yes, I think under these harsh circumstances a belt drive with internal hub gears would make you A LOT faster. Not in the clean first 5 kilometers. But soon as the mud is on the chain, the belt might have stayed relative clean, and is easy to clean. Also no mud on the gears and many other parts because they are all hidden away. And yes, there are internal hubs with a wider range then chain with cassette
Conor, sorry for the interruption of this video shoot but congratulations on finishing. Wax lube is the answer, I use Smoove. Please come back and see us again in Emorpia.
Yeah..this looks like a good reason for a waxed chain. How about some test data for wax vs lube...mud, pressure wash, more mud, pressure wash, dry dust packed...then tell us what the drivetrain losses are?
Don't believe me. I was convinced to try wax by Chris Horner, Pete Stetina, Dylan Johnson and Kerry Werner, they all have CZcams videos on waxing chains. For data I would check with Silca and Friction Facts, they have been testing for years. Conor used a Silca drip wax at Unbound, my comment was just to confirm that wax was the answer. I live in Emporia so I ride these roads every day. I used Squirt last year and it works great. I am testing Smoove this year and I think I like it even better than Squirt. Next year will be Silca Super Secret. I can also see using a race-day only chain with DuMonde Tech and waxed chains for training. The one lube type everyone says to avoid are dry lubes. Good luck.
Nice looking bike. Top marks for all the mounts, mudguards and panniers. Makes the bike versatile for many purposes (not many people want to do unbound 😅)
2 x 1l bottles, plus 1.5l in the camelback, and it still wasn’t enough.? Conor, do you think the problem was not drinking enough while hike-a-biking through the mud section early on, or just straight up not enough fluid storage.? How would you do it different next time? Either way, mega kudos for recovering from heat exhaustion and finishing Unbound strong! 🤜
My issue was refilling the 2 x 1L bottles with strong carb mix rather than water. Couldn't stomach it in the heat and caused cramps/stomach issues. Really I should have refilled with water/hydration mix... when the real heat hit, I drank my water in no time and the 2L of strong carb mix I had was useless. and thanks!!! Epic event, happy you enjoyed the vid. Conor
I used to take all that shit myself but never used it, because preparation was so good, I might have opted for a 42mm tyre with a tougher casing and the 45psi is a good choice, nice vlog
Pressure can all come down to the riders preference and size. For a race like unbound where you spend most of your time off road, a lower pressure is so helpful! 🙌
Thanks again Conor and crew...did you weigh yourself ? Before and after ? I'm an older...ok , old , runner and I did it once before a marathon . I lost 11 pounds...yeah. I was in shape then , as well . Be careful recovering , massage is HUGE ! I walked like the Tin-man for a bit after Boston !
Wow that is a big weight loss! Shows how important it is to recover and eat well! Conor is taking it easy now, he'll be back hitting it hard soon enough 🙌
@@gcntech it was my first Boston , and the organizers had scales for an experiment for a uni ? at the start and finish and yeah. It was hot
Před rokem
Thanks Conor for those two video! Looking forward to check out the movie! If I was (in my dreams) considering outbound, I know now I’m not ready! Would be interesting to see what camera equipment you had and how many battery. What is your filming strategy on your bike? Thank you
The main thing I'd change is narrower tires with less aggressive tread. I've learned from experience that using wide tires with aggressive tread makes dealing with mud harder. Really clogs up the fork and cakes onto the tires
Yep, definitely underestimated the mud. Hindsight is a beaut, but I'd have gone a little narrower I think with less tread.. only thing is I'd have risked it a little bit on some of the rockier parts of the course
the BIG question is: Did you make it to the Commercial Diner for biscuits and gravy after the ride? 12:22~Yeah the Flint hills are steep but the Smoky Hills are BRUTAL.
I assume the chain was waxed when you started? If not poring a lot of silca super secret wax lube on top of grease is not really very effective. Even if it was a waxed chain - super secret needs to dry before it's useful. Synergetic would have been a better choice. Oh well in that mud it was always going to be a mess anyway.
It's unlikely that anything will need replacing, unless you're taking part in professional sport and really need that 0.1% performance difference you'll get from replacing the slightly worn components. Just needs to be cleaned and it will likely be fine.
I guess 3.5 liters wasn't enough to get you to the second checkpoint. What would you do different next time? Maybe drink a liter while at the first checkpoint instead of rushing through?
Interested in the tyres. Have heard some bad stories about slashes in tyres and having trouble all day, I'm guessing going for lightweight tyres is the problem
Some adventures change us so deeply that we become attached to the scars on our equipment as part of the experience. I have retired items to the ‘pool room’ who earned their place in history and the right to retire peacefully and dirty onto the mantle.
