Sky changing from Adidas to Rapha?

[Papparrazzi]

Heard from a very good contact that Sky are in talks with Rapha to replace Adidas as their kit provider in the near future. Makes sense from a "Cool Britannia" perspective - I'm thinking it might not go down well with the current Rapha customers who have bought into the exclusive VIP image. Should be an interesting marketing challenge.

Ha! Click on the Sky advert top-right of this page. I can't see Rapha doing a Pro Tour team kit (RCS is just 6 riders).
In fact I aked a Rapha guy in 2006 "If you're kit is so good, how come there are no Pro Teams in it". His reply was that it's too expensive to kit-out a 20 man team with Rapha clothing.

 

[euanli]

naaa, they'll keep PINA for the Olympic year

rolleyes obviously didnt make my point obvious enough

 

[Anonymous]

i wont be at all surprised if sky arent on pinarellos next year, as for GB. they wont be riding pinarellos at the olympics. They may say pinarello on them, or just about any other brand, but they wont be what they say on the tin.

Sky/GB already have a lot of their own components on the road (look at Wiggins wheels for instance).

As for kit, it will probably be exactly the same kit, just may have a different name on it. hopefully a name that allow sky to sell the kit a lot cheaper than they do now.

 

[roadbiker]

I don't see, that the Sky replica kit is so expensive. Is it really much more pricy than others?
The only thing I'd complain (if I would like to buy/wear their kit) is, that there are only a few items for sale (compared to other teams and the 2010 season for example).

 

[luckyboy]

As for kit, it will probably be exactly the same kit, just may have a different name on it. hopefully a name that allow sky to sell the kit a lot cheaper than they do now.

Primark?

The jersey doesn't seem that differently priced from most team kits.

 

[Anonymous]

Primark?

The jersey doesn't seem that differently priced from most team kits.

it is more expensive, the problem is, adidas set the prices and wont let retailers deviate from what is agreed with them. the old price fixing argument comes into question.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

it is more expensive, the problem is, adidas set the prices and wont let retailers deviate from what is agreed with them. the old price fixing argument comes into question.

I find this hard to believe - It is 100% illegal for any of a supermarket's suppliers to dictate a price - even packs with prices listed on them have to be done 100% at the supermarket's request lest they break that law.

It seems unlikely that practice doesn't apply to clothing sales.

 

[Anonymous]

I find this hard to believe - It is 100% illegal for any of a supermarket's suppliers to dictate a price - even packs with prices listed on them have to be done 100% at the supermarket's request lest they break that law.

It seems unlikely that practice doesn't apply to clothing sales.

best believe it then. Last year Adidas supplied the kit to about 20 re-sellers, and there was a set retail price which the retailers where allowed to discount 10% off at most. Some did this as a "webprice" some as an incentivised purchase.

we dealt with one retailer in 2010 who publicly offered x % and was able to do us y % discount but it was a private code offered only by us via email and as a result we had the cheapest UK prices for Sky kit for the whole of 2010. That supplier no longer stocks adidas team Sky products, in fact the authorised distributor list for this year in the uk has dropped to about 8 retailers.

At the start of this year we recontacted all the retailers to try and establish a deal for this season (basically a free ad on the site offering an additional discount using the link - with us recieving no comission.) all the responding retailers said that anything had to be approved by adidas so we approached them and were informed that they could not grant any additional discounts through any authorised retailers.

Adidas kit is price set. Which is why this season we have no advertising on the site for the team kit.

I thought carefully before posting this as Its a fairly serious allegation but in the end, I know, that its accurate. Its not price fixing in that they only allow authorised retailers to sell the kit and encourage them to sell it at price x. They can sell it cheaper, but of course then they wont get supplied.

And yes, the law also applies to clothing sales. There have already been big court cases involving JJB and other retailers in regards football kits.

 

[euanli]

i wont be at all surprised if sky arent on pinarellos next year, as for GB. they wont be riding pinarellos at the olympics. They may say pinarello on them, or just about any other brand, but they wont be what they say on the tin.

I don't know if you remember me saying but I said a while ago that I could imagine Sky taking on Spesh if Cavendish ends up with them

 

[pastronef]

i wont be at all surprised if sky arent on pinarellos next year, as for GB. they wont be riding pinarellos at the olympics. They may say pinarello on them, or just about any other brand, but they wont be what they say on the tin.

ok ok, no pinarello for the track squad
BUT
for SKY they would have to use them, there is the contract for 2012 too. People can see if you are riding a dogma or not.
or better: people who buy a dogma can see if they are riding dogmas or not!

 

[Anonymous]

ok ok, no pinarello for the track squad
BUT
for SKY they would have to use them, there is the contract for 2012 too. People can see if you are riding a dogma or not.
or better: people who buy a dogma can see if they are riding dogmas or not!

well yes, they have to ride on something that is "publicly available"

as far as I know all the original minor sponsors were on two year deals. Certainly jaguar have renewed, think CNP are continuing. the questions are on pinarello and adidas. I have no idea if Pin was renewed or originally 3 year. I thought it was 2 years. guess we will find out at some point.

