What’s going to be the benefit of having tape in that spot? Its an hourish race so I doubt they are going to the pit to pull it off.
Agree with the aerobars. I had tried one of the smaller mini-ones leading up to Unbound but didn’t find it very comfortable or something I could hold for a long time so took it off before Unbound. Full size aerobars definitely would be the way to go and that’s predominantly what I saw people using on the course. Following some people using them, you could see their speed kick up immediately they got into position on them.
While certain parts of the course were chunky and rocky, it seemed those sections were pretty well defined and you knew when you were in them and the hits weren’t unexpected. In contrast, a lot of the other roads were quite smooth and there didn’t seem to be a ton of sudden potholes or other things that might knock you off balance on aerobars, at least that was my impression. A course like Big Sugar seemed to have way more unexpected potholes and things where I would be more worried about aerobars.
When I did it in 2019, I tried the mini-ones as well and hated the position. Not comfortable and would have been worse than not having them.
Opted for full-size aero bars and the fit was significantly better.
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Here’s what happened to many of those riders who had been expected to be near the top of the results list, yet had mishaps that sent them tumbling down the standings or out of the race altogether.
- Lauren De Crescenzo - barbed wire and shredded tyres (DNF)
- Piotr Havik - rear gear broke off after mud section (DNF)
- Payson McElveen - back spasms, withdrew early and ended up delivering insightful live race updates on social media from roadside instead (DNF)
- Brendan Johnston - post-mud mechanical issues (DNF)
- Nathan Haas - post-mud mechanical issues that even stream bike washes and amusement at the irony of wearing aero socks could not overcome (DNF)
- Amity Rockwell - fell back to 41st after mud section and pulled out for undisclosed reasons after mile 166 time check (DNF)
- Adam Blazevic - caught behind in mud, solo chase back into top 20 before having to pull pin (DNF)
- Justine Barrow - survived mud into strong chase group but crashed at 137km (DNF)
- Tasman Nankervis - made it to front selection after mud but then got six flats, lost a shoe and rode final 40km unable to shift gear but still finished (61st)
- Mattia De Marchi - a few mechanical issues, but ‘no excuses’ (41st)
- Ivar Slik - broken rear derailleur and cable after 20km but pushed through (36th place)
- Matt Beers - obstacles, bad luck and puncture but chased back (11th place)
- Paige Onweller - mechanical early led to abandon (DNF)
- John Kariuki - in the men’s lead group after an early crash and after mile 79 had stomach issues (22nd place)
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These events are so weird. Half the people never want to come back. Other half eat it up
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Good advance planning. Strong effort to pull that off 
As I was pushing my bike through that grass, I was thinking the same thing!
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Apparently this was controversial enough for the race promoter to tell “Argentina” to stick to road. Some thin skin from the Unbound folks on IG, she wasn’t even really complaining.
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Dang. That response was pretty cringe. And a lot heavier on the mansplain than I’d expect when half that couple is involved in promoting the growth of the sport to women 
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Kimo Seymour said this year’s finish rate was 75%. they must have included the 25 and 50 milers who didn’t go through the mud.
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Looks like it was bad even when the lead group went through
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Can you share a link or what was said? I’m not seeing it.
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Is that the race promoter? I ask because I googled it and it looks like it’s the name of a clothing store? Either way, total dick move.
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I honestly don’t understand this world any more. Someone tells a woman “don’t be a weak ass bitch” and people cheer for it. We’ve gone straight down the toilet.
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She won last year … it’s not like she can’t handle Unbound FFS.
Saying people shouldn’t have to walk though miles of bike-destroying mud and aid stations shouldn’t run out of water isn’t exactly a controversial hot take.
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Welp….guess that settles any desire I have to go back to that race anytime soon.
You’d think that after everything that happened with the the previous promoter, they’d learn to just keep their mouths shut on stuff like this.
And no, a trail bike getting mired down in the mud is not “epic”….it is emblematic of how stoopid it was for them to leave that section in.
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I have no problem with people arguing either side of “mud is awesome/mud sucks”. I have a major problem with talking to a woman (or anyone) that way. Agree with her or not, that’s fine. Calling her names, swearing, publicly insulting her, etc., is out of line. I hope Lifetime takes note. They’re investing a lot of money. Is that the image they want?
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I’m not certain that the IG account mohnstandard is the race director or affiliated with the race director. Could be wrong but looks more like it’s for The Gravel House and a clothing company
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