Tried it once, but only had the jersey and cap. Bibs were Bontrager. It was... unsuccessful. :(

Did you have your ray-bans tucked into the back of your jersey neck? Was your helmet strapped to your stem for the big climb?

These are just the basic steps you need to take before attempting the flip. You should know better.

I have been eyeing the Raphas. At 5'11 and 175 lbs, which size am I- large? Chest 41, waist 34. I generally wear large (tights) in Assos and Specialized. So far, my favorites are the Assos. I just picked up a Specialized Therminal shorts and knickers.

I'm 6'2" and fat and wear a large in Rapha jerseys. I tend to like a snug fit, though. The are usually very helpful via email if you have sizing questions. My advice would be to try the mediums and exchange if it doesn't work.

Good input. I'll email them, though I prob need to convert everything to stones and cm first.

I should have known actually wearing the helmet was my first mistake.

We're almost the same size. If you want snug then Medium in Classic or Large in Core/Pro. Core is the bomb, especially for the price.

Cool. I prefer slightly snug so this helps.

I've been curious about Rapha but have been so satisfied with Assos that I can't bring myself to spend money on anything else.

Last couple times I ordered from Rapha, I ordered TWO sizes, and just returned the one that didn't fit. The shipments come with a pre-paid, return label. It's super easy.

I'm 6'0 and 165. I have the large in Classics and regret not getting medium. Next pair I will. I did get the medium in the Pro Team and they fit perfectly (that's recognizing the Pro is supposed to be snug)

Lucky.

Me too! :roflmao2:

Sorry for the late reply, long weekend away from the computer for me.

I own 3 of the seasonal Blacksheep kits (I believe these are the best ones they make) and 2 of the Rapha lightweight kits.

You could throw the Blacksheep kits into the lightweight category too, as I'd say they're even lighter than the Rapha kits.

Both kits have excellent chamois and it's a delight to wear either on a long ride. The Blacksheep bibs are flat all the way down the leg, but still have grippies at the end to keep them in place. I wash mine in the washer on delicate and have never had an issue, however, when I hang them to dry, the legs curl up a bit at the end, this goes away when you put them on tho. Also the straps are very thin elastic - it's a bit hard to describe as I've never seen another bib like it. They stay in place well and are super thin, but I worry at times that they'll snap when I'm stretching everything around me. The Rapha bibs are more heavy duty. The stitching seems to be higher quality and the legs ahve a bit of a cuff at the bottom. The grippies work great at keeping the legs in place and the straps are mesh, again, with high quality stitching.

Both jerseys are great. The Blacksheep jersey is probably closer to Rapha's more aero jerseys, as it has black mesh under the arms. It's super light, stretches well, and is long enough that it doesn't creep up when you're standing upright. The Rapha jersey again is stitched slightly nicer, has a flap behind the zipper (not that I've ever had chest hair get stuck in the zipper, but still a nice touch). Also a nice touch is the waterproof money pocket in the back which the Blacksheep jersey doesn't have - I don't use it, but still a nice touch. What I don't like about the Rapha jersey is that it's short. It's fine when you're riding, but I find myself pulling it down every time I stop at a light. I believe this is a feature, as you don't have the bottom of the jersey cutting into your waistline when riding, but I've never had an issue with that to begin with. One last downside to the Blacksheep jersey is if you load down the back pockets, the jersey starts to sag a bit...honestly, it looks like a wet diaper, so loading the pockets with things you normally put in a saddle bag, kind of makes you look like an oddball.

Still, both are great kits, and I'd recommend them to anyone. To be honest though, I tend to buy a lot of Heavy Pedal kits, they're not in the same league, but if you watch their sales, you can get a whole kit for $80 which is drastically cheaper than Blacksheep or Rapha. They're local to Phoenix, so I'm happy to support a local business that does tons for the bike community in the area...plus they're very "loud" kits, so they draw attention to you and I feel on the bike, while riding in traffic, that's a giant plus!

+1

I like Assos because their shorts feature great compression and I like that (I don't have any Assos jerseys, however, because I don't like their colors/styles and, for me, their sizing is a bit funky). Apropos: which Rapha kit features the best compression? I hate shorts/jerseys that fit too loosely or are bulky.

I have a pair of Rapha Classics that I have had for a couple of years now. Riding them a lot. They still look and feel like new. I like them very much, fabric is very soft and thin, not very much compression if thats what you are looking for. They are comfortable. A bit large in size. I am 6 1" and M is good. I also have the Core, were I use L. Core is not so soft and comfortable, but good as well, speciallly when a bit colder.