City Cycle Club.
(Photos: Rapha)
Rapha, the premium ‘performance roadwear’ brand from the U.K. whose North American headquarters have been in Portland since 2008, has set up a temporary retail space in New York City they describe as a combination of gallery, shop, and café. Serving as a ‘pop-up store’ — a trend popular among fashion retailers — Rapha’s ‘Cycle Club’ will be open for only three months.
The Bowery location (325 Bowery) officially opened on Saturday. Rapha communications staffer Jeremy Dunn says in addition to selling their entire line of cycling apparel, the ‘Cycle Club’ will also serve as a destination for bike lovers and an event space. “We are hoping that the space can evolve the idea of a shop into more of a club atmosphere,” says Dunn.
Coverage of the Tour de France has been showing in the space alongside Rapha’s collection of cycling ephemera. Visitors are encouraged to browse around, enjoy an espresso (made with Portland’s Stumptown coffee of course), or flip through one of the many bike magazines on the shelves. The centerpiece of the space is a Citroen H-Van which was shipped to the site just for the occasion.
“We were excited to create a place where cyclists could get to know Rapha and build more awareness for the brand. And, you know what they say, ‘If you can make it there…'”
— Slate Olson, Rapha North America general manager
Slate Olson, general manager of Rapha North America, heads back to Portland this week after helping set up the New York City location. He says the Cycle Club has been packed, mostly due to a dearth of nearby Tour de France viewing locations. “Our table [in the cafe area] seats 40 – and today it was full again. We have had a great turnout of people excited to have a place to watch the Tour live, with other people who also care. It’s rare to find a bar who will carry it, let alone flip to it.”
Beyond hanging out and reading magazines, the Cycle Club is a calculated business move for Rapha. Olson says New York City is an important market. “It has an extremely active road racing scene and nearly everyday they are laying down bike lanes, encouraging more and more people to ride their bicycle as their primary way of getting about town.” Olson also noted New York’s “energy for cycling” and said, “we were excited to create a place where cyclists could get to know Rapha and build more awareness for the brand. And, you know what they say, ‘If you can make it there…'”
Despite the holiday weekend, Olson says, “we still had a steady business and initial sales are promising.”
— See more photos from opening night by John Watson on his Prolly is Not Probably blog.
Sweet. This is just one more thing I’ll have to check out this summer as I cycle across the United States.
I seriously doubt that van was flown to the site…
did i saw flown? meant “shipped” — Jonathan
YES, you TOTALLY said “flown!” Hilarious. I suppose the damn thing has wings, too, huh?
So do we have a retail Rapha space here in Portland, or just the headquarter offices?
who needs cycling apparel? Cycle NUDE!
$100 gloves? $400 jackets? Yeah right…
who wears that stuff?
Yeah, makes Assos look decently priced.
Saw some of their jerseys at River City the other day. First thought was “Wow — nice!.” Then I checked the price. My second thought was “Holy #$%^.” I’d be afraid to sweat in this stuff.
I’ll raise my hand to say that I wear this “stuff”. My wife bought me a jersey that came with free arm warmers a couple of years ago. It is a very well made product, keeps me cool in the summer (rode the Portland Century last year in it) and warm in the winter. I have no problems sweating in it since it is wool and can go several wearings before it needs to go in the washer. Been run through the washer many a time and is still in tip-top shape.
Don’t hate just because it might be expensive. I’d prefer to pay a bit more for something that is going to last a lot longer then cheaping out on something that I have to replace every year.
meh-pic
Haha, it’s just the Bowery, not “Bowery Street”. Kinda like Broadway in most cities (incl Portland) or the Embarcadero in SF.
It could have been flown. I’ve been looking for my flying car for over ten years. Or am I the only one they promised a flying car, jet packs and ceramic framed bicycles weighing four pounds to.
Super smart marketing tactic on their part!
Price something 2x what similar items are and convince people they’re not cool without it.
Profit.
“$100 gloves? $400 jackets? Yeah right… ” 151
People spend $400 on blue jeans that for me, would be a worse fashion and functional choice than the $15 jeans Costco sells.
I suppose there’s a statement being made though, by people that have the disposable income and corresponding values to be spending $400 on a bike jacket that’s probably not very dissimilar to the $29.95 Champion jacket that can be had at Target(the subject of Rapha’s luxuriously priced gear has been the subject of earlier bikeportland stories).
Despite my Assos crack, I don’t think anyone should be made to feel bad for the ability to purchase these items. People have plenty of different income levels, and what would be a difficult purchase for one person is pocket change for another – that’s life.
For me though, it just seems like a point of diminishing returns would be quickly reached. Will $100 gloves really work better than $30 gloves? Probably not. For me personally, spending money on good bib shorts is worth it, while I skimp heavily on jerseys, gloves, and those sort of items.
they’re just selling experience and passion to posers.
they’re lack of modesty and shame is embarrassing to cycling.
Cycling is about doing the rad with what you’ve got.
they’re rides should point out how to pose like a pro. All it takes is hotels, team cars and leather “epic ride” journals…
wear your bellwether and team kits with pride. let rapha fade out of cycling and into sleazy club wear.
Good to know that I’m a poser for wearing Rapha’s stuff. Guess I’ll go hang my head in shame and cry into my sweet, sweet merino wool jersey. Nah, I’ll just go ride my bike and not really give two flips about what other people think of what I wear when I ride.