What Are Pro-Level Gravel Cyclists Riding? | 2021 UNBOUND Gravel Race
Вставка
- Опубліковано 17 тра 2024
- It feels like gravel racing is having a bit of a moment and the Garmin Unbound Gravel (formerly DK200) held in Kansas is one of the biggest events in the calendar.
Unbound 200 (it’s actually 206 miles long) gets most of the attention and attracts some of the biggest names in the sport, but there are longer and shorter events too, with the extreme 357 mile Unbound XL for true masochists.
Gravel is a fast-evolving discipline and it attracts a diversity of bike tech not seen in other categories. We’ve rounded up some of the coolest bikes from the 2021 event.
00:00 Intro
00:46 Ian Boswell’s Specialized “Rock Combo” Diverge
04:25 Lauren De Crescenzo’s Colnago G3-X
06:40 Jess Cerra’s Pinarello Grevil
08:48 Colin Strickland’s Allied Echo
11:22 Lael Wilcox’s Specialized Epic Hardtail
A big thanks to the photographers and brands which helped make this video possible:
Rugile Kaladyte
Ian Matteson
Mike Swim
Enve
CINCH Elite
Read more on each bike:
→ www.bikeradar.com/features/pr...
Specialized Diverge Review
→ • 2021 Specialized Diver...
Pinarello Grevil Review
→ • Pinarello Grevil | Fas...
Top 5 2021 Gravel Bikes
→ • Top 5 | 2021 Gravel Bikes
Want to know what it's really like to race on gravel? Check out Felix's BikeRadar Diaries episode where he races The Rift, a 200km race in Iceland:
→ • Felix's 200km Icelandi...
Listen to the BikeRadar Podcast
→ www.bikeradar.com/bikeradar-p...
Follow BikeRadar on our social media channels:
→ / bikeradar
→ / bikeradar
→ / bikeradar
BikeRadar is supported by Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus Magazine -
For more information and to subscribe please visit:
→ bit.ly/38NBrxZ
For more content like this see our latest subscription offer -
→ www.cyclingplus.com/subscribe...
→ www.mbuk.com/subscribe-today/
#unboundgravel #gravelcycling #bikeradartop5 - Спорт
Colin Strickland of course did use aero bars for the race, apologies for that mistake at 11:18
Now you are here, aero bars for gravel racing yay or nay?
hell yay
If you aren’t using, you are leaving time on the road. Now the roadies come in and want to ‘shame’ everyone off aerobars.
@@JB-uv4hm it looks bad lets be honest
@@Hugo-um8nh “looks bad.” Well there you go, a roadie answer. Have you done 200? A 100? LR100 6th (age group win). Aero is faster.
Hell yes to aero.
The paint job in that Specialized is superb.
It’s just right
That Pinarello is a thing of beauty, but if I could have any of these, it would be Lael's Epic.
11:17 picture shows aerobars while narration says "he didn't opt for aerobars" (and Lael Wilcox's bike all the way)
This is like watching the evolution of the MTB all over again as an example of ''Parallel Evolution"
Lael would have won on a unicycle, she was just showing off winning on that monster XC gravel build.
A very engaging, sympathetic presenter. Thank you!
Thank you for your comment!
I really dig that mountain bike with the drop bars 🎉😘🎊
The paint job on the specialized diverge is awesome. I remember when that type of paint jobs was common. Love Lael's setup for ultra distance. That gal is flat out amazing on a bike.
Yeah I’m hoping Specialized capitalizes on the overwhelmingly positive reception and press the old school colorway received and gives us all the cool retro paint jobs we want.
Lael's bike is exactly what I'd choose for 357 mi of gravel.
Lael's bike is essentially a Specialized version of the Salsa Cutthroat, which also a drop bar bike(from the factory) that can take a 100mm suspension fork.
its boost tho so not aero
appreciate the closer look into boswell's bar, matthew is the best
Lael’s ride is getting closer, but when is anyone gonna rock that drop bar Supercaliber at an event like this?
We've been wondering the same thing! For anyone who wants to see the Trek Supercaliber with drop bars check out our special episode of BikeRadar Builds 👉 ua-cam.com/video/H5rNOkplgyA/v-deo.html
I wouldn't doubt it...especially a Trek rider. I own a Trek ProCaliber with IsoSpeed, and run some unique bar-ends inboard for a psudo-aerobar position that works well for open/fast sections, but not full time. I do the amateur VTT races here in Belgium, and it works well as it has a lot of gravel and road sections that bridge the VTT trails.
