Would love to follow some kind of training log as the weeks tick by toward the event!
Would you be open to sharing your training progress with us?
Wonder who has the lowest ctl who signed up for the race, im at 35.
I made it in as well! I am doing the 100mi!
This is a weird feeling when you are excited and worried about it at the same time!
Now to start the logistics of getting the rig ready.
1- Lodging
2 - Tires
3 - Nutrition
4 Train, train, train
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Allow me to take #2 off your list - Goodyear Connector Ultimate, 700x40. Best damn gravel tire I have ever ridden and would run it for Unbound without hesitation.
When I did the race in 2019, I used Maxxis Ramblers and they were great, but the Goodyears are just a better tire, all around.
Perfect tire for Unbound, IMO.
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Awesome
So what’s next
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cool
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Train. Wonder why Chad hates me so much he hurts me like that.
I got a new bike for bikepacking. Set it up for training, if I can’t buy a new bike before June I will at least be familiar with what I am on.
Try to get a local shop to pretend to sponsor me so I can hide what I am spending a little.
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Remember to enjoy the process. Somewhere in the middle of this 200 miles you will hate it. 
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In the middle? Will probably start long before that… 
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I prob will hate it after the first flat.
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Best advice I can give you (other than to pace your self properly, especially at the beginning 
)…look around and enjoy where you are. It is staggeringly beautiful out there. Very hard to describe until you get out there…you will be in areas where you literally won’t see another person and no signs of civilization around you.
It is awesome…enjoy it.
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What bike do you have for bikepacking?
What bike do you want to get?
also I’d love it if all the people who got into unbound (I did not) would consolidate into one thread to log their training/equipment… Here is the other thread Unbound Gravel 2021, Race / Ride
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@Robert_Crow , I moved your post into the existing event discussion, to keep them all together.
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Thank you
@ABG I have dreams, but on thus is my first event so I took the half pint 100 miler.
@roadbiketrevor I just got a full sus 29er. Just as in the 7th and haven’t gotten more than a quick position and test after assembly ride.
Supply is short so I choose good shocks and a cheap drive train. It’s currently a 3*8 I already have a 50/39 ultegra or a fsa triple 53/36/22 that have bottom brackets to fit its frame.
I am going to try it with clip ons and see how that works. I want to go 210 or 29 mtb clutched derailleur with a 11 * 44.
Once I know for sure I want drops, rather than flat and clips, I will change to what seems best.
I am going to try pinarello’s Gravel tires in 45mm.
For bikes.
I live down the road from Allied bikes and I would like one of their Able Gravel bikes.
Outside of dreams.
I own specialized, schwinn, mongoose, and motobecane bikes in various styles and levels.
I think that for my budget the best I could afford would be a motobecane Gravel bike with the grx 400 groupset aluminum frame.
Worst case I ride what I have and have a slower day with a much happier rear end.
I am going to try making a frame bag that will hold two two liter resivours (where are you spell check) for hydration.
Top tube for feed. Try to keep everything off me if I can.
I already booked a campsite for a week about 45 min outside of town. Drive VS sleep, sleep in quiet away from the likely parties won out.
I need to workout a bailout support crew, I paid for the aid station support but I do not think that includes sag.
Here is my planned route for training rides outside. I live north in Bentonville from the start of this, it’s paved trails all the way to there from my house.
Advice is welcome, company for training as well.
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Didn’t see this. Thanks I will give them a try. Were they better for dry or mud?
I am thinking flat proof and grip beats rolling resistance.
I generally ride them on sand packed dusty trail…basically hard pack w/ kitty litter tossed on top. And they are great.
But also enough knob on them that they hook up well in softer, wetter conditions.
If I was doing Unbound this year, I wouldn’t hesitate to use them.
Stupid question maybe but how many people ride this somewhat competitively with a HT 29’er? I’m asking since I’d love to do the race in the future and I already have a 29" HT MTB set up for beach racing with a carbon rigid fork, 40T chain ring and 11-40 cassette, a 30mm wide front and 35mm wide rear carbon wheel. With the right tire, it seems like this might be reasonably suited?
Yes, the bike would be a reasonable option from a technical capabilities POV, but you will still suffer from significantly higher drag due to your position on the bike…and you are out there for a long f*cking time. Adding a lot of aero drag is just going to make it longer.
Thank you for this suggestion.
My brand new bike came with Vittoria Terreno Dry TLR. I hear they are good when dry weather but they are slippery when wet. I haven’t been able to try them since it is miserable (cold and snowy) outside right now.