I hear the author, but don't agree with the "sucking the life out of" bit. I think the authors perspective is very limited, as from my vantage point in the USA where the vast open spaces and roads have cultured MTB, gravel biking, and adventure biking, I'm just not seeing any types of cycling getting squeezed out in favor of Rapha or whomever they want to blame. Except maybe track cycling, but that's due to urban neglect, not Rapha.

Maybe some aspects of cycling culture suck in the UK, but what a tiny place to a) be surprised, and b) extrapolate out to a generalized, golbal condition.

In short, it's not as bad as the author thinks. Or even bad at all...unless you just can't stand spandex clad A-types. There are more of them than ever.