Rapha release £695 Gore-tex rain coat!!

[albion]

Think I could do a very good trade in Rapha sticky labels, that being the majority of it all.
In athletics, the Diamond league is weird, it now being a tick tick tick show of clones.

 

[geocycle]

OK. If you take a look at the Rapha Men's Jackets page you may or may not agree with me many of these do not look like cycling jackets. Even Rapha describe them as "performance sportswear." The one in the OP is described as a rain coat. There are several smart jackets Rapha describe as good for commuting, I'm happy to accept they are but personally I wouldn't commute in something as good looking as these jackets. I used to commute 36 cycling miles round trip daily by bike and train. I very much doubt these jackets would have stood up to that wear and tear or been comfortable for me over those distances.

It's just a personal opinion. I wouldn't spend £695 on a rain coat but if I was to the one in the OP looks like a good possibility..........as a rain coat, not a cycling coat.

It makes me wonder if Rapha's direction is to move away from cycle specific clothing or at least add more fashion related clothing to the range.

Locally we're lucky to have Lusso who, in my opinion produce better kit at a more reasonable price. Lusso customer service is superb, my one experience with Rapha shows the same can't be said of this company. Lusso is available nationwide online.

I agree with you. I have acquired quite a bit of Rapha stuff and most of it is excellent but some is baffling like this jacket. For me it is finding a sweet spot between performance clothes for riding fast in and things that aren’t really suitable for riding. I like my cycle clothing to be bright coloured, red, yellow, orange, but not garish and always cafe cut rather than racing snake. Endura, Altura, DHB, Lusso and Chapeau have been good options at times as has Rohan and even mountain warehouse.

 

[HLaB]

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/mens-gore-tex-rain-coat/product/BIT01XX

I previewed this at the Rapha 20 Exhibition's pop-up-shop.

Could not believe the price. £695!!

View attachment 747822

Did you buy 2?

 

[Boopop]

I'll stick to my Decathlon Poncho I think. Even did a top job for watching a concert in the rain last year. Very unfashionable I'm sure but if it's good enough for active travel advocate Dr Harrie Larrington-Spencer it's good enough for me.

 

[rogerzilla]

You'd need insurance for that jacket. I speak from experience, having crashed in freezing rain and torn the elbow of a virtually new Endura jacket. It didn't do my elbow much good either - was still dripping blood after getting to work and having a shower. A colleague who kept horses bandaged it up using the same amount of bandage he'd use for a horse. It was quite funny.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Standard 3 layer GTX jacket slightly tweaked for cyclists.

£200 worth but possibly plus a bit for being less mainstream than a hiking GTX jacket.

Rapha is way over-priced imo. But... some people do like the cleverly cultivated brand cachet.

 

[screenman]

I guess to some £695 is not considered a lot of money now.

 

[Baldy]

I'll wait till they're going cheap in the sales.

 

[cool_hand]

OK. If you take a look at the Rapha Men's Jackets page you may or may not agree with me many of these do not look like cycling jackets. Even Rapha describe them as "performance sportswear." The one in the OP is described as a rain coat. There are several smart jackets Rapha describe as good for commuting, I'm happy to accept they are but personally I wouldn't commute in something as good looking as these jackets. I used to commute 36 cycling miles round trip daily by bike and train. I very much doubt these jackets would have stood up to that wear and tear or been comfortable for me over those distances.

It's just a personal opinion. I wouldn't spend £695 on a rain coat but if I was to the one in the OP looks like a good possibility..........as a rain coat, not a cycling coat.

It makes me wonder if Rapha's direction is to move away from cycle specific clothing or at least add more fashion related clothing to the range.

Locally we're lucky to have Lusso who, in my opinion produce better kit at a more reasonable price. Lusso customer service is superb, my one experience with Rapha shows the same can't be said of this company. Lusso is available nationwide online.

I’m not sure if that’s fair criticism as you’ve focussed on Rapha’s Casual jacket range and not their Cycling jacket range. The category you've highlighted consists primarily of casual outwear which you would wear mainly off bike but would probably be OK for the casual cyclists taking a short trip in town in fair weather. There's a separate category for Cycling Jackets and Gilets:

https://rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/jackets

Oddly some of the jackets that appear in the casual jackets category also appear here. The Gore-Tex jacket in my opening post is listed in the casual jackets category but not the cycling jackets category which seems an odd decision as it’s their most expensive garment and would function as a commuter.

 

[ColinJ]

You'd need insurance for that jacket. I speak from experience, having crashed in freezing rain and torn the elbow of a virtually new Endura jacket.

