Unbound Gravel test: Time ADHX 45, Castelli hydration bladder jersey and more

[@lheppler]

I love all the informational content, but the best part of the video was watching Ben fumble a bit with the tire plugs and flat repair, because we ALL fumble it a bit. It’s never as smooth as you think it’s going to be. Either you can’t find the hole very easily, or the plug comes out of the inserter when you push, or you don’t twist the co2 al the way on. Usually all three. Thanks for keeping it real.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

The struggle is real! 😅

[@ZenEndurance]

Absolutely love Ben's small pauses when he talks. I do the same thing. Thinks before he speaks. Slower pace makes his channel calming and more... intelligent. ;)

[@addingonbird1]

Loved the real time puncture fix. It's such a terrible feeling watching everyone pass and you took it in stride. Nice video

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

I often joke before events that either I'll have a good race or get a good video. Haha. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jmins-o4docsocal]

Valtteri Bottas...totally cool! Good ole days at Mercedes with him and Lewis.

[@Danyenbici]

I went to Unbound from Mexico, it was a pleasure meeting and having a quick chat with you! Amazing content and videos!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Good to meet you there in the expo. How did your race go?

[@Danyenbici]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney I did it just in time for the Midnight club, went in at 23:59 haha, but at least I finished my first atempt. Now I know how to prepare for next years Beat the sun club 💪🏻

[@jmscheel]

I followed Alex Howes advice and went bigger….47’s….and in the endurance casing. No flats. Would have gone 50 but couldn’t find any. Love hearing about your hits and misses. Had a chuckle on the 1/2 mounted seat bag. 😂. Good to see you in Emporia.

[@GhostTrainPhoto]

The funny thing is, you probably filmed this while I was still out on the 100 mile course. My first century, so not being too hard on myself for taking FOREVER. Hoping I'll be faster at the FoCo Fondo 100. Great video as always! You were one of the culprits that got me to sign up for something silly like Unbound.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Doing Unbound as your first century is pretty much the hardest possible way to start. Ooph! Way to get it done! 🤝 FoCo will be much smoother. Plus, you know, there’s a slip n slide… See you there.

[@stefancremer4615]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this chat about your race. I too enjoy those technical deep dives and considerations of what worked and didn’t work so well after a big ride / race.

[@WayneCouyon]

I've just done a, let's say all-road race with about 15 miles of very rough stuff on my ADHX (not 45) with Bora WTO 45s + René Herse Bon Jons (35 mm). They told us there's gonna be some bad sections, but didn't expect this, so I ended up going on my Time and not on my Look 765 Gravel. That basically took tires out of the equitation when it comes to determining how the bike feels over rocks, potholes and whatnot. To my surprise, I didn't feel beaten up. Obviously it wasn't a magic carpet ride, but many of the other riders choosing a "wrong" bike looked pretty beat up at the second aid station, so I will give at least some credit to the frame :).

[@flamencoguru]

Great videos as always. What I really appreciate about you and your channel is your ability to laugh in adverse situations. Bad things will happen, but you might as well great them with a smile on your face!

[@stefanodirector]

Nice work Ben, entertaining as always. Now, since you got me on Schwalbes G-One RS and on Fastcat TA, how about a deeper assessment of those DTSwiss GRC 1100 Dicut 50mm? I'm in the market for some faster wheels for my gravel racer and they are, among others, on the wish-list, the 1600gr weights though is a bit of cold shower, but 180 or 240 hubs are gold standard, if only Zipp had better hubs ... Keep up the good work and come back to Tuscany!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks, Stefano. And yes, a standalone video on the GRC 1100 is coming up. I wanted to do a video before Unbound, but ran out of time.

[@papaduck1000]

Also really enjoyed his honest and unscripted coverage of the whole experience

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Ben, glad you were down to two flats. It gives me confidence to stay tuned and know I'm hearing from an expert. 😀

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

One flat, two plugs. And yes, my flat-repair certificate is still current...

[@BrianRPaterson]

Ben keeps popping up everywhere. I caught him on the bike radar podcast yesterday. Now this! Looking forward to an update on the Assioma Pro MX pedals -- definitely on my list of "love to haves."

[@PederNestingen]

I was hoping to see the shots you took looking back on the entire field. I saw you pop your hand up in the front of the field a few times. At first, I thought, "why is that guy putting his hand up??!!" By the third time, I realized you were capturing some content! But where is it??!!😊Congrats on your ride! Hope you enjoyed it!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

That was me trying to tell the group, 'slow down!' :-) The footage is in the video. Did you watch it? I don't use everything, of course - just the useful bits.

