keep driving your F-150 and come here everyday to complain how hotter are becoming your bike rides while you are wondering why. You might understand in couple decades.

Guys. Really. Can we stick to the subject? Tesla, Amazon, commentary on consumerism - not the place.

Thank you. And now back to the subject -

I was only tangentially aware at the time, I didn't yet have much of an appreciation for mechanical watches, but my old boss was a watch nut and had some obscene pieces. His favorite, and always a conversation starter with other enthusiasts, was a Van Cleef & Arpels watch that tracked the planetary movement of the solar system. Super cool. Dumb expensive.

Oh yeah... that one is gorgeous as well. As a sci fi/space nut, I drool for those watches and would seriously consider aggravated assault or B&E if that would get me one...

My thoughts exactly in reading this thread!

Ah, but can those fancy high-dollar watches upload everything to the internet?

Oh crap, maybe I should get one.

About as well as a Forerunner or Fenix.

This is my watch. Does it count?

Go gold or go home.

You know who else liked digital watches?

^^^ He seems to be most associated that wonky-lookin' (to me) Hamilton Ventura. They just did a re-issue of that one recently, too.

it would seem rapha needs to sell watches as well.

Yeah, the Ventura is an amazing watch! So amazing that Hamilton has done multiple reissues of it since it debuted in 1957. It's so perfect for that era. I call that and some of the other wild designs from Hamilton, Elgin and others "Watches with Fins", because the exuberant strangeness reminds me of the cars of the time.

BUT that particular Lord Elgin Direct Read is widely known as the "Elvis" among vintage watch people. He's associated with it, even if it's not associated with him quite so much...

While they're at it, they may as well also sell electric cars, and develop an e-commerce platform/cloud computing/everything store.

In muted colors, with a random white line on it somewhere for no obvious reason.

Especially the last couple days.

Well, they are attempting to be a lifestyle brand. I can't get past the armband myself. WTF? Is that like Michael Jackson's glove? On the other hand, the armband is a great way to establish a marker/informal logo without having to plaster Rapha in big letters. No different than the Nike Swoosh. Pretty good idea from a marketing standpoint.

"Us vs them" - an epistemic vice (actually maybe even epistemic insouciance in this case). Why ask why...

I think I've figured it out! It's because people who wear Rapha stuff are obviously noobs who just bought their stuff and started riding. Heck, Rapha riders' bikes are never more than a year or two old, from what I can tell. Not like my trusty 25-year old steed and my 20-year old jersey. That gives me cred, and Rapha folks don't have it (yet).

All said more or less tongue-in-cheek, but that's what struck me riding home last night.

I was about to click "Post," but one more thing: Rapha stuff strikes me as largely for roadies, right? But it's generally drab, except for some "hi-vis pink." When I started wearing clothes for cycling and people would ask why, I'd mention the visibility part. There's a reason to wear jerseys with bright garish colors out on the road, to my mind. But that's just aesthetics, perhaps.

Bright taillight beats high-vis anything any day of the week.

Why does everyone think Ralpha is so expensive, this jersey only costs $40.

Good point.

So long as they're coming up behind you.

At the risk of taking the troll bate, I’ve played competitive golf, albeit way below a pro level. You’ve got 5 minutes to find a lost ball. Having a gallery and tv cameras will reduce the chances of not finding a lost ball. At best that advantage might be worth a stroke a round or so.

Thus, giving me a stroke a round from avoiding lost ball penalties, might move my handicap from 9 to 8; l’m still about 10 strokes a round from beating John Rahm.

I think the big issue, the one that really matters, is there just are not as many Strava ride challenges for Rapha as there are for LeCol.

I would have so much more Rapha gear if they had the same kind of challenges as LeCol, wherein you get a voucher for a purchase over a certain amount. I still haven't used one of those LeCol vouchers.

Stereotypes live on. Also everyone wants someone/something for a punching bag.