{"id":65528,"date":"2024-06-06T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dff9dc44-20bc-447b-ac68-89b7f7860eda"},"modified":"2024-06-06T19:25:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T17:25:29","slug":"bags-bottles-and-bodges-how-the-pros-carried-their-snacks-at-unbound-2024","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/bags-bottles-and-bodges-how-the-pros-carried-their-snacks-at-unbound-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Bags, bottles and bodges | How the pros carried their snacks at Unbound 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Storage solutions from the world’s biggest gravel race <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 06 June 2024 at 17:00 PM<\/p>

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Whatever gravel racing is to you, we know it, without question, to be two things \u2013 physically ridiculous and horrifically hard on equipment.<\/p>

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

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

Minimalism<\/h2>
The roll-top closure should keep the contents protected. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The majority of racers in the men\u2019s and women\u2019s 200 races opted for minimalist approaches and Ellen Campbell\u2019s setup demonstrates this perfectly.<\/p>
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. <\/p>
$\"\"$
Don’t forget your mud-clearing spatula. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Her second bag is a Specialized x Fj\u00e4llr\u00e4ven top tube number and this is where the snacks are stored.\u00a0<\/p>
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There is surely no hope of getting that bag clean again – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Mattia De Marchi is another rider who keeps things svelte, using a stripped-down version of Miss Grape\u2019s long and thin Big Node top tube bag.<\/p>
$\"\"$
This pump placement is not often seen. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The all-white bike is a brave choice for gravel racing<\/a> 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\u2019t be comfortable on the hands.<\/p>
Bodge job<\/h2>
$\"\"$
Riders hope that neither of these repairs will be necessary – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
If there is one thing a rider needs super-quick access to in the Flint Hills, it\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>
Time saved here also means less of a chase back onto the group and therefore more energy for the finish.<\/p>
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.<\/p>
$\"Tiffany$
Dynaplug tips sit ready for deployment. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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.\u00a0<\/p>
We can\u2019t quite spot the Dynaplug tool itself, but we\u2019re sure it can\u2019t be too far out of reach.<\/p>
$\"\"$
Forearms can be battered by bare carbon, so any padding helps. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Looking to eke out every aero gain while still having some grip and padding on the tops of his bar, Dylan Johnson<\/a> 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.<\/p>
$\"\"$
What a creation\u2026 – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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.<\/p>
$\"\"$
Alex Howes wanted easy access to a lot of kit. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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.<\/p>
How to hydrate<\/h2>
$\"\"$
The Blaerosuit name makes me hum Things Can Only Get Better by D:Ream. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
With races on dusty roads lasting well over 11 hours, taking enough hydration is a challenge. Some riders had Rapha’s fetching new Blaerosuit<\/a>, which enables a rider to carry a hydration bladder without wearing a pack.<\/p>
$\"\"$
Rule 28 says the this solution is more aero. – Sam Andrews \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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\u2019s vibe-based spirit.<\/p>
CamelBak tried something similar around 10 years ago with the VeloBak<\/a>, but it was deemed uncool and soon disappeared.\u00a0<\/p>

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A post shared by Payson McElveen (@paysonmcelveen)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>