Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

Its only a scarf, at the end of the day. I am always surprised that people are so passionate about the problems in the world and get so worked up by them. I have a hard enough time just sorting myself out, let alone caring about a few worms.
There's enough people who care about me so I find that I don't have too. And if I don't have to worry about myself I have a lot more time to put into doing things about greater issues and this minimising the effect on others that I cause just by living a life that I never asked for.

FeaturesNatural fibre for excellent moisture wicking.

The fabric has been treated with Adamley’s bespoke ‘perspiration solution’ to make it sweat and shower resistant

marketing fail

But do you really believe that you, or I, or anyone, can really change the way things are? Of course, you can choose not to buy the scarf on moral grounds, and I can choose not to buy the scarf on account of it being ridiculously overpriced, and I don't need a silk scarf. However, there will be others that will buy it, regardless.

I believe the world is run by a select group of fuckers, who control literally everything. And although you may think you have a choice about whether or not to play by their rules. Ultimately you have no choice and nothing you do will change the way things are.

Except maybe a good riot like the poll tax riots. Now they were fucking great

There's enough people who care about me so I find that I don't have too. And if I don't have to worry about myself I have a lot more time to put into doing things about greater issues and this minimising the effect on others that I cause just by living a life that I never asked for.

It's time to start asking companies like Evans, Rapha, Condor, Cycle Surgery

I am not sure I would compare Condor to Rapha. Condor has always been a family business and when I was a courier Monty and his boys were nothing but helpful and always doing us lot little favors (maybe they have changed I can only speak about what they was like back in the day)

I might also say that I am studying a business degree at the moment and Rapha represents marketing to the boomer generation and whereas Roxy's views are representative of the generation X. The sad thing is that it is beginning to appear that generation Y the next generation or the 'now' generation may well turn out to be even more self centered than the baby boomers.

Except maybe a good riot like the poll tax riots. Now they were fucking great

Tottencourt Road in flames and Charlie Bleedin Chaplin running about try so get everyone to calm down I had SUCH a laugh that day

Nothing I am likely to do will ever change the opinions of the powers that be but that doesn't mean that I have to play by the rules of capitalism.

You seem to have mistaken my assertion as being implicit in my wanting to change the world. This is not the case. I meerly wish to make the most minimal physical impact during my life.

killing yourself is the best thing you can do for the planet and humanity.
i guess it comes down to how much you care for the planet?

Nothing I am likely to do will ever change the opinions of the powers that be but that doesn't mean that I have to play by the rules of capitalism.

You seem to have mistaken my assertion as being implicit in my wanting to change the world. This is not the case. I meerly wish to make the most minimal physical impact during my life.

admirable and probably quite a spiritual way to live

my only real compliant with capitalism is that it tends to replace spirituality with consumption and human beings in my experience are spiritual creatures

Disgusting that's what it is :(

But yes it will sell :(

Now everyone's gone mad I feel like buying one. Riling everyone on here almost makes the scarf value for money.

"best £50 i ever spent!"

Cunt.

Now everyone's gone mad I feel like buying one. Riling everyone on here almost makes the scarf value for money.

Can't rep you for that but it's quite funny.

The more people post about this fucking scarf (stupid as it may be) the more free publicity they get.

I don't dig their products but their mags are great, they sponsor multiple cycling events that atttract thousands of keen cyclists, they sponsor a dominant cycling team..

I think they are doing pretty fucking well actually. I will certainly watch the Smithfield Nocturne but I'm not going to pay £50 for a stupid scarf but that's my freedom of choice.

I am so totally with Object here. I can't f*cking stand people saying cast off comments like "if I don't buy it, someone else will" and "it's capitalism..." Saying throw-away damaging comments like this make you a cow just following the others not realising you are heading to the abattoir while telling others "oh you might as well just follow along, you can't beat it..."
It's so negative, and passive and pathetic.
And of course I'm trying to change people, hell yes!!!! I don't want others heading ignorantly to their death, especially people who I think are wise enough to change their thought-processes.
And of course I'm trying to make myself better. My life damages others and that sucks. I do tiny little easy things like being vegetarian, trying to grow my own food, recycling, using a wormery, not using hazardous chemicals to clean myself or my house, and I plan to do more and more and more as I know what I'm doing is not enough.
And while I'm not comparing Condor to Rapha, I do think companies like Condor have a great audience and could be promoting far greater causes than themselves. They also team up with Rapha and have raised Rapha's profile by doing so. Rapha didn't deserve it.
I also agree that Rapha do some cool things, but nothing great and beneficial. They support a "Rapha" cycling team, which is great for Rapha and those cyclists and good entertainment for the middle class, but track cycling doesn't help get more people to use cycling as transport and getting out of their cars and off buses.
Same as the Rapha Smithfield Nocturne. At least this one encourages commuters. I have no problem with companies using good events to promote themselves, great! And no problem with people going to these events.
But no cycling company who owns a promotional van understands cyclists, they only understand "branding" and their "market".
"Freedom of Choice" is such a great marketing phrase and has clearly worked on millions of people who believe that getting to buy either A or B or both or neither is a real choice, but don't mistake it with actual freedom of choice, this you most certainly do not have in this current world.

