Comments on: Time for the Rapha Overshoes – Warm and Stylish

By: willy in pacifica

willy in pacifica — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:39:30 +0000

Hey Michael,

A couple buddies and I rode a 200k yesterday for my 48th month in a row of at least a 200k.

I got my new Rapha rain jacket so thought I would give it a try since it really did not seem much thicker than the Stowaway. Plus, it is supposed to have a bit more breathabilty along the sides. It was a bit chilly in SF at the start but started to warm up by Petaluma but not quite warm enough to take the jacket off. By the time we hit Valley Ford I was still wearing it. Just one of those days where it was a bit warm with it on but it would be too chilly without it. But I do not think it would be any different with the Stowaway.

By the time we hit Marshall it started to rain but it looked like it might not last to long. I jokingly told my buddies I was glad I brought the rain jacket as we all got hit with a couple raindrops. Well, by the time we hit Pt Reyes it was coming down pretty good and now I was really glad I had it. Not only to keep me dry but I would get a chance to see how it worked out. My buddies had windbreakers on and were getting cold. I think the jacket worked well as I could see the water beading up on the outside. I was already slightly damp inside I think from 90 miles of being warm so I cannot say for sure it kept water out but it looked to do the trick and I was not cold from the waist up. It rained the 50 miles back to SF and when I got back to the van my base layer was completely dry. That rear pocket came in handy for a place to put my long fingered gloves when I was off the bike.

So I think it got a good test and I do not think the Stowaway would have worked as well. I am sure I have been soaked with the Stowaway on and it is a bit annoying as it clings to my body whereas the rain jacket did not.

Now Gabi and I will have to tear the Speedvagen apart as it got wasted out there.

willy

By: crronik

crronik — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:33:24 +0000

I have the Rapha overshoes and have used them recently in Mid 40’s while on a central PA 65-miler and a New Paltz, NY 75-miler. They worked so well in both situations, although it was not raining either day….
They do look fantastic.

By: Mark Rushton

Mark Rushton — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:12:46 +0000

Unfortunately it’s Eastern Europe. I say unfortunately for the reason that the kit is made there for reasons of economy not to create jobs for the locals. You never see the cost of the kit come down and indeed everyone seems to be heading towards the Assos/Rapha pricepoint, £600 for a Campag.jkt did I see recently?
Best vfm seems to be Prendas in the UK and PRO or BBB are turning out some items at a fair price

By: Stefan

Stefan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:05:50 +0000

for sure, Rapha makes cool cycling cloth. but “Made in China” a no go for me. for that there is TOO much hype around Rapha, for me.

There are more companies around who make good and cool stuff, made in Europe.

By: nigel

nigel — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:17:27 +0000

Guys a few things. Firstly I’ll declare I am a big Rapha fan. Secondly I really can’t see the point in overshoes, for me they NEVER work and they wear out quickly. they always let water in, whether thats my shoes or not I don’t know (water spray from the road getting in underneath?). I recently bought a pair of Sidi goretex boots and they are great, completely watertight so long as you get a seal from water resistant bib tights over the top. Do yourselves a favour and instead of constantly buying overshoes (as they wear out) get some goretex boots. Thirdly the rainjacket is excellent. Properly waterproof and fairly breathable.

By: kurt

kurt — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:37:24 +0000

I am glad to hear BR is back in the saddle and interesting insight on the lost wheel

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:18:33 +0000

JP,

That’s what did my pair of Pearl Izumi’s in eventually. The upper was fine but the soles were shot. The Rapha Overshoes are definitely intended to fit a road cleat. I have pulled them over my mountain shoes and there’s no question I’d be walking on the fabric a lot more (wearing them out much sooner).

By: BR

BR — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:30:33 +0000

Hey kurt – How’ya? It was a great Summer/Fall as I am getting the form back after a hiatus. It’s been hinted at a bit here and there on VeloDramatic but I had open heart surgery last December to repair an Aortic Aneurysm. It was not a shock to me and I knew about the possibility for 8 years before it had to be dealt with. The docs ordered me to stay out of the papers for a year and I certainly listened to them. It was a genetic problem isolated to one area and they solved the problem. I have been a spectator here mostly because the boss was busy chasing the Specialized goons to Vegas while hanging out of a van on twisty roads dodging the law, rubbing elbows with the industry leaders in Vegas, and then he was pretty much buried in his editing cave. Now that he is again living above ground we will certainly get some miles in and the stories will get salted in. We did ride up Hamilton http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/ a few weeks back and I do have some dirt on the boss. He posted the day after that he was tired and “lost the wheel”. What he didn’t mention was that he and his lovely wife were up til 3AM the night before eating brownies and plowing through 9 episodes of http://abc.go.com/shows/greys-anatomy Grey’s Anatomy? WTF? ? When I called 5 hours after he went to sleep to see if he was up for the ride he confessed the sins of the night before and still insisted on riding! It was my perfect chance to exact revenge…it was my chance to really have a level playing field on Hamilton for once. From this point on I will be bringing a plate of brownies over the night before we ride.

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:52:08 +0000

Dan,

I’ve got the Look pedals on the Cervelo, but haven’t ridden it much yet. There haven’t been too many weekend rides since I made the switch and weekdays my commute has a ton of traffic lights. It actually would make a good test with all the clipping and unclipping. I’ll get on it.

I found the same with my LWSH, 20 minutes of steady rain and it soaked through, but it’s not designed to keep the heavy stuff out. It seems to do fine on damp, misty mornings.

Just rode in to work on the Cervelo. Need a lot more practice clipping in with the Look pedals. I was 8/18 finding the pedal first time. With my A-520s I’m 19/20. There’s definitely a difference in the feel of the Looks with the composite cleat to composite pedal contact being a little less easy to “feel” Too early to draw any other conclusions.

By: JP

JP — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:45:05 +0000

I have been riding with these overshoes for a month or so now in the New England autumn. Not fully waterproof, but what is? Biggest complaint is that the bottom of the overshoes have started wearing away already and i have holes in front of the cleat opening (I walk about 20 metres from my bike rack to office every day). It would be an easy area to put some extra reinforcement.