Rapha tries to corner the market on suffering just like UPS wants the color brown all to its lonesome. Rapha Continental is ostensibly “our account of the country’s most epic rides and routes,” although they should go further and write “…as ridden by athletic spokesmodels sporting a two-day stubble and pricey kit, astride exclusive team bikes.”
Taken as pure marketing artifice, it’s pretty cool. I like the aesthetic, and I love the Ira Ryan team bikes. But as a statement about cycling, it’s annoying.
Really annoying. As in having the vibe of a club you really don’t want to be part of.
I suspect if you met these guys on any of these rides you would think they’re just cyclists. Good guys (and btw, where are the women?). Just like the rest of us.
But on the Web site they lose something. They’re not like the rest of us. Rather, they’re the sponsored jerks who stand off to the side of the group before the ride, and can’t wait to get going and drop us.
But hey, maybe I’m not part of their target market.
Also, they seem to be upset by our newfangled inventions such as paved roads and first aid kits.