Further Thoughts On Unbound 2026

Riders stopped by a train (Image courtesy of Unbound social media)

Last weekend Unbound was held as approximately 5,000 riders partook of event distances ranging from 350 miles to 25 miles. The marquee distance is the 200 miler, and over 1,200 riders in the 200 mile category fought conditions from mud, rain, and lightning to get back to Emporia Kansas. 

I already wrote up my take on the event (HERE), but since then, the article has engendered many interesting comments which I wanted to point out or address here today. 

First of all, I want to thank everyone who shared the post or talked about it and drove more eyeballs to the article on this platform. This was, by far, the most read piece I've written in 2026. So, again, thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Severe Weather Plans? 

Now, to the points I saw being made. There was a huge thread going on concerning this post where I linked to it on Facebook. In the comments I saw a good few points concerning potential for weather related disaster to possibly impact this event. I would 100% agree this is a big time bomb for Life Time to either diffuse by addressing it, or ignore at their peril, (not to mention the rider's perils) 

The situation is compounded by a few critical elements. First, the area called the Flint Hills. It is remote, crossed by few roads, and those roads become nigh unto impassable, according to the locals, once saturated with rain. 

Next we have the sheer numbers of riders. With 1.250 total riders  doing the 200 miles in the amateur class, the throng leaving Emporia took almost five minutes to pass a camera recording the start of the event. Now think about this conga line getting stretched out over miles and miles of rustic Flint Hills roads in inclement weather. That's just the 200 mile class! 

There were 237 doing the even more far-flung 350 mile option, with the remainder of the 5,000 doing 100, 50, and 25 mile courses. That is a lot of territory to cover and a heck of a lot of possibilities for things to go pear-shaped. 

Now think about weather conditions. Riders in this year's event already were dealing with rain, lightning, and wind, but what if things took a turn for the worse? Let's say a violent severe thunderstorm with high winds, hail, and sheets of rain. No one in their right mind would even think about driving in a vehicle during such events in the Flint Hills. How does Life Time extract up to 5,000 riders from such a remote course? I think the answer is obvious: They cannot do this. 

So, what should Life Time do? One: Be willing to cancel the event in case of potential bad weather. This year would have been a close call for the organizer. I think it gets tough when you have weather that is unpredictable, but not so bad you couldn't ride in it.  I know all about this.

Then you have pre-event communications. One commenter on my Facebook post said something to the effect that Life Time has policies and warnings in their written rules, but this person felt it was not communicated to the riders and hammered home that the riders have a responsibility here as well.  

I probably over-communicated when I ran Trans Iowa. I know I was cited for information fatigue by riders at times. But, in my opinion, better to wear you out with messaging than have you be oblivious to your responsibilities. Better to understand, as a rider,  what the event can and cannot do for you. You just cannot rely on written rules as a race organizer. Period. 

Then there is the money. Obviously Life Time rakes in a truckload of cash from entry fees. It has expenses, to be sure, but if the unthinkable happened, families and loved ones won't see that. They will have lawyers at the ready to extract whatever financial compensation they can get. Waivers won't save Life Time there, and it would be very costly, or potentially fatal for the event. 

Emporia and the surrounding environs benefits tremendously from Unbound. The economy can ill afford any hit to this income stream. I would think the community would have an intense interest in seeing that Life Time does its due diligence in presenting an emergency plan and a set of parameters for cancellation of the event. I do not know if this has been done, or not done, by Life Time.  (I would assume it has been done) I am only saying that Life Time should have this mechanism in place. If they already do, they have done a very poor job in communicating this, according to some riders reports online.

Fence Jumpers: 

Rules for events mean nothing unless they are enforced. There was an image from this year's event showing folks hike-a-biking a minimum maintenance road. In the image, more than a few riders were jumping the fence on to the landowner\s side and riding/walking on that private land. 

I know when this event was run by Jim Cummings that was a big no-no and DQ worthy. However; during this year's events, no one seemed to be policing this. Again, perhaps Life Time doesn't have the staffing, wherewithal, or impetus to do policing and enforcing of rules. I don't know Life Time's situation regarding this. I do know if you are trespassing on private land you should be yanked off the course and given a DQ. Apparently this is not happening.