If I was to endure Unbound, I would certainly put a tiny motor in my crank shaft and adhere to whatever Lance did to prepare for the TdF. Reason being, these pros are crushing it out there and I wouldn't stand a chance in Hale to keep up. A gravel specific grand tour would be the shit! or at least a multi day event that road on the backroads/dirt rather than paved. I love being able to just veer off the beaten path.
Excellent video, spot on. Very interesting and informative
Thanks for watching!
The RockCombo Diverge is absolutely gorgeous
Retro iconic paint jobs are all you need to see this year. Boswell's is DA BOLLOCKS!
It will be interesting to watch gravel design evolve
Nah, it's just a fad mate. It'll never catch on 😉
I purchased a slightly used 2018 Specialized Diverge for my first Gravel Event "Cascade Gravel Grinder" coming from road riding. I love that bike! My Gravel Star Daughter sent me some 42 mm Rene Herse Hurricane Ridge Tires for Christmas I am eager to get on and try out. Currently riding Specialized Pathfinder 38 mm and those are just fine for my gravel roads out here on the Oregon Coast.
Lael channeling Jacquie Phelan with the drop bar mountain bike, hell yeah!
Nice video. Been riding gravel for 6 yrs on a cross bike, the. A Diverge and a new Salsa Vaya steel frame. Hell with pavement fifty years enough.. red shift kitchen sink handlebars a plus for me
Diverge because the geometry suits me and, well, Future Shock. Of course I can't argue with Lael Wilcox' choice of weapon. I'd also go with Mr. Boswells pedal choice, though the TI x-track is not in my budget. They are amazing pedals. I've always struggled with hotspots using spd's and the x-tracks have completely eliminated mine, plus they come in two widths if you have wide feet.
Only had my gravel bike a week, after becoming more gravel curious. So far I love it. Don’t think I’m at the Unbound level yet. Love those Diverge retro paint jobs. Another couple of months and perhaps the hard tail could be on the skids🤷♂️. Great video guys.
Great to hear you're loving the new bike, thanks for watching!
Good to see some Pinarello Grevils placing at these gravel races.
it looks like a fancy dentist's E-Bike
Specialized’s are mainly ridden by dentists. 😆
Great video thank you, im getting out of down hill mountain biking and getting into gravel biking (age has crept up on me) im looking for a top of the line bike that is lagit, thanks again 👍🏆.
Specialized Epic is my kind of gravel bike. Front forks are definitely a plus especially for these long gravel races
do any of them have rear forks?
My road bike is an old Colnago Master Bi-Titan, so I lean towards a G3-X, although I do miss the classic Art Decor paint jobs of the old Colnago frames. I also love suspension, so maybe a Niner MCR... Or something titanium, although I'm not sure about what brand.
Integrity and accountability Colin!
I feel like Lael is the type of rider that could win even if you gave her a tandem or a tall-bike
... I bet in a sponsored event if they did these she would do it and be laughing the whole time ... I'd certainly get a kick out of a PRO tandum bike solo rider race ... armatures get to ride a regular bike ... somehow I think the pro's would still win =D
Had a converted to gravel Epic HT a few years ago. Still haven’t beat the times I set with it on local gravel segments.
I keep thinking a bike like Lael's would be perfect for the gravel terrain available to me but I'm worried about the resulting geometry of dropbars on a bike not designed for dropbars. Would be great to see a deeper dive into her setup. Thx for the great vid!!
It's a good point. In terms of reach, the longest gravel bikes aren't that far off some of the shorter XC bikes, so with some MTBs it may be easier to make the numbers work than you might initially assume.
Seeing Lael's bike made me want to use drop bar on my mtb. Maybe Curve Walmer width will make it still usable on some technical trails 🤔
Its not outside the realm of what's already been done. Just keep in mind the reach numbers and stem length, but also compact geometry with how much exposed seatpost you may have. Most likely have to size down one size to make everything fit correctly.
Great and informative vid, that said, I'm pretty sure Colin didn't come up with that frame bag the night before the race! 😂 It was a design concept he'd been working on for awhile.
Good vid
200mi or more on gravel would be depending on the terrain I am facing. Its really worth doing the research to figure out the conditions and the tire to suit the conditions.
When I lived in S. Florida and rode the Everglades levee which had possible routes to Lake Okeechobee I would opt for Vittoria Terreno Dry 700x38 tubeless. Fast, low rolling resistance and there isn't a lot of threats in the ground surface. I've also done the whole GAP/C&O from Pittsburg to DC on a Cervelo S2 with 23c GP4000s and only suffered one slow leak puncture that only revealed itself over night. That was something like 350mi and about 280mi on gravel.