The other throw-away negative phrase I can't stand is "Do you really believe one-person can change anything?!?" Well duh, of course I do! You should too!!! Acting locally creates a huge impact! Create the best possible you you can. I can create a huge impact all on my own, both negative and positive, so can you. Just refusing to put negativity like the phrase above out into this world does a hell of a lot. Using yourself as an example for positive changes, big or small, does a great deal too. Stop pulling people down with horrible commonplace phrases like these. Instead say things like, "Ok, what can I do to lend a hand?" or "Good luck, I bet you'll do really well", if you can't manage positivity, just choose, at a minimum, to not add negativity.

Rapha Condor is a road team. Did you not think that these guys flying through small villages in the English country side might actually be inspiring some youngsters to cycle? Clearly you did not.

*But no cycling company who owns a promotional van understands cyclists, they only understand "branding" and their "market".
*
That's utter bollocks. Do you expect everyone to carry their work around on bikes? I'm no fan of cars for unnecessary journeys but you're going a little too far to condemn them as ignorant because they have a van! If they are so ignorant to cyclists why is the Nocturne such a success?

"Freedom of Choice" is such a great marketing phrase and has clearly worked on millions of people who believe that getting to buy either A or B or both or neither is a real choice, but don't mistake it with actual freedom of choice, this you most certainly do not have in this current world.

I choose not to buy a scarf from Rapha.. how is that NOT freedom of choice?

What sort of choices would you have me be making to attain this 'true freedom of choice' to which you allude?

Nothing I am likely to do will ever change the opinions of the powers that be but that doesn't mean that I have to play by the rules of capitalism.

Considering what you do for a living?

How dumb do you all think I am? This internet medium is highly ineffective sometimes.

I am living in the US at the moment, and my sense of irony has left me.

Considering what you do for a living?
My profession does not define who I am, merely serve a purpose to pay of the debt that a previous life saddled me with.

I have no great expectations or desires to "succeed" at accountancy. I merely wish to clear my name of financial disgrace so that I can leave with cashflow zero to persue other more tenable methods of existence.

Nothing I am likely to do will ever change the opinions of the powers that be but that doesn't mean that I have to play by the rules of capitalism.

You seem to have mistaken my assertion as being implicit in my wanting to change the world. This is not the case. I meerly wish to make the most **minimal physical impact **during my life.

stop riding into goalposts. :)

i particularly find the view of: "making something a little bit better, won't make it better." glass half full. a little bit better or less than is necessary is so much better than less than zero.

Rapha Condor is a road team. Did you not think that these guys flying through small villages in the English country side might actually be inspiring some youngsters to cycle? Clearly you did not.

Ha! well you can see how much I pay attention to Rapha. And yes, I think if kids ever end up seeing them goingthrough villages, then yeah, great! (like I said about the Nocturne)

*But no cycling company who owns a promotional van understands cyclists, they only understand "branding" and their "market".
*
That's utter bollocks. Do you expect everyone to carry their work around on bikes? I'm no fan of cars for unnecessary journeys but you're going a little too far to condemn them as ignorant because they have a van!

I am not speaking of how they carry gear around, mostly what they choose to Sell Rapha branded beer and tshirts out of. I compare this directly to Puma taking a Hummer to the courier championships.

If they are so ignorant to cyclists why is the Nocturne such a success?

Um, I addressed the Nocturne. And like I said, they understand their market and their branding. Their clientele. But I wish that all companies would begin waking up to the damage that they cause everyday and cycling companies have it the easiest in many ways to do this. Their "market" and their "clientele" are human beings and human kind need a wake up call and as "Capitalism" is the church that the majority get on their knees for, than those companies who can change the way we pray to something more positive and still make a buck should. Rapha is one of those.

