Otley Urban Race

[AndyC]

Eddie -that's why you're the only one around to post

[AndyC]

At the risk of talking to a spambot -Huh?
There is a difference between fashionable and smart as has been said elsewhere -if you do buy new gear you buy it in a style that is not unfashionable and is likely to last physically and in acceptability.
Older gear -still basically OK but probably (knowing this sport) patched and darned get used for training and events where you are going to come out of it looking like you've been through a hedge (because possibly you have).
New/bettter condition kit gets used where visibility is higher -enhances the image of the sport and possibily your performance on the basis "look better= feel better=perform better".
On the other hand some of us are handicapped in the looking good front by nature -that includes myself

[Mrs H]

I hate everything that fashion stands for. You are both people who pronounce about the earth's resourses and yet you happily seem to fall into the fashion mould with it's notion of throw away any garment that is no longer hip despite the fact that it has years of potential wear left in it.

It's interesting that the bot has picked up on that point of Eddie's because I've been mulling it over from time to time and have come to the conclusion that's it's not very fair on a number of levels.

Firstly - what does fashion stand for - well it stands for an industry which employs probably billions of people worldwide (admittedly in varying circumstances) but where will their livelihoods be without it? It stands for a concept that's certainly been around easily as long as sport has so one must assume in has some fundamental significance in the human psyche.

Secondly - I don't think much clothing ends up in landfill before it is unwearable - a large proportion of people send their clothes to charity shops (they must do because there are more charity shops here than bona fide clothing retailers - and I buy a fair proportion of my clothing from them) through the charity shops a couple of times and on to jumble sales and from thence shredded for paper pulp or insulation depending on it's composition. Not much wastage there.

Thirdly - For some people fashion is as important as sport and I don't think we are in a position to pass judgement on them if in answer to our pronouncements

about the earth's resources

they turn round and ask Eddie "why do you fly to Australia for a competition when you could do it much closer to home"?

It's a question of what you think is important and everyone is entitled to their opinion.