Are there any changes you’d make to Conor’s set-up? 🧐 Let us know in the comments below! 👇
Conor forgot to mention that handy binbag he used. Surely now a GCN Binbag for your merch shop? 😁
yes, I think under these harsh circumstances a belt drive with internal hub gears would make you A LOT faster. Not in the clean first 5 kilometers. But soon as the mud is on the chain, the belt might have stayed relative clean, and is easy to clean. Also no mud on the gears and many other parts because they are all hidden away. And yes, there are internal hubs with a wider range then chain with cassette
Given how muddy the first part of the race was, what was Connor's (re)lubing strategy during the event?
Maybe add a barbag?
Somehow it makes Conner go faster it seems :D
Yes, I'd make it a lot smaller. Oh, you mean for him? Never mind. 😂
Can we please get a video of Conor cleaning this bike? 😫 That'd be hella satisfying
Bike wash ASMR?
@@gcntech hell yes! Volume to 200% while he scrubs down the drivetrain!
@GCN Tech, yes, I bet he does a better job than Alex.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 hahaha SHOTS FIRED!
@@GCNalex Glad you saw the humor in this @Alex Paton
Conor, sorry for the interruption of this video shoot but congratulations on finishing. Wax lube is the answer, I use Smoove. Please come back and see us again in Emorpia.
Yeah..this looks like a good reason for a waxed chain. How about some test data for wax vs lube...mud, pressure wash, more mud, pressure wash, dry dust packed...then tell us what the drivetrain losses are?
Thanks Daniel!
Don't believe me. I was convinced to try wax by Chris Horner, Pete Stetina, Dylan Johnson and Kerry Werner, they all have CZcams videos on waxing chains. For data I would check with Silca and Friction Facts, they have been testing for years. Conor used a Silca drip wax at Unbound, my comment was just to confirm that wax was the answer. I live in Emporia so I ride these roads every day. I used Squirt last year and it works great. I am testing Smoove this year and I think I like it even better than Squirt. Next year will be Silca Super Secret. I can also see using a race-day only chain with DuMonde Tech and waxed chains for training. The one lube type everyone says to avoid are dry lubes. Good luck.
@@brianrichards350 Sounds very like the test protocol over at zerofrictioncycling
Ollie comments:
Cranks not perfectly level
Valve stems not aligned
Too many accessories
'Is that a ShadowStand?' Super Nice!
Hahahah we'll see if we can get Conor to upload the bike into the bike vault! 👀
Good going Connor! That race was a beast from all accounts. I got worried it would end in a serious medical incident. Glad I was wrong.. phew..😅
The bike did very well! Carried Conor safely through that brutal race 🥵
Nice looking bike. Top marks for all the mounts, mudguards and panniers. Makes the bike versatile for many purposes (not many people want to do unbound 😅)
Hahah true, unbound might not be for everyone! This bike would be a great everyday ride too!
@@gcntech after watching Conor’s experience. There is absolutely no way I’d attempt that 😅
So pleased the Flex stem is finally having it's day. It has been maligned for far too long
The era of the flex stem is finally upon us 😂
Great detail about the bike, wheels, gearing and what you took along. Really interesting.
The gearing didn't let him ride through the mud, though! And in the race video he said it covered all options!
@@stevemawer848 There isn’t any gearing that allows you to ride when your frame is so clogged with mud that the wheels don’t turn 😅
Would you change anything about his set up? 👀
2 x 1l bottles, plus 1.5l in the camelback, and it still wasn’t enough.? Conor, do you think the problem was not drinking enough while hike-a-biking through the mud section early on, or just straight up not enough fluid storage.? How would you do it different next time? Either way, mega kudos for recovering from heat exhaustion and finishing Unbound strong! 🤜
Looked like he poured a lot of it over his head through the ride
My issue was refilling the 2 x 1L bottles with strong carb mix rather than water. Couldn't stomach it in the heat and caused cramps/stomach issues. Really I should have refilled with water/hydration mix... when the real heat hit, I drank my water in no time and the 2L of strong carb mix I had was useless. and thanks!!! Epic event, happy you enjoyed the vid. Conor
@@conordunne219 Interesting! Thanks for posting a reply, Conor.
I used to take all that shit myself but never used it, because preparation was so good, I might have opted for a 42mm tyre with a tougher casing and the 45psi is a good choice, nice vlog
What caused the stomach cramps? SIS nutrition products mentioned in your video.
"It's hard to clean it, it's like washing away the experience." - A perfect excuse for me as a MTB-rider not to wax my chain. ;)
The tire pressure was interesting. I always notice that with lower pressures you are more comfortable on the bike; but feels a little wabbly.
Pressure can all come down to the riders preference and size. For a race like unbound where you spend most of your time off road, a lower pressure is so helpful! 🙌
Thanks again Conor and crew...did you weigh yourself ? Before and after ? I'm an older...ok , old , runner and I did it once before a marathon . I lost 11 pounds...yeah. I was in shape then , as well . Be careful recovering , massage is HUGE ! I walked like the Tin-man for a bit after Boston !