"Freedom of Choice" is such a great marketing phrase and has clearly worked on millions of people who believe that getting to buy either A or B or both or neither is a real choice, but don't mistake it with actual freedom of choice, this you most certainly do not have in this current world.

I choose not to buy a scarf from Rapha.. how is that NOT freedom of choice?

Choosing not to buy is still keeping you in the land of capitalism. Freedom of actual choice would be the ability to be self-sufficient, to live by your own laws, heck,to jump a red light. Trying telling a police officer he is acting like an asshole, shouldn't that be freedom of speech, choosing what to say?. By the time you're old enough to make your own real choices you're already so indebted and brainwashed in this culture that you can't or you don't know how to.

What sort of choices would you have me be making to attain this 'true freedom of choice' to which you allude?

Hmm, well, your own I guess. But really your own, not just your choice out of the default choices society has left you with. But I don't know how to achieve that level of enlightenment yet. There are some great books out there about this, so I guess if I knew you and got the right openness vibe from you than perhaps I'd suggest a book.

The one choice I'd like everyone to make is to create something (big or small) everyday that gives someone or yourself real happiness. Not like cheap thrill, funny sarcasm or buying someone a beer, but more like things with deeper meaning (call your grandma, bake a cake, help someone move, organize something like the Pedalo event, teach a kid how to ride a bike, volunteer, babysit, garden, defend someones honor).

Like I said, I don't know much, and I'm certainly no guide. I also feel like I'm preaching which is not positive and not intentional. I don't think I know much more than anybody else about this stuff. I think we all *know better. *You know when you've done something really good and when you're working towards something really negative. Something reverberates in you that's positive when you've made someone happy, whereas you get a sense of dulling down or maybe a cheap thrill when you're contributing to something negative. I guess what I'm saying is, for instance that you Hippy, know that being allowed to simply not buy something doesn't feel like much of a choice deep inside, whereas standing up for something that allows for good, does.

i particularly find the view of: "making something a little bit better, won't make it better." glass half full.
a little bit better or less than is necessary is so much better than less than zero.

Yeah - well done Rapha!

do you reckon they'll start making Pedalo-themed armbands next?

Could be handy come Feb, 2013.

"I can't f*cking stand people saying cast off comments like "if I don't buy it, someone else will" and "it's capitalism..." Saying throw-away damaging comments like this make you a cow just following the others not realising you are heading to the abattoir while telling others "oh you might as well just follow along, you can't beat it...""

my comment about capitalism wasn't a throwaway comment, i have actually been reading about money/capitalism/banking/war lately how the federal reserve was created and how it effected the world along with other european based monetary systems M3/M4 money supply/ peak oil, stagflation, inflation etc etc to say my comment was 'throwaway' is plain wrong.

despite working in the service sector of the consumer world (as did you) there are many things i find repulsive about it but like to think i have a wider view of how the world works and how we got into this position, rampant consumerism, built in obsolescence, the love affair with the motor car, token greenism™ are all very depressing.but capitalism is here and it's not going away anytime soon.
i sometimes feel that those wanting a revolution only want it to suit them and their utopian ideals which is fine until they need support from the state or medical care that involves drugs from those big companies like Roche and Glaxo with shareholders that need to be paid. (again not directly aimed at your want for a better world).

rapha's hankie pales into insignificance compared to ethanol cash crops, pesticides used in cotton production, irrigation for golf courses amongst a million other ways that we fuck with our world.

i would imagine buying a njs frame from japan and some carbon/resin clown wheels and shipping them over here to ride brakeless through a pedestrian crossing does far more damage to the enviroment and the image of cycling to the general public than the aformentioned rapha neckerchief.

i would imagine buying a njs frame from japan and some carbon/resin clown wheels and shipping them over here to ride brakeless through a pedestrian crossing does far more damage to the enviroment and the image of cycling to the general public than the aformentioned rapha neckerchief.

superb.

superb.

+1

Got it one there Mr Smith. i was with Roxy all the way there till that there nugget.

But this does need to be read again, cause its true!

The one choice I'd like everyone to make is to create something (big or small) everyday that gives someone or yourself real happiness. Not like cheap thrill, funny sarcasm or buying someone a beer, but more like things with deeper meaning (call your grandma, bake a cake, help someone move, organize something like the Pedalo event, teach a kid how to ride a bike, volunteer, babysit, garden, defend someones honor).