From the 2015 "Mud Year"

Team Tactics:

A recent article in "Velo" ballyhooed what they claimed to be a sea change in gravel racing. Team tactics! Gravel will never be the same again! Oh my!

You've probably seen the story. How Specialized rider Mads Wurtz Schmidt received Keegan Swenson's rear wheel so he could finish the event and win the overall in the 200. Swenson ended up finishing fifth overall. Just exactly how he fixed the "unfixable" rear flat, no one has reported that I can find)

Does this mean it's curtains for privateers? Does this mean now that anyone coming to Unbound had better be on a team with full team support? I don't think so. In fact, I'll go so far as to say this is no big deal. 

Riders have been allowed to help other riders in the event since the beginning of the Modern Gravel Era. Stories of riders assisting each other are numerous. But you might say, "Yes, but this was just like a Pro road team where the captain is supported at all costs!" I would caution against any thoughts along these lines. Yes, Swenson, Schmidt, and the second place finisher Matt Beers were all on Specialized's "team", but make no mistake, they were racing for themselves. Had Swenson had the legs that day, I don't think he's giving Schmidt his wheel. But we will never really know this. 

And as far as a Pro road like team in gravel? The average team budget in the UCU Pro road ranks is 33 million according to this article. Let's say a gravel team costs a quarter of this amount. That is still a whopping 8.25 million bucks. I just don't see this happening. Your mileage may vary. So, yeah....that "Velo" article? I wouldn't put too much stock into it. 

Surprising Data:

It was a "mud year" at the Unbound Gravel event, so how did the finishing rate turn out? Surprisingly, outside of the XL event distance, quite well, actually. 

You can get a quick look at the finishing numbers versus the actual starting numbers for each event by clicking HERE. Obviously the XL with 237 starting and 60 finishing had the worst rate of DNF's, but over 350 miles and storms, mud, and wind, this is maybe more reasonable. But look at those other classes. Not too shabby for a bad weather year, I'd say. 

Certainly it was far worse in other years and this edition of Unbound doesn't even hold a candle to the carnage of 2015. One final note: The gravel scene still has a hard time pulling in women riders in the upper echelon of the sport. Only 63 Pro women? Wow.... I gotta say that is surprising. 
 

Two Things

Wait.....what's this now?

 Peregrine Part Deux:

Last year I picked up a Singular Peregrine Mk4 frame and fork. I based my selection of a size Large on the data shown on Singular's site. However; once I had it built up and I had ridden it some, I was caught second guessing that decision. 

The bike seemed a bit compact in length to me, but again, the sizing charts were correct and matched the frame. It wasn't a total disaster, by any stretch, but I knew it was going to require a lot of fiddling around to dial it in better. At the time, (last Fall 2025), I wasn't motivated to tackle that just yet. I was, and still am, dealing with a lot in my life elsewhere. 

However; early this Spring I had mentioned while texting with Matt Gersib that I wasn't 100% settled into that bike yet and I mentioned what I had in mind to tweak it. Matt had another idea. 

One thing led to another and well, an exchange was arranged with Singular Cycles for a size XL Peregrine Mk4. The terms were very generous on the part of Singular and I was happy to pursue this possibility. Now the frame and fork are here and just before I leave for a big trip! 

So..... I'll have to put this off until my return from BRAN. That will be tough to do, but I have a lot of details to pull together before I leave and tinkering with swapping parts off one frame to another will have to wait. Meanwhile, at least I won't have any questions about what I will be doing once I return. Look for a full report when I get back and started in on this project.  

Once again, image courtesy of Mike Riemer

A Little Follow-up On That 32" Fargo At Unbound:

While the Scott 32"ers grabbed most of the oxygen in the post Unbound room, those weren't the only successful rides put in on 32" wheels. I mentioned it in my thoughts on the recent happenings at Unbound here, but there were some thoughts shared in the comments on that article I thought deserved more eyeballs. 

First though, let's give Joe Meiser, the rider of the Fargo 32"er, some props. Those were some horrendous conditions, and Joe came through quite well, by all accounts. Additionally he hasn't been actively racing much of late, so his come-back, if we can call it that, is even more remarkable. 200 miles in the Flint Hills is no joke on a decent weather year. This was anything but a decent weather year, so hats off to Joe! 

