Bikes @ Rapha Continental Opening, @RaphaNYC, 08.05.10
05.08.10
Can’t wait for tomorrow’s screening of A Throw of the Dice, a film about Johann Museeuw and the “Hell of the North” by Nick Livesy from Ridley Scott Associates for Rapha. Over the next three Fridays (beginning Friday 13 August) Rapha will be showing three ONE-TIME ONLY web screenings of three full-length cycling films produced by Ridley Scott Associates.
From their website:
Rapha and RSA Films present three short films inspired by the people, places and stories of road racing. Johan Museeuw, Sean Kelly and Dario Pegoretti are celebrated in three cinematic portraits exploring the passion, history and drama of the sport.
Based on a trio of story-labels originally found inside the Rapha Club Jerseys, each film brings a new translation: The intense dreamscape of Nick Livesey’s ode to Johan Museeuw, Adrian Moat’s tale of discovery inspired by Sean Kelly and Ben Ingham’s intimate view of Dario Pegoretti in his workshop, all powerful representations of three distinct icons of road racing.
14.08.10
So this arrived yesterday…Rapha Performance Skincare product. Woot! The soap smells incredible (da Mrs. said it smelled “masculine” which works) & I can’t wait to try everything out. Da packaging is dope to boot and I dream of climbing Ventoux some day so I was an easy mark.
OK - I know the douchebaggery quotient is borderline high with Rapha’s “slightly” overpriced products.
But I have to say Rapha won me over this Summer with their NYC pop-up Cycle Club/Shop in the East Village. Kudos to them & Mike Spriggs @GageDesoto welcometothebroadcast.com for a cool, geeky cycling vibe.
Plus Rapha’s ongoing cycling themed branded content (videos, journals, and photos) has always slayed me. I know. I know. I know. It’s pretentious…but the Dolomites!! Back-country gravel road rides!! The moustaches!! The sheer epic-ness!!
So with free shipping offer I was willing to part w/$45 to try it. Mad Alchemy Embrocation & DZNutz taint cream (both of which I LOVE and are my “go to” products de jour) are both around $20 a pop so the Rapha product is not out of line with other cycling skincare products.
BTW…click here for a proper, more literate review of the product by the always smart @Cycleboredom.
Now I just need to find an “Epic” enough Winter ride worthy of testing it out. Regular base mile laps in Prospect Park doesn’t cut it…snowy Brooklyn-9W-Brooklyn beckons!! Maybe a punishing upper 20s F Bear Mountain century post snow storm ride is worthy…Who’s in? Ha!
11.01.11
Rapha Festive 500 Badge Arrives! THX Rapha!
So this arrived today in the mail:
As with all things Rapha, the packaging (an envelope) was stylish and the badge/patch is cool. Love the Tourmalet sticker in the lower right hand corner.
Thanks Rapha!
28.01.11
via benjaminjtaylor:
Getting Ready from RAPHA on Vimeo. 2011 Spring/Summer.
This vid via cranktastic along with tonight’s @GageDesoto ”Motion Pictures” Fest (which featured the epic cold/rain/mud Stage 7 of last year’s Giro) has got me in the mood for more winter riding. The weather’s gonna be shite tomorrow - cold, snow/rain “Winter Mix.” Eff the weather. Who’s in for riding laps in Prospect Park tomorrow afternoon? Remember: “It’s Hard.”
(via cranktastic)
05.02.11
Reviewed: Rapha Winter Embrocation & Chamois Cream
Although Winter is supposedly coming to a close (yeah right!), I thought I’d do the Coke-Pepsi challenge testing of Rapha’s new Winter Embrocation and Chamois Cream versus my usual “go to” products: Mad Alchemy Embrocation and DZNuts “taint” cream.
While pro-cyclists like Michael Barry say embrocation really doesn’t help (he grew up in Toronto, Canada and is a top pro so I guess he knows a thing or two), I decided to start trying out embro last Fall even though I don’t race…yet (I’m too fat). I have to say I like embro but it just might be the whole process and “glam rock” aspect of lubing up the legs that I like…Anyway, this arrived in Jan.:
Oh yeah! Hello! Beautiful! As with all things Rapha, the product packaging are top shelf. Just beautiful. I was all over the whole Mont Ventoux motif as it’s on my someday climb list…as if. I loved the little boxes so much I still keep the product in the original boxes! #Loser.
So here’s how I tested Rapha versus Mad Alchemy (Mellow and Medium Russian Tea) and DZNuts: Most weekends in Jan. and Feb. I’ve been riding Saturday and Sunday usually with a long ride on one day and a shorter one on the other. Occasionally, I mixed in a Friday ride for kicks when I could. Temperatures have varied from around 20 degrees F to upper 30s. One day I’d use the Rapha products and the next I’d use the Mad Alchemy and DZNuts combo. On weekday rides, I used chamois cream only due to time constraints.
Here’s my thoughts on Rapha’s Winter Embrocation: I likey but… It smells nice and da Mrs. and Los Bebes kinda tollerate it versus running away from me when I apply Mad Alchemy (which I don’t get at all but we do live in a small NYC apartment). Here’s the thing - Rapha’s Embro felt pretty mild to me in the dead of a bad Northeast US Winter. In fact, when compared to Mad Alchemy Mellow or Medium over time, it wasn’t even as strong heat wise as MA’s Mellow. I’m thinking Rapha’s Embro might be ideal for wet 40s-ish days (when I will use it) but it’s definitely not for the dead of Winter. Winner: Mad Alchemy for Winter time. Rapha is for wet or mild March/April Northeast riding.
On to Rapha’s Chamois Cream: This stuff is dope…literally. It’s just LUVLY. The smell is flowery, yet masculine (da Brits can pull this one off).
Ok. Whatever. It’s da shit. The texture was light and not as creamy as DZNuts. Like the always excellent Cyclebordom’s (@cyclebordom) review, initially I was worried that the cream would not last a long ride as it felt very light on my nether regions. The good news is that it’s substantial and lasts and lasts. And it still smells relatively pleasant after a long Winter slog regardless of temperature. Major thumbs up. Does it beat DZNuts? Ummm…no. DZNuts still makes me want to sing like Dave when I put it on. But Rapha’s different…and a nice kind of different.
So here’s my overall reco - definitely get Rapha’s Chamois Cream and try out Winter Embrocation for Spring, not Winter riding. Mix it up and see what works for you.
Price-wise, each product is more expensive than comparable products. But if you buy Rapha’s Chamois Cream, Embrocation, and Soap bundled together on Rapha’s site, the price is reasonable ($45) and you get the super dope soap that’s outta this world. Yeah, it’s that good.
25.02.11