I crashed once on the first ride wearing a new jacket and ripped that. Fortunately, it was only about 10% of the Rapha's price, effectively nearer 20% if inflation is taken into account.

 

[PaulSB]

I’m not sure if that’s fair criticism as you’ve focussed on Rapha’s Casual jacket range and not their Cycling jacket range. The category you've highlighted consists primarily of casual outwear which you would wear mainly off bike but would probably be OK for the casual cyclists taking a short trip in town in fair weather. There's a separate category for Cycling Jackets and Gilets:

https://rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/jackets

Oddly some of the jackets that appear in the casual jackets category also appear here. The Gore-Tex jacket in my opening post is listed in the casual jackets category but not the cycling jackets category which seems an odd decision as it’s their most expensive garment and would function as a commuter.

I feel I'm being fair. I focused on the range of jackets featured on the same page as the raincoat which began this thread.

I said this:

A nice looking jacket but I'm not sure it's cycle kit. The same can be said for quite a number of the Rapha jackets.

You asked:

Could you elaborate a little further? What make's it not cycle kit? It looks like a commuter jacket to me.

I feel your reply quoted at the beginning of this post is back tracking. You previously said it looks like a commuter jacket, but you now describe the category it comes from, the one I commented on, "primarily outwear." I agree the Cycling jackets are cycling kit. We're discussing Jackets in the range you linked to.

 

[cool_hand]

I feel your reply quoted at the beginning of this post is back tracking. You previously said it looks like a commuter jacket, but you now describe the category it comes from, the one I commented on, "primarily outwear." I agree the Cycling jackets are cycling kit. We're discussing Jackets in the range you linked to.

Not back tracking. TBH I wasn't even aware that Rapha had a category for casual wear jackets until I saw your link and as I stated I thought it was an odd decision that a £695 Gore-tex commuter jacket was listed in the casual wear category. I would of classed it as 'cycling kit' but you clearly have a different opinion.

 

[freiston]

Personally, I don't see the point. imho, Goretex is overrated - waterproof and breathable but rarely both at the same time - especially when working up a sweat on a bike. I notice that Rapha shout the virtues of the zip for "the ability to easily increase airflow for cooling"

Even if you're into Goretex cycling jackets (for argument's sake, I'll treat this Rapha as a cycling jacket), there are many decent ones a few hundred pounds cheaper.

For me, generous pit-zips with a good press-studded/velcro storm flap for covering an unzipped front zip are essential for a cycling rain jacket - get a good airflow through the jacket. If things get too sweaty, slowing down can help too.

I used to swear by proper capes that go over the handlebars but a big problem with them is that they're not the best for off the bike, so now I use a Galibier Courchevel jacket - a bit bulky and heavy but it suits me, sir. And I understand that the AquaVent material is a lot safer for the environment than Goretex/DWR.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Personally, I don't see the point. imho, Goretex is overrated - waterproof and breathable but rarely both at the same time - especially when working up a sweat on a bike. I notice that Rapha shout the virtues of the zip for "the ability to easily increase airflow for cooling"

Even if you're into Goretex cycling jackets (for argument's sake, I'll treat this Rapha as a cycling jacket), there are many decent ones a few hundred pounds cheaper.

For me, generous pit-zips with a good press-studded/velcro storm flap for covering an unzipped front zip are essential for a cycling rain jacket - get a good airflow through the jacket. If things get too sweaty, slowing down can help too.

I used to swear by proper capes that go over the handlebars but a big problem with them is that they're not the best for off the bike, so now I use a Galibier Courchevel jacket - a bit bulky and heavy but it suits me, sir. And I understand that the AquaVent material is a lot safer for the environment than Goretex/DWR.

Agreed. Goretex is a massively over-rated and over-hyped product.

I use it in several jackets but am cognisant of it's limitations.

 

[matticus]

Agreed. Goretex is a massively over-rated and over-hyped product.

I use it in several jackets but am cognisant of it's limitations.

The thing is, it still seems to be the best material for that purpose (i.e. waterproof with good breathability). Shakedry even more so - RIP!

RE: limitations. My experience over the years of listening to people (hill-walkers AND cyclists) critiquing goretex is that they fail to realise they will be warmer - and thus sweat MORE - if they simply add a goretex garment over their other clothing!
(This is why until it's a really cold day - or really hooning down with rain - I tend to use a water-resistant system that keeps me warm enough, and dry enough. A perfect balance that is often elusive, admittedly ... )