[@oldanslo]

I wish I had a flat 2 hrs in. Instead my right Shimano GRX mechanical shifter quit moving so I had to 2 spd it for the next 2 and a half hours to the aid station. Shimano Neutral Service did replace my broken shifter and got me back on the road with all the gears! Would have been an even more brutal day otherwise.

[@galenkehler]

Tire liners yes, but what about suspension? Proper suspension can reduce the peak forces your wheels experience during impacts, which could make the difference when you're in the pack and not able to see what you're hitting

[@EmmanuelNataf]

Knowing your L/R power can be useful to fine-tune your fit and detect or prevent injuries (say if your balance starts changing). Not crucial indeed though.

[@jasonwright606]

Is the ADHX 45 fork also made by Time and using RTM? Thanks Ben. Good stuff.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

It is, yes.

[@n22pdf]

Great info Ben and review of the products used 😊well done on the event buddy.. Pete 🚴🏻👍

[@bloddyelbow8043]

Hello from Germany Thanx for your content always cool 💪🏽

[@lazlo2511]

.. I see this year, you took your Time.😜 You need to be Dynaplug brand ambassador bro.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Shoot, I would be happy to rep them. And I do go through a bunch of their stuff, between flat tires and just losing Racer tools and such... Ha ha.

[@robertleever7616]

Next time you flat, put the plug in and then rotate the wheel so the plug is at the bottom where all the sealant pools up..... and will seal around the plug. Maybe you did that but it didn't come though in the video. Keep these videos coming!

[@edgerat]

I went to Assioma dual-SHI because I needed more stance width, they just plain work!

[@arpeggi2999]

You the best Ben.

[@EvidenceofaFabulousLife]

Hi Ben, nice video as ever! Who makes the bar end dyna plug you have please? I only need one as I have the Di2 11 speed in the other end. Thank you!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thank you. Those are the Cover Drop models from Dynaplug. They ain't cheap! Installation is a little tricky is that you need to use their super-short allen key to tighten the set screws. But they should last a while. I managed to loose one... somewhere in Nebraska during a shoot or maybe in transit. So - make sure they're screwed in tight! shop.dynaplug.com/products/dynaplug%C2%AE-covert-drop

[@EvidenceofaFabulousLife]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney thank you Ben, also for the link and the advice. 😉

[@bluedagger46]

Been riding the 45C Overlands for about 2 months now. Bought them for the combination of speed and puncture resistance. Really dislike how they feel, tough and unforgiving until you go very low pressure at which they become slow and feel draggy. Have now puncture on them a few times and want to switch

There's not much that can destroy the Overlander, so the surface must have been really brutal this year at Unbound. I was running the 50 mm Overlanders this past winter and abused them a lot, very heavy and somewhat sluggish tire in ideal conditions and easy surfaces but handles underbiking really well and it's the best "mount and forget" tire for people who just want to ride all year round on one wheelset and are not treating their gravel bike as just "a bit more comfy road bike". I'm running some zippier rubber now but if I ever get to doing abikepacking race they are going back on in no time.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

A big piece of the flat equation is being in a group and not being able to really see or pick your line - you're kinda flying blind. All of my flats over the years have been when still in the front group - whether 200 or 100 - and then once I fix it and start going again in smaller groups where I can see better, I've never had another flat. (Knock wood.)

[@pl4free]

What's with the overland all of a sudden?! Did Schwalbe overproduce and want to sell some?! All the reviews kind of say the tire is rough and sluggish and one year ago everybody was on the RS or R, now all of a sudden they're not tough enough?! The Terreno Dry is not particularly tough and is the Vittoria version of the RS (though Vittoria did it first) and Lachy didn't have any problems... Anyway, quite interesting that this year, people race on a tire meant for commuters and bike-packing adventures.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Schwalbe was out there a few days ahead of the event, and many of their riders were flatting or even tearing sidewalls on portions of the north course. So they recommended the burlier Overland. The last time I did the north course was in the 200 on the R - and I flatted basically in the same spot! ~25miles in when it went from wide open roads to chunky two-track.

[@pl4free]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney thx for taking the time to answer.