 

[bobbins]

I think adi and pinarello are staying, have heard Jag are out though.

No way would James Murdoch have his team riding Specialized.

 

[kanari]

Certainly jaguar have renewed, think CNP are continuing. the questions are on pinarello and adidas.

I think adi and pinarello are staying, have heard Jag are out though.

Ok, glad that's sorted out then

 

[luckyboy]

it is more expensive, the problem is, adidas set the prices and wont let retailers deviate from what is agreed with them. the old price fixing argument comes into question.

Are they? I've seen them at £45-£50 online earlier in the year and most other team jerseys seem to be around that mark.

 

[Winterfold]

I am pretty sure there is a clause in the contract that only allows the kit to be sold to pasty fat boys with hairy legs - just to avoid any confusiion with the team or just anyone who might be able to ride at more then 30 kph for 5 minutes

this clause will remain should rapha take over the replica kit deal

 

[MartinGT]

Really dont like the Pinarello bikes, too much fancy dan stuff going on.

 

[Anonymous]

I think adi and pinarello are staying, have heard Jag are out though.

No way would James Murdoch have his team riding Specialized.

i thought they renewed in about june, could be wrong. will try dig out the press release.

As for the kit.

Wiggle and Evans, the two favoured authorised retailers, 55 pounds web price for the short sleeve, primera sports 63 quid. Most of the other authorised retailers have now stopped even selling the kit.

theres a lot of non-uk stock being sold by unnoficial retailers, but trust me, after indirectly selling the stuff last year and having a lot of discussions before not doing it this year, the prices are set by adidas. The sky kit is a pretty sore topic with a lot of fans. Which is why the casual range was launched. That said, the kit is of excellent quality.

 

[daveinzambia]

Saw a replica jersey in bike shop in centre of sydney for $179 Aussie the other day.

now i like sky, but i do not want to marry them.

cough * dodgy chinese knock offs * cough

 

[LugHugger]

I am pretty sure there is a clause in the contract that only allows the kit to be sold to pasty fat boys with hairy legs - just to avoid any confusiion with the team or just anyone who might be able to ride at more then 30 kph for 5 minutes

this clause will remain should rapha take over the replica kit deal

so true

 

[B_Ugli]

I dunno about anyone else but I just dont get Rapha.

I dont get where they came from, how they have got to where they are and what their appeal is.

They flog expensive kit write books in black and white about the history of cycling which are deemed "retro" or "classic".

I also dont get how a relatively new company afford to sponsor a cycle team.

Are they a concept, a company or both?

 

[bobbins]

http://internationale.teamjva.com/

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

I dunno about anyone else but I just dont get Rapha.

I dont get where they came from, how they have got to where they are and what their appeal is.

They flog expensive kit write books in black and white about the history of cycling which are deemed "retro" or "classic".

I also dont get how a relatively new company afford to sponsor a cycle team.

Are they a concept, a company or both?

You need to visit the Rapha hater thread in the bikes & gear forum. It explains all.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=14773

 

[LugHugger]

http://internationale.teamjva.com/

"Out in nature. Finding ourselves attractive."

 

[daveinzambia]

I am pretty sure there is a clause in the contract that only allows the kit to be sold to pasty fat boys with hairy legs - just to avoid any confusiion with the team or just anyone who might be able to ride at more then 30 kph for 5 minutes

this clause will remain should rapha take over the replica kit deal

I have a non official sky jersey and can confirm i am fat, pasty and have hairy legs.

that is the purpose of team jerseys. if we were half decent riders who belonged to clubs we would have alternative jerseys. (i have had my share of awful club jerseys in the past). Now we are fat, pasty and hairy we can only replica jerseys as they are forced to sell them to us. even then they try to avoid it by charging ridiculous prices. If we ride long enough to become thin, tanned and smooth as a babies bottom then we are once more accepted into the 'local' jersey club

But be thankful, because if I did not have my replica jersey i would have to ride in a vest. and no one wants to see that. no one.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

I haven't heard where BC or Sky aren't riding Pinarello's next year. I thought the idea was to ride the same bike right up to and including the Olympics so the riders could get used to it.

If not then I could see Boardman or Dolan bikes next year (if they have the capacity and funding to supply a PT team. Boardman seems a perfect fit. They've tested the water with United Healthcare and would be a great match with the Olympics coming up.

Remember where you heard it first.

With regards to kit, I think Team Sky have been surprised at the demand for not only replica kit but for team branded casual clothing. Adidas missed the boat big time. Rapha are more likely to see the opportunity if they have the money to do it.

However, I always see Rapha as a bit of underground 'cool' brand who would rather stay as they are and not align themselves to a big team like Sky. They are a bit up themselves. In fact, looking at the corporate branding, they'd make a great fit with Leapard Trek and the true racing, scarf wearing, black and white photo crap!