Getting down on my self. It appears an injury has moved into the 2nd week and not sure when ill be able to ride again.
Feel like pushing my entry out to next year. Good chance I cant ride till april to get this issue to heal.
80% frozen hydration bladder - I rode the 200 last year and will do the same this year. I used a 3L bladder on my lower back and 2 bottles on the bike. Last year was cool and cloudy but I am preparing for the complete opposite this year. Assuming it is hot and sunny, I want to be ready. I am working on and practicing my strategy in my local Florida climate. Thinking of having frozen bladders ready at rest stops (2 stops). I will have crew ātop offā bladder with liquid just prior to switching it out of hydration pack. Here is the part that I am toying with - removing insulation from pack/harness to encourage bladder sitting directly on lower core of body. I may even alter my jersey to remove extra material. The goal is basically to get the bladder directly on skin for cooling. Again, I am assuming conditions are super hot and sunny. Anybody do anything like this? any points or comments to think about?
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Have you tried a frozen bladder? I havenāt frozen a bladder, but Iāve experimented with ice cubes in bladder a couple times (worked well), and more often with freezing bottles (also a FL res). Too much ice in bottles, particularly one frozen block of it has been an issue for me a couple times. I had the bottom 1/2 to 2/3 frozen (it WAS an insulated bottle, though)(eta it was also in a Revelate feed bag, which offers some insulation value, too), and it would not thaw fast enough when I needed it. And that block of ice in a bladder could get really annoying on your backbone with no insulation, if the bag isnāt set off the surface of your back.
I suggest you try varying cube sizes of bagged ice, so you have more of a slushy slurry. It does feel good on your back.
For bottlles, Iāll fill the about 1/4, and lay them almost flat in the freezer so there is more surface area of ice in contact with the water (but if you put too much water in the frozen column you create may keep you from being able to squeeze the bottle (been there), so back to the ice cubes.
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Yes. Last year and it was not the winning hydration strategy for that weather. It was too cool and I ran out of thawed liquid before even getting to the oasis. We were karate chopping the block of ice to try to break it up and get it out to make room for drinkable liquid.
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For the 3 people who may be interested in me smashing together a road background with MTB experience into riding the 200:
I got my whip today. Open UP with Corima G30.5 wheels. Ultegra Di2 with 50/34 in the front and 11/34 in the back. Will probably end up throwing Garmin Rallys on for pedals. For shoes, Iām deciding between Shimano XC9 and Fizik Infinito X1.
In terms of further fitments: I think Iām going to put a storage keg under the down tube and get this top tube bag as well as a small saddle bag. Hydration strategy, as others have been discussing, is up in the air and I think will be based on weather and placement of oases/aid stations. I would like to avoid a hydration pack if possible because Iād like to have my back free for heat dissipationāI think Iād rather run a third bottle in my jersey.
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I would recommend against thatā¦.even three bottles wonāt be enough given the stretch between aid stations. Plus you need to carry nutrition, etc.
When I did it in 2019, I started without the pack and then grabbed it at the first aid station from my crew.
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You could try a hip pack. Either with bladder or just with bottles.
Iāve always waffled between camelbak chase pack and evoc hip pack. I like shoulder straps for thr camelbak but gets a bit warm. The hip pack is cooler but for me it ends up sitting low as I think because I donāt really have an arch in my lower back or maybe my lack of hips 
I wasnāt a pack fan until I tried a uswe pack. I do all my training with one (Texas heat) and have been using them in MTB and gravel races for 4-5 years. I canāt even wear a wicking base layer in the summer because I feel like they capture heat, but the pack doesnāt bother me at all. I did kind of ease into using them more and more, so maybe itās just a trainable thing like anything else. Being well fueled and hydrated is so important and I just do better with hydration if I have a pack. Besides the extra volume, itās much easier to drink on technical sections where grabbing a bottle can be tough. It can also be a huge tactical advantage in some races to skip the aid stations if you can load up at the start (flame if you want, but if Iām willing to carry the extra weight, then Iāve earned the right to blow through an aid station).
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Is GU Roctane the sports drink provided at the 2 aid stations/checkpoints? (Assuming I have the correct understanding of how checkpoints, water stops are setup)
Never tried it, but plan to if that is whatās provided.
Thanks
You mean with the Crew for Hire?
The neutral water stops (which are not the checkpoints) are plain water only
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I think this is where Iām confused. Is there neutral support other than your crew at checkpoints? Iām aware water oasis are water only, no support. Thanks
No. Thereās no neutral support outside of the water oasis.
The two checkpoints are the only place where you will have your crew. You can either use your own or hire a crew. There are a few operations that are available for hire but the main āCrew for Hireā will have GU stuff. But they are not a neutral service. You have to pay for that if you donāt bring your own crew.
I have used 3 Feet Cycling as my hired crew for two years and they were amazing.
When I last did unbound in my drop bags for crew for hire I just put the bottles I wanted with the mix powder in them so when I got there the crew for hire just added water for me.
I honestly donāt recall what stuff crew for hire had.
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This explains my confusion. I did the crew for hire offered when you enter the lottery.
Thanks for the help.
Same here. They had my bag at the check point and filled my Osprey with water, thatās about it. Then I hit the road again 5 min in and out
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They were quick considering the number of riders they handle. Not that I need to be sprinting out of there. But I was slower getting organized. The volunteers were quick.
I donāt like to linger too long at the checkpoints or else Iāll get stiff and want to sit there for 20 minutes.
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Iām doing the 200 this year so opted for 3 Feet instead of Crew for Hire.
A Teammate is a member and they also provide the setup for Specialized. So an actual crew.
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Whatās the difference in service between 3 Feet and Crew for Hire?
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One difference between the two is crew for hire doesnāt provide any sort of mechanical support.
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