird. However, as I understand it Rapha thought they could milk the Sky supporters market, similar to selling football tops to fans. However, I don't think cycling typically has that kind of fan base.

Assos are more expensive over here because of the exchange rates.

I suspect the Rapha image harms the brand as much as it aids them.

I wonder what the ratio of Reluctant to Fanboi is? I always used to post the JVA spoofs in any pro-Rapha thread and really disliked the image they try to cultivate. Then I got a long-sleeve 'smartwool' jersey in a promo as a bit of a punt. I now own 3 long sleeves and a gilet. All bought in sales so at ~£50 a jersey means way cheaper than my half-price Assos Mille, cheaper than my half-price Giordana FRC. The most comfortable, best fitting (obviously subjective), best finished kit I own. The few of us in our club who wear Rapha get inverted-snob sneers from others, which doesn't bother me as I get where they are coming from, and love the kit.

I think the one thing that Rapha did well was tap into the British desire for understated clothes.

agree. Loads of brands have followed in their wake - flick thru any roadie mag and it's full of 'premium' brand kit adverts, all of it in muted single colours.

Italian brands while IMO are of better quality,

I bought a Castelli LS jersey for more than any of my Rapha kit. Went straight back without even de-tagging it; poor quality finish (loads of loose threads, dye overrun on the different panels) and a weird fit. Obviously a sample size of 1, but enough that I'll never buy any Castelli kit ever again. But I don't judge those who do.

[i] It's expensive and works for people who didn't know cycling existed before Wiggins won[/i]

You go have stopped at expensive and works. I've been using rapha kit since 2004, it works well and in terms of cost its much the same as gore, castelli and assos for example.

Rapha got what they wanted from the Team Sky deal and are moving on whether that's from choice or because Team Sky want more from them for 2017 onwards, we don't know.

I own a bit of Rapha stuff. The first items I bought at the sample sale or regular sales and I've started to buy stuff at full price occasionally. It's comfortable and feels high quality and wears well (my winter bibs are on their 3rd year and look brand new still). Even better, the crash repair service saved my almost brand new bibs and jersey going into the bin recently after I crashed.

Is their marketing occasionally a bit too ****y? Yes. Are their tie-in jerseys sometimes a bit desperate (i.e. the Pantani one which I still think has to have been a pissed up Friday idea)? Yes. Will I buy the kit still if I need something? Yes.

I wonder what the ratio of Reluctant to Fanboi is?

The one thing about Rapha is that there is rarely an ambivalent reaction.

They've got one group of people paying pretty much anything (albeit for a great product), and one group who would do anything but buy it. It doesn't matter how much you put off the second group, it's all about how much you can get out of the fans.

Far better to have a sharply polarised set of customers than all of them being apathetic.

do people really care about heritage?

right then CFH, we have a Specialized fan-boi who's bought into the gnarmac trend = bought a bike for people who don't know tourers exist. Almost like people who didn't know cycling existed before Wiggins won.

Oh, and Specialized seem to have a lovely marketing dept, no aggressive trademark antics about Roubaix there is there.

Whinging about one bike company's marketing whilst lapping up anothers, is there an "oh the ironing" emoticon on here?

right then CFH, we have a Specialized fan-boi who's bought into the gnarmac trend = bought a bike for people who don't know tourers exist

yeah but, he's fitted skinwall tyres to it, so it's not just a bog-standard retail mongrel bike, it's customized 😆

I loved the look of Rapha kit when it first launched and would have bought it if I had managed to slim to the race-snakey profile necessary for it to look good - nothing worse than a bloater in that kit 😆

I have since been put off by some of the ancillary items at ridiculous costs and the Sky tie-up put me off for good.

TBH most of my road riding is on audax events so style is not really my top priority nowadays but I can see why others buy it.

I have recently bought two Endura MT500 long sleeve jerseys for around £32 each after a PSA on here a couple of months ago and they have been great so I cannot justify paying three times the cost just to look good

[i]They've got one group of people paying pretty much anything (albeit for a great product), and one group who would do anything but buy it[/i]

And another group, of which I'm a part, who generally only buy the kit when its sale time. I rarely pay full price for anything from Rapha as I know there's a sale twice a year, and then an extra 10% off code at the last week of the sale.

Far better to have a sharply polarised set of customers than all of them being apathetic

their founder said exactly that in an interview

do people really care about heritage?

as poster of that comment, maybe experience, credibility or track record would have been better terms. As I went on to explain I associate brands like Adidas with all that I dislike about football and whilst others have pointed out they've been in and out of cycling for years it just smacks of a mega brand exploiting a niche, and I can just picture lots of soulless corporate speak around the decision, all mature and emerging markets, co-opting a lifestyle choice etc. I have my own image of Adidas just as brands try to cultivate their own.

I dont get the whole replica kit thing. Its one thing have a logo on the garment from the company that made it, even a large one. But I dont get the whole walking advert trying to look like those who do get paid to wear it. Why do people do that? I quite like the black/blue design of the kit but dont want to ride around with Sky and who ever else sponsors the team written all over me.