Now I live in Belgium where I'll likely be facing wet conditions, mud and paths that may not have been groomed at all, along with concrete canal paths...I am actually liking the new offerings from American Classic. I have both the Kimberlites and Aggregates in 700x50. They aren't the lightest, but they do have a robust casting, tubeless and very inexpensive.
If its even a bit more mixed, I will go with more volume (not more grip) with the Terreno XC in 29x2.1.
I have 3 bikes that can serve as a gravel bike: Trek Boone, Trek ProCaliber 9.6, and Ridley X-Trail.
The Boone is unbelievably comfortable and the fastest of the 3, but only if the conditions are relatively smooth and fast. The ProCaliber is what it is...a XC MTB like the Epic that I run some unique bar-ends inboard as psudo-aerobar. The Ridley X-Trail is a wild card. It aluminum, rack mounts, fits 29x2.1 and can handle most things I throw at it. It's my work commuter and bikepacking bike.
Nice job
I have both and I think a light weight bike (6.5kg or so rim brake) with marginally aero wheels (Enve 3.4 or Zipp 303's etc) is the best compromise of the two. Very light and quite aero (or aero enough). Lightweight bike just feels more nimble and agile for all round riding and when it hits the steep gradients you win! In a straight line though aero with deep dish wins hands down and is very quick. So my conclusion: one of each!
Gotta love gravel-adjacent bikes like Lael’s. (Am I doing this correctly Matthew?)
Yasssss!
I spend hours and hours searching for specialized diverge , the same color you have in this video, I would from where you get it ???
Do we reckon Boswel actually used that 52 rear cog? Lower than Di Crescenzo's lowest gear (at a guess)?
big tyres, suspension seat post, maybe extra tape on the bars, and def 2x
I live outside of Steamboat Springs and I have a Moots Routt RSL and run it like a road bike. I run an Ultegra Di2 with the RX800 rear derailleur. Crankset is Ultegra 8000 dual stages PM and 52/36. I run an 11-34t cassette. S-Works cockpit with a 120mm stem and the aerofly II bars at 42mm. I have a second set of chainrings, absoluteblack round 50/34 for the more mountainous races. Run the ENVE SES AR 3.4 with the Vittoria Terrano Zero size 38mm. As close to a race bike a gravel bike can be.
Sounds wonderful!
I used to own a bike shop in the 90s that diverge paint job WANT as I sold those mtn bikes back then :)
The paint job rocks! ua-cam.com/video/6jmU3lWHTQY/v-deo.html
Gravel biking has taken over my biking. Also going tubeless on it really made me ride mountain bike less abs ride my gravel more
this is the fixie hype of the 2020s i guess
I did the 100 this year on a hardtail mtb. It made the course pretty easy since only 3-4 miles resembled the terrain of a typical mtb course. I understand that the 200 has much more rough terrain, maybe 15-20 miles, but a drop bar gravel bike, without a doubt, has an advantage on the vast majority of the route.
I got selected for the 100 mile race this year and will be doing it on my hardtail mtb. I am putting on a rigid carbon fork and 2.1" tires.
@@chasingbirds3073 I'd love to do a rigid fork but don't want to spend the money and hassle to switch over. I forgot to mention that I usually ride flat pedals but switched to clipless for the 100. I definitely recommend clipping in for this event for increased pedaling efficiency over 99% of the route.
Can't believe it took this long for someone to actually put drop bars on an xc bike
Google ‘monster cross’. It’s definitely been done before even if it’s not yet caught on. I’d love to build one up!
Sigh,geometry is miles apart,good luck keeping up on the hard packed sections on an XC.
It's call the Salsa Cutthroat(100mm), Salsa Fargo(100mm), & Evil Chamios Hagar(though this one maxes out at 40mm of travel).
Dave McLaughlin ran drop bars on his Specialized MTB in the 1985 NORBA Nationals. Charlie Cunningham was putting drop bars on his aluminum XC MTBs around the same time. Then, of course, there's John Tomac and his famous drop-bar Yeti C-26.
