Bike modifications for Unbound Gravel 2023

[@danielrussell9416]

You can run aero bars at Unbound. It's only the elite 200 where they are prohibited.

[@edrcozonoking]

He's gonna wish he had them again😂

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Doh! Clearly, I was not paying close enough attention. Thanks for the correction.

[@danielrussell9416]

You still have time to put some on. I will keep an eye out for you, I live in Emporia. Good luck.

[@tecapparatus]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney post ride review of Black Inc aero bar, please before I blow another $800 :) for my Ostro... if you can get them...

[@EmmanuelNataf]

@@tecapparatus interested in that review too!

[@CeramicSpeed]

Thanks for the visit, Ben! Best of luck at Unbound - see you out there!

[@oldguyandabike]

Man, I love the real-ness of your style...if that is a word. Have a great event.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Realness is a word, and certainly something I strive for. Cheers.

[@fredrichards3998]

Best wishes for unbound.

[@benconnor4848]

Good luck Ben! Looking forward to the ride video

[@JonathanBusko]

Looking forward to the bike review. Best of luck at U-B Ben!

[@chasepalpatine170]

Good luck! Have fun!

[@SchwalbeBikeTires]

Thanks for that insight Ben! We're glad to see you on those successfully tried and tested RS tires 👌Best of luck 💙

[@86309]

they are good! now Schwalbe make some RS's in 48 -50 PLEASE!!!! My Lauf Seigla is begging for some bigger than 45!

[@hmwelch99]

Good luck! Enjoyed your preview.

[@stevekelly6544]

Schwalbe brings the supple- never had a flat on my Schwalbes so far either, running them on two bikes currently- I’ve liked every tire of theirs I’ve tried, they’re a good company.

[@fbonde]

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting insights from Ceramicspeed. Thanks, Ben :)

[@texdubbo]

Good luck for Unbound !

[@gellertsamel9105]

just found your channel, I love your videos :)

[@joe_h_1775]

Enjoyed the overview of your set up, especially the DynaPlug handle bar plugs. Hopefully the bike industry visits can continue, informative. Great videos and review method.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thank you. And yes, I will keep going to see companies, especially local ones.

[@jabrobbins]

Third last year with a flat is impressive! Looking forward to your coverage and having FOMO after participating last year.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thank you. That FOMO might turn to relief depending on the weather Saturday...

[@robbchastain3036]

I am happy for you, Ben, that you get to run the 100 at Unbound, woohoo. Just be sure to win so we know you are a serious gravel host! No pressure! 😀

[@brennansquad]

This dude is cool

[@gavinmurray2848]

Looking forward to your honest opinion on the bike 👍🏻

[@markreams3192]

I have the Silca Tattico pump. The mount bolts under the water bottle cage and is the most secure mount that I’ve seen. It’s so good that if I’m not in a hurry, I leave the CO2 in the bag.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

That's a strong endorsement. I appreciate that, as I'm in the market for one now.

[@RF-gj3uz]

You should definitely give it a look. I have the same pump and it's fantastic. Very secure mount and it has a locking chuck so you have much less air loss when you remove it.

[@lazlo2511]

Enjoy it, and let’s see those flat Skills working for the good… if it comes to that but you’ve prepared well this year. I’d take a small older tire patch for that bad cut which you can’t plug. You know, that’s Plan J ( also known as Just Incase).

[@jms493]

Informative video. Thanks for sharing. Good luck out there. Hope the forecast changes.

[@JoeCincotta307]

Quality content, as always. Best of luck at Unbound, Ben !!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks, on both accounts!

[@angelortiz353]

Good luck💪

[@Hintonbro.]

Good luck 👍

[@lloydjarm]

good luck

[@utah1man]

Such a great channel.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks!

[@gerryl8310]

Break a leg! Definitely curious on factor review. Cheers!

[@digerati808]

Funny with the cost of bike stuff these days, I bring C Notes with be to fix a tire gash rather than the accessory tool that costs more than the money used to purchase it.

[@palicar]

Enjoy!

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Great vid Ben and good luck you poor soul riding in the unbound race 🤪I hope you’ve trained in hot n humid weather for at least a week. I live in houston Texas and man the hot humidity sucks all the energy out of you. Even with the rain, it makes your shorts like a wet Baby diaper and after several hours of that, we’ll diaper rash sets in. 😮I’m sure your a pro n can handle it all.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

I'll go stock up on some diaper rash ointment now...

[@alainpfammatter8224]

big fan of the ufo drip. Best lube in my experience

[@teamredog2961]

Great video as always. I am still wondering about the best lube strategy for ultra events. I usually hotwax and then top of with drip wax (Silca, Mariposa etc) the problem is you have to relube around 50-60m ( as mentioned by UFO). Of course the wax will fling off as it has no chance to dry. Happened again at Sea Otter this year but at least the race was relatively short. So I am rethink my lube. Maybe go back to something like SCC/ Wolftooth. What is everyone else doing?

[@Mountainbiking100]

Wolf tooth for any off road event, just keeps the chain humming along. Only the torrential downpours and mud of last years race did I have to relube

[@adamclark8105]

ever looked into the hot wax chain dip applications?

[@davidarthur]

How many GoPros have you got man!