They just do it to give Flashheart and Mr Smith somebody to look down on.

Assos, Exteondo etc are often more expensive. The quality of those brands are top notch and can make a huge difference to you when you're spending long days out on the bike. I have no Rapha stuff (other than a cap I bought my son), but people tell me the quality is top notch. I certainly don't think it's about showing off.

my road kit is largely Sportful, Etxeondo, Rapha and Endura, with the more expensive stuff, incl all the Rapha, purchased through the sales. I cannot fault the Rapha quality; it is the best and nicest of my stuff, closely followed by Etxeondo and Sportful. The Endura stuff is basic and functional.

If it was about showing off I wouldn't have the Endura stuff at all 🙂

I also bought into the mountain bike trend back in the 80s. Had skinwalls back then as well! 🙂

[i]and I can just picture lots of soulless corporate speak around the decision, all mature and emerging markets, co [/i]

They're probably just trying to globalize their verticals. Or something.

And another group, of which I'm a part, who generally only buy the kit when its sale time. I rarely pay full price for anything from Rapha as I know there's a sale twice a year, and then an extra 10% off code at the last week of the sale.

I don't know what other premium clothing brands do regarding sales but I do wonder how many people buy stuff at full price and how many simply sit there and wait for the sales. Last year they had a Black Friday sale which crashed their website almost immediately.

Re Sky, I simply think they've decided that there are probably better ways to spend that money, not least their plans to be opening 2 new cycle clubs per year. New one in Spitalfields should be open in a few weeks time - a new hangout for all the Shoreditch hipsters.

Maybe we could run a sweepstake on how long it'll be til CFH is spotted in there. 😉

Rapha are bloody geniuses. Tapped in to the market perfectly at the perfect time to milk the MAMILs. Genius. Bloody genius.

I totally agree. I've bought a few Rapha bits in sales, and I have to say, even at near half-price, I'm not impressed with it. Overpriced made in China stuff. I fail to see this 'quality' that others rave about. There are quite a few other brands offering much better quality than Rapha, with clothing made in Europe, rather than Far Eastern cheap labour factories. If you want 'heritage' cycle clothing brands, then Cafe du Cycliste and Pedal ED are similar to Rapha, but offer made in Europe stuff. Similar pretentiousness, but maybe a bit less 'mainstream'. 😉

Personally, I'd favour Adidas over Rapha for cycling gear, because they have a far greater 'heritage' of making sports clothing. If I want anything 'stylish' to wear on the bike, I probably won't be buying much 'cycling' clothing.

Too many apostrophes.

I fail to see this 'quality' that others rave about.

Out of interest what did you buy?

Rapha, with clothing made in Europe, rather than Far Eastern cheap labour factories

Some of their stuff IS made in Europe but by no means all and almost never the cheaper stuff.

Out of interest what did you buy?

A jacket, a pair of gloves and a top. And I've browsed their stuff in shops. The quality isn't proportionate to the price, in my opinion. There is better clothing on offer, and often cheaper. I can spend a similar amount on non-cycling clothing, and get a much better deal.

The Rapha brand puts me in mind of Superdry, for some reason. But I think if you're deliberately wearing a brand to try and prove your participatory credentials, you're trying a bit too hard anyway.

[i] If you want 'heritage' cycle clothing brands, then Cafe du Cycliste and Pedal ED are similar to Rapha, but offer made in Europe stuff. Similar pretentiousness, but maybe a bit less 'mainstream'.[/i]

And to out-niche everbody, my favorite piece of "heritage" cycle clothing was made for me by a firm in Scotland. I had to wait three months for it mind. But I think the seamstresses name was Sue.

What is this 'quality' people speak of? I've some tops that are 10 - 20 years old made by all kinds of random (generally Italian) manufactures and they are all fine. Shorts tend to fail through usage at the chamois IME and Rapha use cytech the same as Assos, Gore, Cafe du Cycliste etc.

My merino/sportswool Rapha stuff is made is Portugal (as is a lot of Vulpine and other premium merino brands). Wherever it is made it is hands-down the nicest kit I own bike or non bike.

Ref "quality", well none of my Rapha kit has dye overrun or multiple loose threads unlike the Castelli jersey I bought, so it looks like at least someone uses QC before bagging and shipping kit out.

if you're deliberately wearing a brand to try and prove your participatory credentials, you're trying a bit too hard anyway.

you've not read the preceding 70 posts then? Those of us 'defending' Rapha are fans of the kit not the brand or the image or the marketing.

[i]and Rapha use cytech the same as Assos, Gore, Cafe du Cycliste etc[/i]

And as they cost much the same what's your point?

I [i]am[/i] a fan of the image of Rapha though. But then I ride on my own in the north, and don't see many Surrey Hills MAMILS to taint it.

*Shrugs* I like the style and the quality is good. It's a shame it's expensive but then a lot of good things are.

Rapha use cytech the same as Assos, Gore, Cafe du Cycliste

Either way, it's good stuff so no bad thing anyway.