Now, Mike Riemer, image taker of Joe finishing the 200 here, jumped in the comments and had the following to say:

"Joe’s Fargo 32 stayed incredibly free of mud. At each support stop we sprayed 2 or 3 bottles of water onto his drivetrain and brake calipers. At those stops I pulled a small amount of mud from the top of his bb (bottom bracket) shell. That was the only place it collected. Joe finished in 12:43 and was incredibly steady throughout. He averaged 16.26 mph, which is what he’d planned on doing. Checkpoint 3 was the only time we saw him feeling the affects of the day, as he began using one word answers and one word requests. Pretty great performance IMO and all based on a training plan of just 10 hours riding per week."

So, do 32" wheels shed mud better than smaller wheels? Reports on the Scott bikes also made mention of this. Although I think it is fair to say that some witnesses to the event, and some riders, were saying this mud was wetter and less sticky than some years of this races past where the mud was like Velcro. I can say this may be true, as I witnessed and rode through very sticky mud in 2015 where the event saw no rain on race day, but had been rained on for days prior to the event. Overcast and foggy conditions that year ensured there would be no drying out of the roads from Sun or wind. 

It is an interesting observation, all the more so after seeing many 700c bikes from this year's event packed up with sticky mud. Something to think about if you are considering a 32"er. 

Gravel Grinder News: Singular Launches Peregrine Mk5

Note: All images and information used in this post was provided by Singular Cycles. Comments are Guitar Ted's. 

Fifth Generation of Singular's Classic Peregrine:

Singular has announced from today availability of a new Peregrine featuring a few changes and a major shift in where it is manufactured. 

This is considered an update to the Mk4 peregrine, not anything revolutionary. The Peregrine has been a staple in the range for Singular for nearly 20 years now and has proven to be a favorite amongst those seeking a classic look that can handle big tires and cover lots of varying road conditions. 

Probably the most significant change is a switching back to the Taiwanese factory, Maxway, known across the industry as a leader in steel bicycle frame and fork manufacturing. Sam Alison, founder of Singular Cycles, feels these new Peregrines will be the best version of the model yet produced. 

• New burned orange color scheme, alongside a very limited run of our classic Singular blue
• Updated tube profiles throughout, improving on the Peregrine's already well-regarded ride quality - plus a tweak to improve tire clearance at the chain stays
• Revised geometry across the range, with S and M frames now built around 650b wheels, using a shorter 390mm fork, improving stand over clearance, reducing toe overlap and giving a more proportionate, better handling ride in those sizes
• Native 160mm flat mount rear and 160/180 front brake as standard
• Lugged rear dropouts retained from the MK4, with two M5 threaded eyelets for mudguard and rack mounting.
• Some other little tweaks here and there to ensure cables run smoother, tires fit better and mudguards sit nicely - that sort of thing.

For more details and pricing see Singular Cycles site:  www.singularcycles.com

BRAN Gravel: Final Tweaks & Packing Up

Friday I push off on a journey Westward to Nebraska. This trip will be undertaken to explore and share my experiences riding the gravel route for the Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska. (BRAN). 

The trip is coming together here well. Most everything I need has arrived and has been tested out, at least a little bit! One thing which remains to be seen. The Weather. 

Initial long-range forecasts seem to indicate a heating up for the Great Plains for the second week of June. Temperatures during the daytime are looking to be in the 80's with night time temperatures into the mid-60's. Typical, I'd say, for Summer. 

Rain may crop up. There are a couple of days with good chances for afternoon thunderstorms. I was worrying about having a rain jacket. But I think I'm going to throw in an emergency, highly packable jacket. If it gets dicey and I need it, well there it is. But I'm not going to re-do my entire set up for an actual touring rain jacket. If I get caught in the rain and get wet, well, once you are 100% soaked, you won't get any wetter. Cold? Ride faster. Problem solved. (Note: This is my whack mind at work and may not reflect what you consider "reasonable thinking")

Image courtesy of SILCA

Next, I thought about the frame pump on the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. It works. It is great to ward off wayward dogs. However; it does impede my access to my upper water bottle. So, I am switching things up to go with my SILCA Tattico mini-pump which is a great pump. 

Then I thought I'd better dump everything out of my Bike Bag Dude top tube bag and my under-the-saddle tool roll, (Also from SILCA, by the way) I compared the contents and condensed things down to eliminate duplicated objects. I did replace my multi-tool to include the PRO Performance 22 function tool. I like this because the chain tool is actually functional and it has all the other tools readily available and easily deployed. It is compact and easily stowed in my tool roll. 