[@lexington476]

What does paying for the Aid Station get you? I would have always thought that the eight station was included in the overall price. I haven't done this race, I'm only asking.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

At most races aid stations are included, which is probably why I spaced it last year. The aid at Unbound is pretty standard - water and hydration mix, snacks, gels. You can also have a crew of friends or family meet you at the one (for the 100) or two (for the 200) checkpoints.

[@lexington476]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney what do you get extra for the paid aid stations?

[@oldanslo]

​@@lexington476You also get a number to call if something goes terribly wrong to go get you and bring you back to the start.

[@bengt_axle]

With the massive clearance on modern gravel bikes, do you think 650B as a gravel wheel will disappear from the market, just as rim brakes have?

[@simonfarr8670]

it * might * stick around for a few manufacturers, as a better fit for very small riders. but as head angles get slacker & chainstays longer, small people may still be able to fit the wagon wheels.

[@tjb8841]

It’s already dead in the water. How many new bikes tout 650b compatibility? How many tires are available in 650b, especially bigger than 47mm?

[@bengt_axle]

@@tjb8841 Some manufacturers (e.g. Panorama Cycles) offer the choice at time of purchase. The frame is compatible with both. The main advantage I see is that you can make the chainstay shorter which makes a better "all road" bike, which could be used with 700CX30 and 650B X47. For shorter riders, a smaller wheel also allows for a less slack head tube.

[@tjb8841]

I should clarify: I like 650b. It just seems that in both mtb and gravel, it is becoming less common. One reason I know, is that I have been putting new tires on my family’s gravel bikes. I have a set of both 700c and 650b wheels for my Warbird, and there are very few options in the 650b size, especially in the new tires coming out. Especially when you see that most racers were on 40-55mm tires for in 700c this year, where are the 50 and 55 mm tires in 650b?

[@tinofarinho]

Nice vídeo, as usual! Which handlebar are you using in this video? Thanks

[@joejohnston471]

Solid content!! Arundle cages? Did you hit the plug with a little air? If so why? Thanks

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

PRO cages - just because Shimano built up that test bikes (and thus the stem, saddle and bar from PRO). The first plug didn’t quite seal the hole, so I was trying to smush it into the tire with the co2 head. 🤷‍♂️

[@MountainGravel]

Thanks for sharimg the deets. Can you share the Tall boy bottle source and the bar end dyna plug system that you prefer?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

They are Elite Fly bottles. They are biodegradable and come in three sizes. They are super thin so they feel different than a normal plastic bottle - and you can easily squeeze them to chug your drink. Just make sure the cap is on tight... You can buy them from First Endurance for 20% with my code - THERIDE - or get one free with an order of nutrition with that 20% off. firstendurance.com/collections/gear/products/elite-fly-team-bottle Dynaplug products you can buy direct: shop.dynaplug.com/products/dynaplug%C2%AE-covert-drop

[@cyclingmd]

Ben, how big of a tire could you have run in the rear without getting uncomfortably close to the front derailleur on the new GRX?

[@MrBazsi888]

Suspension fork could be connected to this adhx frame?

[@tjb8841]

My beef with press fit, besides potential creaking, is that I can’t swap out the bottom bracket, at home, with a few quick turns of a simple, small, cheap tool.

[@jasonwright606]

Maybe the chest mount thing could have a few holes or slots through it to provide a little more ventilation, maybe :-)

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Not a bad idea. May need to dig the drill out...

[@pandatactical4530]

Unbound 100 last year, Unbound 200 this year on Maxis Ramblers (45mm) no flats yet.

[@Silidons91]

I literally couldn't get the air liners out of my road bike wheel - it actually cracked my carbon wheel, using the tool you can purchase from vittoria that pinches the tire. Installing it is quiet easy - having to change a tire on the other hand, goodluck. It literally made me go back to tubes.

[@kubackjeee]

now U smarter and don't use tubeless and liners on road.

[@edrcozonoking]

You do get seen to get a lot of flats. I find most flats at Unbound happen when you can't see/choose your line.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Much of that can be attributed to him being a heavier rider

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Agreed on both counts! 😅 As I posted elsewhere, I've only flatted at Unbound when in the front group (both 200 and 100) when I'm flying blind. Then, after repairing, I've proceeded on for another 50 to 175 miles without issue - and I definitely attribute that to being in a smaller group or solo and being able to see better.

[@chrisjong8412]

Great video 👍

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks 👍

[@papaduck1000]

V cool bike stand

[@markreams3192]

See ya at FoCo!

