Is This Even BIKE RACING? (Unbound XL 2023 - THE MUD-APOCALYPSE)

The last feedback portion is more of what we need. A reality check for the average cyclist. Spending thousands of dollars and taking days off of work to trash your bike in 15 miles sure doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me.

it’s 2am, and you’ve officially motivated me to get up, strip my bike completely, clean it out, re-grease everything, and put it back together

Congrats! I was there and Finished the XL on 20th with 31hours. I know exactly what u went through. Im from Brazil and was hard tô explain tô my friends how insane was this Race. Your vídeo ilustrate very well! I will send it to Everyone. Im so grateful, had mecânical Issues too, flat tires, the whole stuff. But i made it. And this vídeo shows how Big was the achievement.

"I'm doin' Trigonometry to try and figure out how this chain works".... HAHAHA

My husband finished the 200 miler last year and was training for the entire year for the 350. He put so much effort and hours into his training and so much thought into his bike set up. We were prepared for this thing. And then his bike broke at 120 miles. I totally agree with you regarding the last part of your video. This wasn't a gravel bike race. The amount of time he spent into training for this, the money that we spent into taking time off of work, flights, hotels...I feel like it was disrespectful for the race organizers to do this to the cyclists and then be so dismissive of the feedback afterwards. We are still debating trying to go back next year.

Been looking forward to this one. I'm impressed with how well you did in those conditions. Still can't get over the barbed wire thing. I feel like I would have missed that and ended up in the emergency room. Also, if I ever do this race, I now know to pack a spare derailleur hanger, chain, and basically enough parts to build a whole other bike while on the side of the road, at night, with just a hex wrench.

I work in the industry so I'm in a similar position you are, figured I'd do the 100, be a fast fun 6hr spin through the country after being on my feet working all week, wasn't expecting 2.5hrs of hiking...I dig hard rides, and tough challenges, but that was ridiculous, and like you was thinking "how many normies out here will never be back? Never want to ride again?"...definitely far from our finest hour.

Im glad you spoke up about the course. Finally, someone said what the majority of people thought. I've seen so many videos of bike frames destroyed. I know we cant race in perfect conditions, but that was a nightmare. I was actually looking foward to unbound but after this year its been checked off my list.

Tyler, not only the muddy section, but having the Pros sprinting in the middle of the amateur riders arriving at the end was freaking dangerous, even worse than the mud section. I think the organizers failed on this event, I would be pissed if I was there and having to walk for 1h into the first 10 miles and having to abandon the event that quick.

I did the 200 this year. You convinced me to do it (: Mile 11 was BS. I got a DNF at the first check point... Ultra Cyclocross? Ive never walked my bike for so long before. After rubbing most of the skin off my heals I was questioning if Kansas knows the difference between dirt and gravel? Someone should tell them gravel is made of rock. I didn't have a great time seeing so many trashed bikes. But I've got to go back next year for redemption! Next year I'm going to finish before sundown and next year I'm going to see you on the podium!

Holyyyyy shizzza man that mechanical work in the dark…. NUTS. The mental fortitude to get that thing working again had me laughing it was so impressive. I bet 99% people would have just given up once they had the chain and derailleur off in such a twisted mess. One of the best recoveries I’ve ever seen!!

Don't even get me started on the entry fees for a SELF SUPPORTED, no road closure race such as this! Money grab if you ask me...which no one did..lol. Keep it up man.

Thank you for the ending part. It really resonates with who and what these types of experiences are. Hopefully the organizers can keep it a popular gravel cycling event in the future years with changes to help alleviate the things happen issues that may crop up.

Amen. I was there. I raced the 200 and I finished. Am I happy I did it? Maybe. Would I have raced this year knowing it would destroy my bike? No. This year’s UB wasn’t a bike race. Hope Lifetime listens to the feedback they’ve received, and are less defensive about the decisions they made about the course (Google comments from Kimo Seymour regarding the aftermath. PR fail). Keep posting and sharing awesome content, Tyler. Not only do you share the good the bad and the ugly, you share it all with humility and class. 👊🏼

VC, for me this is your best Dirty Kanza/Unbound film to date. I really liked how you provided context for those participants who are there solely on their own dime, ultimately paying for their efforts (and equipment repairs) post-race, versus equipment sponsored individuals like yourself – and I don’t think that any of us on the viewing end got the sense of any douche-canoeing on your behalf! You were genuinely determined not to make it about the equipment for yourself. You’re honest and straightforward about it, and it gave great context to the overall experience. It’s still a great story and you’re a talented narrator of your experiences – we could be sitting around at a table drinking coffee, and that’s how you’re talking with your friends, not an audience of fans. There’s a difference, and it’s what sets you apart from others. Ride all the bikes, man, ride all the bikes.

No matter what anyone says, you did absolutely amazing, a lot of people would have given up when their bike broke down, but you just shoved a stick in it and soldiered through. You have my absolute respect

I would have made the same call in your shoes, and I thought you were gracious in your opinions of the race organizers 😂 Hopefully this video will serve to prevent the organizers from allowing stuff like this to happen again. Really proud of you, and it’s your content that made me want to do this race, motivated me to train for it, and gave me the best day I’ve ever had on the bike! Be a goldfish! (Ted Lasso)

Wow that barbed wire on the course is f'd up, I know the XL specifically goes pretty far out into the country but you would've thought the Unbound organizers would vet the course a few days beforehand at least... super unsafe.

Not sure how I came across the video but cool to watch LOL! Do they not check the course before this event? Surprised by the bob wire thingy

Not giving up when all odds were against you during the mechanical is so amazing. You are a true inspiration Tyler. Telling the truth for people who don't have a platform and were negatively impacted by the course is something to admire.