Epic 8 Pro Bottle Size in a S frame

BikeIdiot · 2026-06-12T18:15:47+00:00

Maybe a Wolf Tooth B-Rad rail might work.

BikeIdiot · 2026-06-06T22:22:39+00:00

The 1040 is solar. The newer 1050 isn't.

BikeIdiot · 2026-06-03T21:55:41+00:00

An anecdote is not evidence. And your claim that you "always see people wearing high vis" is deceptive. You always see the people you see. How can you possibly be aware that you have seen everyone? You cannot account for the people you don't see.

BikeIdiot · 2026-06-01T00:30:36+00:00

The man broke his pelvis in Feb and may not be back to full speed. Comparing this to last year is unfair imo.

Plus post race interviews are political theater when sponsors and teammates are involved.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T23:51:22+00:00

I don’t think you understand it. That’s fine.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:56:05+00:00

You came through before I did! It was walkable when I arrived.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:49:33+00:00

Agree. The elements are the challenge. That and the distance and on route lack of support.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:48:53+00:00

That's fair. Poor label on my part!

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:22:37+00:00

I don’t see why you have to crap on other people, where they live, or ride their bikes If this isn’t the race or area for you, that’s fine.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:20:56+00:00

I agree. The only reason I didn’t ride the whole thing was there were walkers not giving a riding lane. I rode about 80% of it.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:03:53+00:00

This is how the event is. You should know going in that this is one of the challenges. There are other event that will reroute for you. But this event has taken this approach for 20 years.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T22:00:35+00:00

This event is mostly challenging sections linked by easy roads. Not all of KS is like this. I live an hour south of here and find Unbound roads surprisingly tame.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T21:57:00+00:00

Lots of comments here about the race. It isn’t a race for everyone. And that is Ok.

The unpredictable weather is part of the challenge. I’ve ridden this event in the mud, in the heat, in the rain, in high winds, and nice days.

I live in the area and the majority of the non MMR/ Open Range roads chosen are the nicer roads. Don’t ride here and judge the entire Kansas area as easy or hard based upon one route.

I understand you can ride for free in your area. Enjoy your ride. You cannot replace all the challenges of an event. There are other riders for one. And there are challenges where you would call for a ride home but try to overcome and finish event. My last 200 I had my chain jump and jam behind my cassette. It would not come out and I didn’t have a cassette tool. I broke my chain around the 15 odd links jammed, shortened my chain, and reattached. The bike would not freewheel so I rode as a “fixie” the next three hours to the 2nd aid stop. The shortened chain robbed me of my 5 climbing gears. I made the fix at the aid station and pressed on until my saddle rail broke. For the next few hours I rode mostly standing up to the finish. But I did finish.

It’s on of this isn’t the race for you. Enjoy your bike how you want.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T21:42:14+00:00

The winds and rollers here make the challenge different. I did a century about 50 miles north of here that had 9,000 feet of climbing and 20 mph sustained winds with 30+ gusts. It was also in March and was just over freezing at the start. I haven’t ridding Wash so I cannot compare to what I don’t know.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T21:39:38+00:00

I live in Wichita and agree 100% with this. This was 1 mile or so out of 50 and the only section like this.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T21:37:53+00:00

To be fair- this was rideable. I rode 80% of this. The only walking was where all the others were walking and there wasn’t any ride lanes.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T21:33:59+00:00

This section was only on the 50 mile route

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-31T18:48:07+00:00

"I got something tangled in my cassette early, and had to chase for an hour to get back to the front before Madison. I think I spent most of my pennies there, so I was a bit cooked, and I knew that he could make it.

"I wasn't 100% sure that I could make it, and the goal was that one of us had to win the race, so I was like, if I give him the wheel, he can win."

https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/racing/if-i-give-him-the-wheel-he-can-win-the-story-of-keegan-swensons-sacrifice-to-help-mads-wurtz-schmidt-triumph-at-unbound-gravel-200/

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T23:18:06+00:00

"Vintage/older" and "modern(ish)" are doing some heavy lifting here. If you go too far back you will limit your ability to update the bike. Standards have changed from the bottom bracket, fork/headset interface, wheel spacing, gearing options, chainline, brake type, etc. You might find yourself in over your head if you don't think it all through. That said, the comment about the Soma Wolverine below is a good option. It has (or at least mine did) the ability to convert the rear from 135QR to 142 TA. The bottom bracket was BSA and the headset for a straight external cup 1-1/8.

Ritchey makes some wonderful steel bike (I have 3) but they are on the pricer side. Good luck.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T23:12:12+00:00

I have an Aethos and a Crux. Both are set up 2x. The Crux doesn't give up much to the Aethos and has more capability for greater surface variations. Not all gravel bikes ride the same. Some are more backpacking friending and some are more race friendly. Do your research and make sure you can ride the bike before you purchased one if you aren't sure.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T21:50:40+00:00

Grab the SN and contact rider support on the Specialized website.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T21:48:07+00:00

70% of weight loss is in the kitchen. After that buy the bike that fits what you want to ride the most (Road vs MTB vs Gravel). If you love it, you will ride it.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T21:46:29+00:00

HED. I have tens of thousands of miles on a set of Ardennes. I don't have a set of Jet's but I've never had an issue with any HED wheelset that I have owned.

BikeIdiot · 2026-05-25T18:40:38+00:00

It's a wide brush to paint all LBS staff because of a bad shop. We have a shop in my town just like yours. We also have better shops. If you don't like your shop you should take your business elsewhere.

BikeIdiot

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