I did throw in a combination 5mm/6mm hex key, like I would use as a bike mechanic. I'll use this before I break out any multi-tool as in my opinion, "real tools" are far easier to use. At least I think so. I may even slip in a regular 4mm key as well. 

Sans frame pump and with refined kit in the bags. 

So the bike and onboard accessories are pretty much dialed in. I will clean the bike before loading it up into the 4Runner for the trip. So, I will not be mixing Iowa gravel dust and Nebraska gravel dust! I might do one more easy ride on it too, just because. 

The Showers Pass packable rain jacket.

Now with only a few days to go I am turning my attention to packing clothing. BRAN just sent out a "theme jersey suggestion list" for the week. This would mean I would have to bring seven jerseys to participate in this. Of course, I do not have a jersey to match every theme, so I can rest a little easier. 

Here are the themes for each day, in case you are wondering what the BRAN folk are suggesting. 

1. BRAN 44 Day: Wear BRAN logo'ed gear. (I'm getting the t-shirt, so.....)
2. Wild Jersey Day: (Note - This is my interpretation of the theme) Wear a bright, wild patterned, or otherwise weird jersey. 
3. Cycling Club Jersey Day. Pretty self explanatory. 
4. Where I'm From Jersey: Again, fairly obvious. 
5.  Blast From The Past: Once more, kinda obvious. 
6.  Super Hero Day: Wear a super hero themed jersey. 
7. Red, White, and Blue Day: Patriotic/USA themed stuff, I'd assume. 

So here's what I have which might work: I'm getting the BRAN t-shirt, so maybe Day 1. Cycling Club Jersey day could be done while wearing my Cedar Valley Velo jersey, and it would work for the next day because that is where I am from. Then the only other day which I could possibly participate in would be the last day as I do have a Stars and Stripes jersey.  

So, I probably can get by with six jerseys, maybe just five, if I use the "wash while showering" hack. Then I need a few pairs of post-ride get-ups, shoes, and socks. Trying to find a ditty bag for my toiletries now. You know.....all the dumb little things you'd rather not think about, but if they are not brought along, the trip could be a disaster. Toothpaste and a brush come to mind here. It would be bad to forget those two items.  

Okay, so that is a wrap on my pre-BRAN gravel ride articles. I'll be posting daily updates from the ride starting with my bus ride to the start on Saturday. Some of these posts will come out at random times, and if you are a regular blog reader this next week and a few days may look chaotic. Please bear with me as I will be remote posting when and where I can.  

Mud, 32"ers, & Grit: Reactions To Unbound 2026

 NOTE: Images from Unbound's Instagram page unless otherwise noted.  A shorter version of this posted on my Substack a couple of days ago. All opinions are Guitar Ted's

Well, they cooked up another tasty dirt/mud fest for Unbound this year. With this being the "20th anniversary*" of an event run on gravel at this time of year in Emporia, the organizers wanted something special. 

Dan Hughes, himself a winner of the Dirty Kanza 200, the event which inaugurated this 20 year run, said in an interview that this year's course was an amalgam of all the "favorite roads" from past DK200's and Unbound events. So, instead of a "North" or "South" course, they ran a course which encompassed Emporia from the North, West, And South. It was to be a celebration of the best that the Flint Hills had to offer in a gravel event. 

The only thing beyond the organizer's control, of course, was the weather. Apparently the need to amp-up things further was in the cards as rain fell overnight before the race and rain was falling at times during the 200. This made the dreaded mud come to life and yes- there were DNF's and even some minor injuries. 

Old gravel folk will smile and nod their heads in an understanding way. This was part and parcel to the gravel experience, and for some, a requisite part of having a "great race experience". But as money, fame, careers, and sponsorship has infiltrated this style of racing, some have an opposing attitude when it comes to the mud and weather. 

A rider tries wrenching his bars into plane after a crash.

