$1.33 per gel for individual packets
A little cheaper if you buy the 15-serving pouch.
Not as cheap as maple syrup. But come in more flavors so you can dial in what you like best.
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S-works pathfinder pros back in stock. Iām going to pass and wait for the regular pathfinder pros to come back in stock. I like the extra rubber vs. the s-works.
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Thanks! Might buy a set of these too, to run in my Open for other gravel races this year (SBT, Foco Fondo etc)
Between 2 pairs of the 47mm pathfinders and a pair of these, Spesh is taking lots of my money this week.
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I have a pair of 38s, and a pair of 47s. Now just need the 42s to complete the set!
Iāll run either the 42s or 47s at Unbound. And either the 38s or 42s at SBT.
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Almost pulled the trigger on thoseā¦ā¦but then I remembered that they really arenāt a great tire for most of the gravel riding I do around here (hard pack w/ kitty litter on top). They just feel too sketchy transitioning into turns until you hook the side knobs / tread up.
I ran the 38ās last year at SBT and they were the perfect tire for that race, IMO.
Time to start over analyzing the emails including this morsel about the XL course:
a bit of a redesign to this yearās course to make it a bit moreā¦āadventurous.ā Make sure to bring your hydration packs and frame bags.
Are we to infer there will be fewer stops or that there will just be more adventure between them? 
Oof! Canāt wait!
When did you get that email? Iāve got nothing new from them!
About an hour ago.
tl;dr basically same courses as last year
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I read this as same basic course as last year with some alterations to include more private roads. Whatever worked for you last year is probably a good choice for you this year too.
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I was just talking to my girlfriend about this (who is not a cyclist), and she asked if I would be doing a practice 16h ride in preparation. My initial inclination was no; I think Iāve heard the TR guys talk about how the returns diminish after 5-6 h, and you should consider doing back to back 6 h days if you want to simulate carrying that fatigue. I never did any long rides in preparation for Leadville, but this is going to be much longer. Any thoughts on long simulation rides?
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On podcast with last years XL winner I believe he said the longest he did was 3 consecutive 6 hour days. Might be worth hunting down that podcast for some tips
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Now just need last years cooler weather minus the rain
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@TooManyDogs you mean this one?
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Yes. Thatās the one
Iām doing the 200 but still useful to listen to XL people tips
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You are going to get mixed opinions on this but Iām definitely in the camp of doing long rides when you can. They donāt have to be as long as Unbound will take you, but getting in some 7 - 8 hour rides is going to be of benefit, be it for fitness, working out your nutrition, or just seeing how you feel on your bike for that long. But you have to factor this into your training plan. If you follow a 3 weeks on, 1 week off model, then hitting the big ride at the end of your block heading into rest week is an ideal time.
The back to back days are also very valuable. While two back to back 5 hour rides are still a bit different than a single 10 hour ride, they are going to be easier to do and still provide a lot of benefit. If you start to feel really fatigued on the second day of back to backs, you can always cut the ride a bit shorter as you build up the fatigue resistance.
If you have the time, get some of the longer rides in. There arenāt short cuts with cycling endurance. Put the work in and you will be rewarded.
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If youāve done Leadville, you know what to expect for long rides in terms of nutrition and pacing.
The biggest difference with Unbound I think is the different bike. Need to make sure your setup is comfortable for 16 hrs. So worth doing some long rides on your Unbound bike. 6-7 hrs should give you a good perspective on if your bike is sufficiently comfortable.
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Those are delicious, similar macros to Clif Z-Bars - they taste like dessert.
Yeah, I bought a box after I posted the above.
Not bad, but a little dry on the bike
How did I miss this post!? Anyway, first timer, got lottery for 200, will be in the dorms.
Goal: would love to beat the sun, but more than likely finishing in the dark.
Pathfinder pro 42s, Riding a Checkpoint. (Normally I use Rene Herse Hurricane Ridgeās.)
Aiming to carry saddlebag, toptube bag (munchies, plus cigar battery for Garmin), camelbak chase (more munchies, extras), 2 bottles (1L each) and a tools bottle where I can stash more things I likely wonāt need! Talking myself out of aerobars, 'cause they scare me best of times never mind on gravel, and if they rattle it would drive me nuts.
Trainingā¦ride till my seat wears out! Iām on AI training and replacing the VO2 Max rides with sweetspot workouts because I hate VO2 Max efforts and Iām not going to win anything (plus my achilles injury doesnāt like it). This worked fine for the 200km races. Mostly 99% indoors at the moment because of crappy weather in Vancouver (BC).
Largest rides? Last year I did the Okanagan Graveller (200km) and The Rift (200km)ā¦on my 50thā¦and a bunch of local gravel races (Triple Crown of Gravel). One of my goto outdoor training rides is about 110km, which I ride in the morning, get home, quick snack, and ride it again. I leave a cooler inside at the front door with refills for everything I need. Iāll ride another 100km next day as I get āusedā to this effort, and it practices nutrition, and checkpoint changeover times (aiming for 5-10mins max).
And of course since Iām putting all this training in, why not do the Seattle to Portland 200miler event later in the year, same day.
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