My ideal setup for the XL would be steel frame, carbon fork, carbon rims with 26-30mm internal width, 45-55mm tires, suspension seat post, 52cm wide road bar, Cane Creek Viscoset headset, Microshift AdventX drivetrain, half frame bag for a bladder and supplies, small top tube bag.
damn 52cm wide 🤣
The main takeaway from this video is that I will never ride 200 miles on gravel
“Didn’t opt for aero bars” - with an image that clearly shows aero bars
Saw that. Was it a photo from a previous year? Also didn't have his frame bag thingy in it.
Are you able to purchase this paint job (specialized) - it's awesome....
BMC URS LT1 a penchant for pain , Nunn hydration , a big heart , protein bars calculated to energy burned per lb of weight and no fear of course. Did I mention the URS LT 1? They need a Pakistani American in that race to have some fun times with. Training for 2024.
I converted a 1994 full suspension steel Stumpjumper to dropbars, 1x10 microshift advent x and 32t oval chainring. Only og part was the frame and seatpost. All in around $500 including the bike purchase. Dabbling in gravel doesn’t have to cost $$$, you just have to be patient and willing to wrench.
For that distance on gravel, i would spec my bike with front and rear suspension, and a 1200 cc boxer engine in the middle. No other way for me to finish :P
How did you not recognize Canyon! Peter’s bike was sick, and he didn’t do so bad.
It did look awesome! Peter's bike almost made the cut but we were struggling to get enough images in time for the video. Thanks for watching! -Matthew
Woah, a mountain bike won an off road event. Who would have thought.
All the bikes listed are awesome regardless.
Seems like cannondale nailed the best of both worlds with her lefty topstone.
It really does make sense to ride a mountain bike on this sort of terrain. These so-called gravel bikes really are superfluous.
there's a reason why people don't use 140mm front suspension forks, 3+ inch tyres and super wide straight handlebars. The gravel bikes used here you're so dismissive about are highly optimized for these races. If a traditional MTB was faster they would use it.
For me it sounds like you never rode a gravel bike. I would really recommend to try one. You might learn a thing or two about that kind of bike. BTW: Dylan Johnson is also a professional mountain biker, but still opted for a gravel bike.
I think Lael did not win only because of her choice of bike, but also because she is really strong in ultra endurance.
It'd take me 4 days to do that....so, I'd want a tent, cooking stuff, food etc......
gravel cyclists: "gravel" bike is a gravel bike
mtb cyclists: mtb is a gravel bike
mtb with drop bars: *allow me to introduce myself*
everybody: *surprised pikachu face*
Are there ANY pro-level gravel bikes that actually uses the GRX?! Or is the Eagles the top banana?
Aside from sponsorship, availability may also be a factor here, Shimano has struggled to keep up in the last year.
Which is your favourite bike from our list? What bike would you choose to race UNBOUND? Let us know in the comments! 👇
From your list it’s that retro Diverge for sure. From beyond your list would be my custom GT Grade carbon.
Suspension fork on a gravel bike would make it go anywhere. Braking bumps in MTB trails are horrible with rigid but the features like drops and rocks are fine.
I rode my Lynskey Ti GR270 with SRAM AXS 1x mullet build on custom built 35mm deep carbon 650b wheels with Teravail Cannonball 650b x 47mm rubber with durable casing. The bike worked perfectly over the 100mi course. Coolest part was at mile 100ish of my 105 mile ride the top 5 men’s pros came by at around 202 miles of their 207 mile ride. The power that they were putting out was incredible. So cool to see that up close.
@@timwhite2365 I didn’t do Unbound but after hearing everyone’s experiences I figure the Cannonball durables that I run would have been my choice. A very good tire by any standard.
I don't usually care for the look of carbon bikes, but that Gravil is so damn cool. The fork alone is really neat.
Internal cables to limit aerodynamic drag. I think that number plate negates any benefits and then some
For a 200 miles and above gravel, i'll get a scott sparks/giant anthem and spec it wt a drop bar...those susp will be great for a long off road rides, i'll put on aero bar for those long boring fire roads
So basically what Nino Schurter is running with on the MTB world cup :)
Is there an equivalent to Unbound in other countries? With amateurs mixed in with sponsored riders, no organized pro teams?
in Italy there is the Eroica and there is the Jeroboam that should be present also in other countries
Dirty Reiver in the UK was designed as a British homage if I remember correctly
Jon is correct, Dirty Reiver in the UK is a very competitive gravel race and we are racing it this year! We will of course be making a BikeRadar Diaries video of the race 💥
GIANT Revolt Advanced Pro 0
Colin did run enve aero Extensions
Lael is on Roval rims.
Flappy hands!
