Job losses at Rapha

[GOATever]

z4RRSchris said:

the benefits are GONE.

so the membership is now pointless.

save your money chaps.

No they haven’t. Some have, not all.

[okgo]

The benefit of looking like a total shaft is still there, if you want to sit outside Grind en masse after doing some 21 minute laps on a Tuesday.

[lauda]

okgo said:

The benefit of looking like a total shaft is still there, if you want to sit outside Grind en masse after doing some 21 minute laps on a Tuesday.

I don’t quite understand what this means but I detecting a distinctly mocking tone

[Stupeo]

Hasn’t the free coffee, free postage now gone?

[GOATever]

Stupeo said:

Hasn’t the free coffee, free postage now gone?

Half price coffee now and it’s half price shipping on express delivery. You still get some personal injury insurance, and access to limited edition and RCC only kit.

Edited by GOATever on Wednesday 20th November 16:51

[GOATever]

lauda said:

I don’t quite understand what this means but I detecting a distinctly mocking tone

He means a lot of RCC adorned people like to sit outside the ‘Grind’ coffee shops, having ridden round Richmond Park, on a Tuesday.

[z4RRSchris]

Stupeo said:

Hasn’t the free coffee, free postage now gone?

exactly, that was the only benefit. free coffee... all gone.

all the other st is pointless,

[keith2.2]

z4RRSchris said:

exactly, that was the only benefit. free coffee... all gone.

all the other st is pointless,

YMMV.

The refund I got for physio after an accident with a taxi this year was more than double the cost of membership - so immediately worth it.

Half price coffee is still half price (And given you're paying half the amount for membership - that nets out..unless you're doing a few cups a week). The community is great (granted, this depends on the clubhouse - the HK team are fantastic), club events and race support, the cheap hire for top end canyons when travelling is great, as is early access to new / limited / discounted gear.

But yes, if someone is only in it for free coffee it's probably not for them anymore. Personally I'd rather pay for my coffee and Rapha continue as a business.

[okgo]

GOATever said:

He means a lot of RCC adorned people like to sit outside the ‘Grind’ coffee shops, having ridden round Richmond Park, on a Tuesday.

Slowly*

[lauda]

okgo said:

GOATever said:

He means a lot of RCC adorned people like to sit outside the ‘Grind’ coffee shops, having ridden round Richmond Park, on a Tuesday.

Slowly*

Ah, gotcha. Just had a look at the Grind website. Looks quite nice, if a little pretentious. A bit like Rapha then!

As for the slow riding, it's all relative I suppose. We can't all be 5w/kg beasts on our weekend rides but it's still nice to share our hobby with other like-minded people.

[z4RRSchris]

okgo said:

GOATever said:

He means a lot of RCC adorned people like to sit outside the ‘Grind’ coffee shops, having ridden round Richmond Park, on a Tuesday.

Slowly*

you need to go get your KOM back, put lawrence back in his place.

[BMWBen]

lauda said:

okgo said:

GOATever said:

He means a lot of RCC adorned people like to sit outside the ‘Grind’ coffee shops, having ridden round Richmond Park, on a Tuesday.

Slowly*

Ah, gotcha. Just had a look at the Grind website. Looks quite nice, if a little pretentious. A bit like Rapha then!

As for the slow riding, it's all relative I suppose. We can't all be 5w/kg beasts on our weekend rides but it's still nice to share our hobby with other like-minded people.

It more about the effort level for me. I've got the greatest respect for even the chubbiest of roadies going deep into the pain cave no matter what speed they're going at. Less so for people poncing about on expensive bikes being "part of the culture" having never actually pushed a pedal hard in their lives

[GOATever]

z4RRSchris said:

exactly, that was the only benefit. free coffee... all gone.

all the other st is pointless,

It’s not gone, just halved. The cost of membership is less as well. You still get access to RCC only tours, the forum the insurance, and RCC only kit, and early access to stuff in the sales.

[GOATever]

okgo said:

Slowly*

It’s a bit of a double edged sword though. Go ‘slowly’ round RP, and people think you’re a fanny, smash it, and risk plod bking you, for exceeding the crappy speed limits.

[okgo]

GOATever said:

It’s a bit of a double edged sword though. Go ‘slowly’ round RP, and people think you’re a fanny, smash it, and risk plod bking you, for exceeding the crappy speed limits.

I am generally joking. I guess it just feels a bit weird and corporate, the whole thing. Actual cycle clubs have existed long before any of us were born, and are still out there, where you'll actually learn more about cycling, have access to all sorts of events and experiences. The rapha thing just felt like a load of people who just came to cycling and wanted a club that was in their mind more exclusive (it isn't).

Re the park, I've never been stopped in there, and have done a fair few fast laps as part of groups, and a few on my own.

[R1gtr]

Just ordered a couple of Jerseys in the half price sale, mainly because I really like the colour. Even at half price they are still expensive though.
Just had my dispatch email and have noticed they are using Hermes to deliver, how they can claim to be a premium brand whilst using the Hermes clowns.

[okgo]

R1gtr said:

Just ordered a couple of Jerseys in the half price sale, mainly because I really like the colour. Even at half price they are still expensive though.
Just had my dispatch email and have noticed they are using Hermes to deliver, how they can claim to be a premium brand whilst using the Hermes clowns.

Agreed.

I ordered two headband things as they looked alright, and were in normal colours, though they were idiotically expensive.

They basically got lost in the post, I complained and eventually they sorted it. First time out they were using Hermes, the second time it was DPD...

[louiebaby]

okgo said:

R1gtr said:

Just ordered a couple of Jerseys in the half price sale, mainly because I really like the colour. Even at half price they are still expensive though.
Just had my dispatch email and have noticed they are using Hermes to deliver, how they can claim to be a premium brand whilst using the Hermes clowns.

Agreed.

I ordered two headband things as they looked alright, and were in normal colours, though they were idiotically expensive.

They basically got lost in the post, I complained and eventually they sorted it. First time out they were using Hermes, the second time it was DPD...

I noted the Hermes delivery on my Christmas gift card purchases. Not really the premium service you'd expect, but mine arrived on time safely.

[Matt_N]

Kilver Court and Bicester outlet stores to close this year:

https://road.cc/content/news/270197-rapha-close-tw...

[keith2.2]

Matt_N said:

Kilver Court and Bicester outlet stores to close this year:

https://road.cc/content/news/270197-rapha-close-tw...

I can't roll my eyes hard enough at all the "ha ha ha it's because they're too expensive and nobogy goes, they're in trouble" responses.

1 - It has been part of the business plan for the last 18 months to sell off old (archive) stock, reduce the stock holding, reduce the order quantites and reduce the reliance on discounting. So of course these stores were going to be limited timeframe.

2 - IMAGINE being so gammon faced about a companies branding and market position that you're actually glad when stores close and people lose their jobs. It's pathetic.

Edited by keith2.2 on Friday 17th January 02:01