[@jkevincarmichael253]

Ben curious as to your advice.....Crux vs ADHX 45 or something else on the racier end of the gravel spectrum? (Looking for a little more speed than my Moots RSL)

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Of those three, the Crux is far and away the lightest and liveliest feeling. For more speed? Aero wheels and high-end rubber like the G-One RS would probably make more of a difference than another frame. Or a motor... 😀

[@jkevincarmichael253]

Thanks for your thoughts Ben…a motor or a time machine to take me back 40 years would clearly be of benefit!

[@sidehustleshortfilms6704]

The Garmin 830 has given me bogus low shifter battery warnings on my AXS. Especially in the cold.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Interesting. Checked against the SRAM app?

[@WayneCouyon]

Got the same problem with my Garmin 830 and Varia. Constant low battery false alarm.

[@sidehustleshortfilms6704]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Yeah, that's how I knew the shifter battery was actually fine. It hasn't happened since the weather got warmer. Forgot about it until you mentioned a similar situation in this video.

[@guspachio4977]

Guessing a size large frame on Time adhx 45?

[@siy01]

So are the 12speed GRX shifters an improvement in ergonomics over their predecessor or a step backwards? Wasn't clear from the video. Personally I think they look worse than the 11speeds.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Like all ergonomics and aesthetics, that kinda depends on the person. The knobs of the hoods are definitely fatter.

[@siy01]

@TheRidewithBenDelaney So do you think there's any improvement ergonomically over their 5 year old predecessor? 🤔

[@vindogg80]

Long term, the assiomas click and move. I'm dealing with it on their road pedals now.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Bah! Bummer. Sorry to hear it but thanks for sharing.

[@vindogg80]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney power still reads great, i just think I unfortunately need to send them back for a factory service which isn’t ideal being in Italy. They’ve heard up great for a few seasons though!

[@robertoatess1362]

Did you use two plugs? It seemed you punctured the tire twice with the tool?

[@kubackjeee]

I've used L/R to justify lowering my saddle 😂 does not look that good but now I get less saddle sores and L/R is finally 50/50

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Interesting!

[@kubackjeee]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney yep it also helped me to dial the perfect position for my cleats. Other then that I don't see any other use case of this 😅

[@Under_Foot]

What saddle is that?

[@kyleweck2695]

Anyone know where to find those tall bottles from?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

They are Elite Fly bottles. You can buy them from First Endurance for 20% with my code - THERIDE - or get one free with an order. firstendurance.com/collections/gear/products/elite-fly-team-bottle

[@kyleweck2695]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney sweet! Thanks!

[@jeremysweeten2792]

WTH?? You have to pay extra for aid stations? What has happened?

[@terrillford7784]

Damn two flats and still a top 25

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

One flat - two plugs. How was the bowling tournament?

[@terrillford7784]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney tied for 5th, then took 7th in a ball bowl off

[@terrillford7784]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney passing thru your area tomorrow to go hike the mountains

[@stevenpike7530]

Excellent review free of the usual shill stupidity…I’m in…congrats.

[@danielrussell9416]

CO2 and a pump, plugs and tubes, belt and suspenders.

[@chrisbenten9971]

4 liters for the entire 100 miles?? I drink that much in 50...or less. Hotter in Texas though.... And I am bigger and not as fast.

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Depends on the time more than the distance, right? Last year after walking in the mud forever I definitely needed to stop and refill.

[@GravelRacer1]

Note to self: stick with Pathfinder.

[@channul4887]

s-works 42 or pro's?

[@GravelRacer1]

@channul4887 I used pro's for the 100. Zero issues. Not even a nick or scratch.

[@channul4887]

@@GravelRacer1 nice one, which size?

[@generalruler]

why is she wearing a helmet ?

[@MrSzwarz]

I got my 2023 Time Alepe d'Huea road, and after Focus Cayo disc I have to admit (I rode also titanium and other carbon frame bikes) that TIMe frame sis extremely comfortable I rear end,having all alloy components:wheels DT Swiss 1600, handle bar Prime, and Dedazero seat post. I would't add any carbon components, simply no need for this frame. British roads are the worst ever. Press Fit is the best you can have in the motor industry, and bikes. TIME will not change it because their olerances are up to 0.000mm. Nomne of other brands are even close to it, and cosntaly changing BB standards.

[@michaeltalles2239]

This is the most geeked out …ultra white geeky sport ever created…at least in gold they make a ton of money. This sport is a joke with all the gear and 5K bikes

[@bobfoster687]

Cleavage camera?