Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

No club discounts, no sample sales and a hike in prices. Is this a marketing ploy to keep it expensive and out of the hands of the chattering classes or do they really need the money?

TBH I always felt the sample sales were a little bit below the brand :|

They'd be much better setting up some of fake ebay accounts and shifting it that way.

Or maybe it was all just an elaborate marketing ploy to make people who could afford the product, but thought it was over priced, realise how amazing it is and pay full RRP.