Rapha Mens Grand Tour Gloves

Put me down for 2 pairs please...

£100? They should score six stars at that price.

Probably a complete waste of money, very much like the £70 winter gloves I bought, only to find them badly designed and overpriced rubbish.

I think it's inevitable that there are posers, but they're usually to be overtaken or only spotted in the cafe anyway.

I do still think it's an expensive pastime - even a £300 bike and £200 for all your kit (just helmet and shoes is at least £80) is way more than the £200 that had me fully kitted out for my previous hobby.

Oh, and the lights and LED reflective strips in Aldi are worth a look.

In conclusion - what i am essentially saying is that i am jealous of those that a) can afford it and b) are skinny enough for it to look good on them.

Rapha sucks...

I think Steph-ent's tone reflected the fact that your question could perhaps be perceived as implying something disparaging, not about the product, but about those that buy it, which to be fair, wasn't really called for.

I wonder what you spend your money on that other people could pick fault in - nice car, big music collection, expensive wine? I find it ridiculous that when we all participate in what is a pretty damn expensive hobby, people sneer at others over the cost of stuff.

We keep having the same discussion about 'the brand' because it is clearly fascinating to some of us.
And as long as 'the brand' keep on churning out Emperors New Clothes then im sure we will all gaze in wonder at their latest creations and comment on them.
Anyway - must dash - ALDI have just got some bike clobber in i quite like the look of (and which sadly arent made of panda fur and dodo eggs and hand stitched by eunuchs)

Oh, I thought the reply answered the original question. The next one just wondered why you asked it.

A bit of discussion about a product is always good - both from those who like it and those who don't. I just wonder why we need to have the same discussion about the brand (not the product reviewed) over and over again. But I guess I should have just ignored it rather than participating in that discussion again...

I have a great interest in Rapha. I am equally fascinated in the sort of people who buy it.
Hence the question.
And the tone of the replies kinda answers some of my questions.

I love Rapha and hope one day to buy one of their products. Their brand aesthetic reminds me of that scene in American Psycho where Patrick Bateman et al are trading apparently identical, yet subtly different (and hugely expensive) business cards. In all seriousness, I do love Rapha.

In fact, what with the price-tag, the tight leather, the inability to stay clean, these gloves are themselves very American Psycho.

Now, I have to return some videotapes...

Pretty confident that *isn't* Rapha that Lorshugga is wearing

Oh, don't forget this guy as well.

People who cycle around Scotland to the soundtrack of an unemployed man reading the shipping forecast.

Very.
Very.
Slowly.

And look really miserable.

More to the point - why?

Who buys Rapha stuff? Seriously.

I was bought a pair as a present. I like Rapha, but these were rubbish. If you're going to ask me, or my missus, to shell out £100 on a pair of gloves they better be the last pair of gloves I ever buy.

The styling is great but they have a strange palm structure, uncomfortable internal stitching (between thumb & forefinger) and seams that gave me sore hands on longer rides (esp. the one that runs along your life-line), and they get horribly slimy in hot weather too. Wash them and they go stiff as a board regardless of how close you follow the instructions. I went for a size down, as suggested, and gave them the benefit of the doubt initially to try and wear them in, but gave up after a few months of sore hands. The poor fit was also highlighted by the circular cut outs for the knuckles being way off even though the size was correct, the final one is round the side of my hand.

I bought some very similar looking Giro LX's to replace them and they're *way* better. Half the price too. I was shocked at how much more comfy they were. After a few months of using them I've bought another pair of LX's.

Got mine in a sale and, though still pricey, they're are superbly comfortable and also holding up quite well. Being leather, you can use anything that you'd use on leather shoes - including a whitener, which seems to work nicely. They've held up better than my Giro Lusso/LX ones, which borrow the styling (and are similar to the Gore Retrotech).

I ended up buying a black pair too (also in a sale) and, to be honest, I can't see myself needing any other summer gloves for a very long time. So long as you look after them (which is more hassle than an ordinary lycra glove) the cost per wear/cost per mile ends up in normal territory.

I picked up a pair of the proteam gloves at the Manchester Rapha sample sale - I thought they were a bit tight and an ar$e to take off, but figured I could sell for easily the price I paid if I didn't like them. However, once riding in them they are stupidly comfortable. My specialized mitts are now feeling rejected.

£100 is a bit steep though.

Gore Retrotech are the way forward. Look much the same as these but with a snot wiper and a lot cheaper. Bit thicker padding, mind. But, it's all about the tan, and Gore give you EVEN MORE holes for comedy bronzing. WIN.

^^ Kia driver?

I don’t buy into the whole Rapha Helvetica black and white lifestyle stuff but I’m bang up for buying quality kit.

For what it’s worth, I’ve used many gloves over the years and NOTHING compares to Rapha’s Pro Team Mitts. They use the same kind of padding as the GT and I’ve put in 1000’s of miles on my black pair. They’re still amazingly comfortable and I know that ‘if’ the stitching starts to go I can mail them back to Rapha and have them sewn up again for free – will Specialized and the rest do this? I bought a white pair for those ‘best days’ and even though they do pick up dirty they’re easy to wash and tbh they look even better now they’ve been worn in.

I’m definitely on the lookout for a pair of GT’s in black in the next sale for those ‘best of the best days’.

NB - you don’t need a snot wipe if you can do the farmer’s hanky!