Anybody know the dimensions of the race plates? Im trying to figure out if i can hide 2 bar mounted feedbags behind mine 
and anybody have experience with giving the plate a slight bow to make more of a fairing rather than having the aerodynamics of a refrigerator? (I know what unbound officials say, but what is YOUR experience)
….also, obviously I’ll be running 2.2” dubnitals (trail/rapid) mounted on some light bicycle WG55’s on my Seigla
Last year’s plate was about 5.5"x6". There’s been a good bit of complaining about the size, so who knows if they make changes.
A side note - At Valley of Tears this year, they used seat post mounted tags/plates instead of the typical front mounted. That’s the first amateur gravel event I’ve done that used these and I think it’s the first time I’ve seen this shorter/smaller timing strip from Chronotrack (the company that provides these RFID tags for most events). Anyway, maybe an outside chance that Unbound would go to something like this, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for the amateur field. It pretty much kills the ability to automatically sync up pictures with riders.
My experience with number plates at Unbound is that there are so many people lined up at the start that I wouldn’t worry about someone policing number plates unless you were in the front row or something. I think the bigger concern is whether a bent plate would scan properly. I can’t speak to specifics on that, but I know a bent tag can reduce read rates (particularly if bent around the head tube). I just use one of those little flip-style go-pro type mounts that go on the bottom of a garmin mount and allow you to angle the number back. Aero enough and the number is still visible unless I flip it totally flat.
Last year’s unbound vs. this year’s valley of tears plates.
I used this bracket at unbound last year to flip my race plate back a bit. Gains some aero, looks cleaner, and I think it still showed up when searching for my number most of the time in photos.
I can’t recall where I got it, but you can probably search some key words and find it. If you still can’t locate it and want one, send me a PM and see if there’s a label on it.
That bracket just makes you look like you’re going so fast that the air pushes the race plate back. It’s worth it just for the mind games you can play! 
I use a similar plate holder. Someone needs to make one that automatically flips up and down based when at high speed vs. photo ops.
A DRS holder? I like it!
I would buy one!
Personally my training is going…. ok. not better or worse, slightly different. less volume, more quality. races are going ok(we are mid season here in florida). im chasing the fast women and getting my a$$ handed to me but not outclassed in power. Im hoping to join some group rides if the work schedule opens up a bit now that the snowbirds should be heading home. That should help me learn to ride better in a group which is one of my biggest issues on the gravel bike(im getting dropped at the start of my races and then spend my day chasing by myself)
I’m sure everyone got the email but:
For age-group athletes on the 200-mile routes, checkpoints are your key resupply stations. They will serve as the primary locations for on-course aid and crew access.
Note: We have made changes to the 200 Mile Elite field’s crewing information. The age group checkpoints are a separate location from the Elite Feed Zones (200 mile elites only).
Locations:
Age-Group 200-mile Checkpoints will be located at
• Mile 44
• Mile 109
• Mile 167
• Mile 193*
(* denotes NO CREW ACCESS)
What’s Allowed
At Age-Group Checkpoints:
• Crew support (nutrition, hydration, equipment)
• Full-service aid available at every checkpoint, including hydration, nutrition (GU Energy!), medical, and basic mechanical support
• Drop bags available only through the Crew for Hire program
On Course (Outside of Checkpoints):
• Support from fellow riders
What’s Not Allowed
• No feeding outside of Checkpoints
• No crew support outside of Checkpoints
• No support from moving vehicles (bike, moto, etc.)
• No parking or staging on course
Feeding or support outside of designated Checkpoints is grounds for disqualification.
Crew For Hire: Crew for Hire remains a full-service support option for 200 mile age group athletes, providing staffed assistance at checkpoints that allow crew access, including drop bag handling, nutrition support, and basic mechanical help.
100 Mile Checkpoints - All 100 Mile Athletes (including elites)
For age-group athletes on the 100-mile (including 100 mile elite), checkpoints are your key resupply stations. They will serve as the primary locations for on-course aid and crew access.
Locations:
Age-Group & Elite 100-mile Checkpoints will be located at
• Mile 56
• Mile 77*
• Mile 94*
(* denotes NO CREW ACCESS)
What’s Allowed
At 100 Mile Checkpoints:
• Crew support (nutrition, hydration, equipment)
• Full-service aid available at every checkpoint, including hydration, nutrition (GU Energy!), medical, and basic mechanical support
• Drop bags available only through the Crew for Hire program
On Course (Outside of Checkpoints):
• Support from fellow riders
Feels like the addition of more stops that are also fully stocked (if you want it) changes things quite a bit.
Who wants to start reverse engineering a potential course based on these stops? Having one ~10 miles from the finish is definitely interesting.
Yeah, saw the email and not too excited about it. I just prefer to make it a 2 stop race for the sake of crew logistics and just good spacing/timing for stops. Not sure I want to carry enough at the start to stretch the first stop out to 109. But it is what it is, so will adjust the plan when we see details.
But it pretty much confirms that they aren’t doing the typical south route. The rumor is something west. If you look at the volunteer signup page, the 200 aid stations show “TBD” while one of the 100 mile aid stations is west of town. Nothing firm, but very doubtful it’s the typical south route with that mileage spacing and 3 crewed stops.
I was thinking the exact same thing about trying to figure out the courses based on the location of the aid stations.
Curious what went into their decision to add more aid stations and they are not just “water only” stops?
Stocked aid stations are only for the 100 mile route as far as I know. 200 mile is still your own crew (or crew for hire) I believe.
It says this under 200 for age groupers:
“• Full-service aid available at every checkpoint, including hydration, nutrition (GU Energy!), medical, and basic mechanical support”
So I think that means either crew or neutral support.
Yeah, my bad. That is a big change. I wonder if they are still requiring people to pay for crew for hire if they aren’t brining their own crew. Seems like crew for hire might be a dead man walking for future years. I could see a significant registration price increase next year with support being added. Bummer for those of us who don’t use neutral support, but I guess it’s nice that it’s there now as a backup.
I did Crew for Hire this year because I can send full USWE bladders of my drink mix. That was worth the fee right there to know I’d be able to have pre-mixed carb drink ready (but likely grossly hot) for me.
Saffordville would make sense for an aid station at mile 193
In theory what would that mean the total distance of the race would be?
It was ~204 the last couple of years, so Saffordville at 193 would be in a similar ballpark. Or it could be at a different point too. We’ll find out in 22 days if history is any indication of when they drop the courses.
And isn’t crew for hire some type of fundraising deal? I thought that was why they provided the service since it helped them raise money?
There are a few. One of them is a charity fundraiser, the “crew for Hire” through Unbound itself does not appear to be (I could be wrong, but I didn’t get that impression).