[@glassacre]

David you should come here to race Unbound one year. Would make for great content! 😁

[@johnhill2446]

Great review… I have a 100mm stem on my Ostro road bike , would you recommend going for a shorter stem on the Ostro gravel set up ie. 90mm for comfort and handling ?

[@shirtlessGraveler305]

I’m curious as how your ceramic speed bottom bracket will hold up perhaps with going through mud or puddles or rivers or creeks and any water intrusion. I only have a ceramic speed bottom bracket on my road bike which is always the cleanest bike and I don’t ride in the rain or mud, my mountain bike and my gravel bike do not have ceramic speed bottom brackets or pulleys even though I love the whole frictionless idea and science behind it but I don’t wanna do more maintenance, so I’m wondering please give us some feedback to see if you have to service the bottom bracket after your event

[@CeramicSpeed]

Hey David, Glad to hear that you have a BB on your Road Bike! Regarding how the BB fares in wet, muddy, and generally challenging conditions, we can share that Brennan Wertz, Adam Roberge, Dylan Johnson, Mattia de Marchi (just to name a few) are putting our BBs through all kinds of hardship on the pro gravel circuit - and in MTB you could check out Cannondale Factory Racing and the Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro team, that likewise push our BBs (and bearings in general) to their very limits. So far, to great success. But let's see how Ben gets along with it - hopefully he'll enjoy the same security in its ability to perform in harsh conditions as the pros.

[@86309]

Ben, with the sharp pointed Dyna plugs , have you ever punctured your tubeless tape sticking it in the tire, if the tire was very low on air?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Not that I'm aware of. Some other folks have said that the bullet tips are something to be aware of if and when you have to put a tube in.

[@grantventer]

Hi Ben - trust you had a good day at the office yesterday. I'm about to buy the Factor Gravel in white and was wondering how you found it at a high level and colour? Cheers and really enjoy your channel.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Hi Grant. Stay tuned for my test video. I filmed it after the race and started editing it on the drive back to Colorado. Will have it up by Tuesday.

[@grantventer]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks Ben - looking forward to it

[@JFomo]

Good luck this year Ben, looking forward to seeing your videos, please remember to charge your devices 😅 Get some Ketone IQ

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Always be charging.

[@silitch]

will you use foam tire inserts?

[@allantimm2003]

Have a question ….. am new to gravel racing and have just bought an Sworks Crux which came with a 10x44 with a 40 on the front. I am thinking of changing the front to a 42 or 44 but am nervous of having a one to one ratio (44/44) on the climbs, what are your thought’s?

[@props651]

what kind of cleaner did he say he was using for the chain?

[@glassacre]

How do those Schwalbe tubes compare to the Tubelitos? Need to get one for a future saddle bag.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Similar. The latest/tiniest Tubolitos are about the third the size.

[@glassacre]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney awesome, thanks!

[@neil78]

Good luck! Was the Factor bike a specific choice for this race or was it just next in line to be reviewed?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

I have wanted to test a Factor for some time, and a number of subscribers have asked about it. As it is definitely on the far race end of gravel - aero seatpost! - I was/am curious about how it feels on a course like Unbound. So a little of both, I guess.

[@neil78]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney if there’s anything responsible for an Unbound win, it will be that seatpost! 😂

[@thomaskuhn6541]

Good luck at unbound. Don't sell yourself short, your brain is plenty big.

[@silitch]

how did ceramic speed clean the cassette cogs?

[@dennisviquez7636]

Sir are you going to be doing a podcast any time soon?

[@edmondniederman7836]

Hi Ben! I just received my Ostro Gravel, and I was wondering if a crown race had to be installed on the fork, or if it is integrated? I cant get a hold of Factor to give me a solid answer.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Hmm, honestly I don’t remember! Lemme ask.

[@edmondniederman7836]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thank you!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

From Factor: “No, there is no headset crown race required on an Ostro Gravel fork. Only the DT and Fox forks we use on our mtb's use a traditional crown race.”

[@maritimezombie7684]

Ive asked this on another channel, are the Redshift kitchen sink bars with enduro loop legal for pro riders?

[@joecalarco2227]

Do you ever use inserts?

[@massiccio1969]

Mai provate le tufo 700/40? Io monto all' anteriore lo speedero, e al posteriore il thundero!

[@fukairen9601]

Hi what saddle bag you are using? looks really fit!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Hi. It's this Castelli bag: alnk.to/9mmeNDB There's also a Mini version.

[@matthewteichmann3171]

Do i spot a Mosaic x Radavist x TPC GT2 on the wall?!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Good eyes.

[@matthewteichmann3171]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney lucky lucky! Might be cream of the crop of dream bikes for me 🤙

[@ambulowan]

How stiff is the frame/bike?

[@brian-bp7gk]

The Factor Ostro Gravel was not on your top 5 gravel bikes list a few weeks ago. Why would you ride a bike for 200 miles that you don't like, at least in your top 5? Or was this not one of the 50 you tested for your review? Are you going to give the bike a review comparing this to your top 5 if you did not test it before your last review?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

I rode it to test it because I hadn’t ridden a Factor before.

[@brian-bp7gk]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks for the clarification. Can't wait for the review.

[@Dr.Schlitz]

Expensive ceramic headset bearings have to be one of the dumbest things ever. Headset bearings don’t impact your riding speed!

[@ralphmartinez8616]

Your a nice guy but ceramic speed?!?! Lol. No thanks