Storage solutions from the world’s biggest gravel race

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Published: Thursday, 06 June 2024 at 17:00 PM


Whatever gravel racing is to you, we know it, without question, to be two things – physically ridiculous and horrifically hard on equipment.

With the men’s 200 Unbound race lasting around twice as long as the average Tour de France stage, a huge volume of calories need to be consumed just to finish.

However, unlike a road race, there is no neutral service for the riders and with help at aid stations potentially 50km away, spares must be carried.

As a result, pros in the 200 and 350-mile races at Unbound 2024 resorted to a range of bags, bottles and bodges to carry whatever they deemed necessary.

Minimalism

The roll-top closure should keep the contents protected. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

The majority of racers in the men’s and women’s 200 races opted for minimalist approaches and Ellen Campbell’s setup demonstrates this perfectly.

Campbell opted for a two-bag setup, with a Seeker roll-top saddle bag taking spares, along with a CO2 canister, tyre boot, extra plugs and a tyre lever.

Don’t forget your mud-clearing spatula. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

Her second bag is a Specialized x Fjällräven top tube number and this is where the snacks are stored. 

There is surely no hope of getting that bag clean again – Sam Andrews / Our Media

Mattia De Marchi is another rider who keeps things svelte, using a stripped-down version of Miss Grape’s long and thin Big Node top tube bag.

This pump placement is not often seen. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

The all-white bike is a brave choice for gravel racing and De Marchi has a very unusual addition to the underside of his bars. A Lezyne mini floor pump might make for slightly faster puncture repairs, but it can’t be comfortable on the hands.

Bodge job

Riders hope that neither of these repairs will be necessary – Sam Andrews / Our Media

If there is one thing a rider needs super-quick access to in the Flint Hills, it’s a tubeless plug tool. Seconds can make a difference here and time saved finding your plug tool will mean your tyres stay closer to their optimum pressure.

Time saved here also means less of a chase back onto the group and therefore more energy for the finish.

There is, however, no pretty way to attach a plug tool to a bike, so almost every rider broke out the electrical tape and got busy with a bodge job.

Tiffany Cromwell's Canyon Grail
Dynaplug tips sit ready for deployment. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

Tiffany Cromwell had a row of Dynaplug tips lined up on her top tube, while a CO2 canister rested on the front of her seatpost. 

We can’t quite spot the Dynaplug tool itself, but we’re sure it can’t be too far out of reach.

Forearms can be battered by bare carbon, so any padding helps. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

Looking to eke out every aero gain while still having some grip and padding on the tops of his bar, Dylan Johnson installed a section of textured padding to finish his half-wrapped bar. It isn’t the prettiest setup, but it works and that’s all that matters.

What a creation… – Sam Andrews / Our Media

The YouTuber and pro racer also created one of the most interesting bikes of the weekend, combining a Felt frame with a Lauf fork, deep wheels, MTB tyres and a super-aggressive position.

Alex Howes wanted easy access to a lot of kit. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

A special mention, however, has to go to Alex Howes, who taped a quick-link to the side of his stem. If that doesn’t say “I’ve got more power than my chain can deal with”, I don’t know what does.

How to hydrate

The Blaerosuit name makes me hum Things Can Only Get Better by D:Ream. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

With races on dusty roads lasting well over 11 hours, taking enough hydration is a challenge. Some riders had Rapha’s fetching new Blaerosuit, which enables a rider to carry a hydration bladder without wearing a pack.

Rule 28 says the this solution is more aero. – Sam Andrews / Our Media

Much has been made of the various hydration garments released by Rule 28, Rapha and Castelli. Some will see this as a cool aero upgrade, while others weep for a notion of gravel’s vibe-based spirit.

CamelBak tried something similar around 10 years ago with the VeloBak, but it was deemed uncool and soon disappeared.