Do the 2022 unbound and the 2023
I'd spec my bike by putting it in my car driving about 300 miles, parking, then riding the last 50 miles. Call it good.
just felt like a commercial rather than a review of tech.
Do most gravel racers run 650's?
Most use the larger 700c size 👍
"Joe Breeze" was way ahead of that lot. He gets little credit for his involvement in the Mtb. history. Now this seems to be happening again
O boy, never done 200, not even in kms, no idea what I would need. In my shorter rides, I prefer bigger tires, 45 to 50, water, o yes my electronic gears.
13:54 what every cycling magazine is really thinking when reviewing new top of the like proprietary aero integrated overpriced tech from industry big names
Wish you include the Wdnsdy titanium bike that the Indonesian team were using in the unbound gravel. Their setup was also great. Two riders joined the 200 miles race but only one finished.
Whats the Difference between a gravel bike and a cyclocross bike?
Depends who you ask, but a pure cyclocross bike is designed specifically for cyclocross racing, i.e. tyres no larger than 33mm and a frame that's easy to carry. Gravel bikes are a much broader category that could invlude everything from road bikes with fat tyres, to drop bar mountain bikes. There are certainly some 'cross bikes that work well as general-purpose gravel bikes.
Cx bike has high bb height. Very quick tight turns. Unstable on descent. Gravel bikes are slacker.
Open UP with sram axs. I did the 200 last weekend on one and there were lots of others out there too
All I want is a drop bar mountain bike.
Ditto on that! ...ua-cam.com/video/6jmU3lWHTQY/v-deo.html
I think I'd prefer to do 200 ml on a hybrid with bar ends
MTB still rules :-)
Depends on where u live m8. Been a hardtail rider for 5 years(rode a full sus also just to see how it rides) but since there aren't any mountain trails nearby but the roads are bloody rough, I tried a gravel first last year. Really picking up a lot more speed while being able to commute long distances without getting exhausted. But still I'd go for a proper mtb for trail ridings when possible.
And yes the handlebars are hard to get used to becuz of the width and hand position but when u do, really not much of a difference there.
ua-cam.com/video/6jmU3lWHTQY/v-deo.html they can deny their origin!
No cannondale slates or cannondale top stone, .
I feel triggerd by the comments on handlebars. 400mm on a 58 frame for a man is pretty narrow. 400mm on a 50cm frame for a woman is damn wide. but both get more or less the same comment like 'oh not that wide for a gravel bike or like a road handlebar'
I would also get a crosscountry mountainbike hardtail, and put a solid fork on it. xc mtb frames are lighter and have bigger tire clearance. Also an option would be a lauf suspension spring fork on a xc mtb.
I would wholeheartedly agree if only a bigger chainring would fit. That lass with the xc bike in the bud has the biggest I’ve seen with a 36t. Surely that would cut it for the pace in a 350 mile race but for anything shorter I’m not seeing it be enough.
@@joelzylstra2971 shimano offers itself up to 38t. you can still go 9-52t cassette, or fit a third party 42t chainring or something.
@@Ropetable not all frames offer enough clearance for bigger chainrings in the front.
@@buerkie you are right, most only up to 36t.
How about "Whatever your sponsor tells you to."
This whole "mullet" gears thing is somewhat confusing since a mullet bike is also an MTB with 29er front, 27.5 back isn't it? 🤦🏻♂️
Yes, that's true. Doubtless it has other meanings we're not even aware of, ha ha! -Matthew
Id spec my bike with a motor!
I feel like in terms of popularity among more serious recreational cyclist gravel bikes have become more popular then cyclocross bikes
Arguably they are better suited to a wider range of riders.
And not a 650b wheel in sight.😂
the winner is specialized diverge
I spec'd mine with a 2 stroke engine
i am so pride there is one Indonesian finished 200 mil in unbound GR
well, there is no pro gravel racer, and no pro only gravel competitions
They're not gravel bikes. They're just bikes. Look at any number of racing bikes from 1900. "Gravel" = "I smoked the marketing Kool-Aid".
why was the name of the event changed?
The original name was deemed to be offensive to the Kaw Nation.
I’d spec my ass sitting in a car seat.
Does he have to keep lifting and slamming his hands down in sync with every syllable he utters!!
I can't unsee it now....
Time VXS beats all these bikes, because it is the magic carpet, cant really feel which surface your riding on, just the sound changes.
Anybody find it funny that they show Colin's WITH Aero bars just as hes saying it doesn't have Aero bars. Did this guy even look at the photos in his own video?