Wow that is a big weight loss! Shows how important it is to recover and eat well! Conor is taking it easy now, he'll be back hitting it hard soon enough 🙌
@@gcntech it was my first Boston , and the organizers had scales for an experiment for a uni ? at the start and finish and yeah. It was hot
Thanks Conor for those two video! Looking forward to check out the movie! If I was (in my dreams) considering outbound, I know now I’m not ready!
Would be interesting to see what camera equipment you had and how many battery. What is your filming strategy on your bike? Thank you
Surprised to see the absence of any sort of suspension seatpost. The Canecreek Eesilk is light and excellent
Well done, Connor. You made it!
He dug deep and kept on pushing through 🙌
good prep....although I have discovered that even good prep can sometimes not be enough
The main thing I'd change is narrower tires with less aggressive tread. I've learned from experience that using wide tires with aggressive tread makes dealing with mud harder. Really clogs up the fork and cakes onto the tires
Yep, definitely underestimated the mud. Hindsight is a beaut, but I'd have gone a little narrower I think with less tread.. only thing is I'd have risked it a little bit on some of the rockier parts of the course
the BIG question is: Did you make it to the Commercial Diner for biscuits and gravy after the ride? 12:22~Yeah the Flint hills are steep but the Smoky Hills are BRUTAL.
What glasses did Conor use?
Great video of Conor’s equipment for race!! 👌🏻😍 Give the regular tech guys a run for their money 😂😂 can we get the bloopers video of it though 🤔😜
The bloopers video is too long for CZcams... might need to be a GCN+ special 😉
@@gcntech 👍🏻 when I comes to Conor presenting videos anyways 😂
How about an ASMR video of you cleaning up that beautiful bike?
Could you shim the light mount to angle more of the beam down in front of you?
💯AWESOME BIKE! 💯
We think so!
Why did you choose to ride the Lycos? I have Alchemy’s Ronin Ti and I love it.
I assume the chain was waxed when you started? If not poring a lot of silca super secret wax lube on top of grease is not really very effective. Even if it was a waxed chain - super secret needs to dry before it's useful. Synergetic would have been a better choice. Oh well in that mud it was always going to be a mess anyway.
Extra large frame sizes usually look a little awkward, but not the case with this bike.
When is the bike cleaning ASMR coming?
Oh wow, I have the same top tube bag! I also have a Redshift stem but not the Pro. Do you think I'm ready for Unbound?
Do you know how much you consumed total? Did you keep a count of your intake?
Great work Conor
It might take him a while to work it out... but there were some mid ride snacks that have become story of legend here at GCN HQ 😂
As a roadie looking at this bike I'm wondering how much is recoverable after this? how much would need to be changed?
It's unlikely that anything will need replacing, unless you're taking part in professional sport and really need that 0.1% performance difference you'll get from replacing the slightly worn components.
Just needs to be cleaned and it will likely be fine.
just remove the mud and keep riding
If you were to ride this route again would you consider a belt drive and gearbox / hub gear bike to avoid the mud in the derailleur and chain issues ?
I guess 3.5 liters wasn't enough to get you to the second checkpoint. What would you do different next time? Maybe drink a liter while at the first checkpoint instead of rushing through?
Bigger Camelbak next time please, 2-3 liters.
Good video.!
What inserts did you use?
Interested in the tyres. Have heard some bad stories about slashes in tyres and having trouble all day, I'm guessing going for lightweight tyres is the problem
These Pirelli had no issues throughout the race! Kept Conor safe and comfortable 🙌
Pirelli is the GCN tyre sponsor.
Some adventures change us so deeply that we become attached to the scars on our equipment as part of the experience. I have retired items to the ‘pool room’ who earned their place in history and the right to retire peacefully and dirty onto the mantle.
No stick holding up bike?
All that, but no Rain coat.
And not even an aero binbag - Ollie would be turning in his grave if he was dead! 🙂
He's a silly boy... A dry unbound wasn't enough of a challenge for him 😂
Is that 1000mm seatpost?😅
It's a 1km seat post 😂
Hey Connor. How wide was that Redshift Kitchen Sink bar you used?
Cheers
44cm. Thanks!
MTB or Road pedals / shoes?
Which top top bag is that?
A great big motor and battery. The rest is good :)
I love the million gas canisters. My God man if you get that many punctures in one race just go home
He had that many canisters because he didn't actually use them!
Conor wasn't going to give up easily! 🙌
If I hadn't carried them for sure I'd have punctured 10 times haha...
Clean it so that you can muddy it again.
That thing looks disgusting! 😂. If you wash it, it will be lighter!