One of the comments, ironically left two days prior to the event, on Unbound's Instagram account, by a person going by"german_belgian_waffle" reads: "When is unbound finally going to realize they have outgrown their ability to safely hold this during severe weather months? With all the tents, campers, lack of hotels and basements… it is one severe weather event from catastrophe due to the vast area the event covers. Have it two weekends before nebraska gravel worlds in early august. The mudpit and tornado/hail alley is a mess that does not need to be dealt with anymore. Its too great of an event to trash so many competitors bikes"

Another commenter on Facebook commenting on a post by Unbound said "Not real racing" 

Now, longtime readers of this blog will know how I, as a race event director, would have answered this. I would have replied, "Well, perhaps this event is not for you." 

And I still feel a lot of people just do not understand how American gravel racing came to be. Weather was part of the adventure and broken bikes and parts were also seen as a probable outcome of submitting oneself to trying to overcome such challenges. I have personally witnessed people walking miles, scootering unpedalable bikes, and making repairs until they just couldn't continue. One media source had a post on "X" saying the XL winner, Robert Gemperle, was "..forced to walk 21K"  (Gemperle's estimate, not likely the reality)

I would say he chose to walk (approximately, maybe...) 21K. And it is a good thing he did, because he won .So.....there is that. 

 But again, money, fame, career, and sponsorship backing come with different expectations. One Pro rider, knocked out by another rider running into him while he was walking a minimum maintenance road, had a deep look of frustration, but to his credit, he did not publicly take the other rider to task for essentially ruining his day. But he did say the past two weeks seemed like a huge waste of time due to the incident and the consequences of that crash. 

I think we, as outsiders looking in, really have no say in this matter. This - of course - won't stop the negativity. As for myself, I do not think there is any way to "sanitize" gravel to the point where wild cards like unruly weather, poor road conditions, and just bad circumstances would be eliminated. Certainly just changing Unbound's date, or even location, guarantees nothing. That is basically a very poor argument against what we saw over the weekend. 

Scott 32"er (Image from Cameron Jones Instagram)

32"ers Figure Heavily In The Events:

Scott Bikes brought two 32"ers to Unbound with Cameron Jones on one for the 200 and Robert Gemperle on another in the XL, which he won in a little over 21 hours. 

I didn't note any big 32"er news officially, but there was a bike shown from Mosaic with WTB tires on it. They looked like Resolutes, and if so, these would be gravel specific tires. Again, this plays into my notions that 32"ers will eventually become a gravel dominate wheel size despite their being on MTB bikes first. 

There was an old maxim used in the automobile world that went: "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday". While I do not think the bicycling world will be taken over by 32" wheels, it certainly doesn't hurt that a 32"er figured heavily at the front of the 200 and that a 32"er won the XL. The Cameron Jones ridden Scott 32"er bagged a top ten result in the 200. Scott couldn't have hoped for much better. Yes - Scott said this was not going to be a bike they put into production. Companies say a lot of things. Take Specialized, Yeti, or Giant, all who said 29"ers were a fad and that their respective companies wouldn't offer them for sale. 

Yeah.....right. 

So, let's say Scott is true to their words. It doesn't mean they won't ever do a 32"er. It will float the boats of all the others who do/will offer a 32"er as winning races and showing great results does affect sales. So, we will see, Scott. We will see.....  

Also of note: Joe Meiser of QBP/Salsa Cycles finished the 200 on his Fargo 32"er. Specialized's new Crux v5 bike, debuting at Unbound, took the top two places in the Men's and the Women's 200. Prepare for an onslaught of ads from the Big S.

Joe Meiser finishing on a 32" Fargo (Image courtesy of Mike Reimer)

 Gritty Performances - Disappointing Failures:

On one hand when riders overcome conditions such as we have witnessed this year at Unbound, their reward is becoming part of legend. They also have that feather in the cap. They overcame, as one media source put it, "horrible conditions". On the other hand you get riders like Peter Stetina and Ted King crashing out and having "DNF" next to their names in the results.  Some decry these outcomes as being "unfair", or as the commenter I quoted above saying things like, "we can't be trashing all these great bikes". 

Really? You cannot have it both ways. As I've often pointed out, Paris- Roubaix is the classic it is because it was rough, muddy, and it broke humans and their machines. The ones who overcame with a layer of French farm mud covering their faces were the "heroes". The ones celebrated forever in art, story, and whispered tales in bike shops. This doesn't happen if we are more worried about not breaking bikes, worried about not breaking spirits, and expecting everyone to finish. 

Racer/ You Tuber/ Cycling Coach and sponsored athlete Dylan Johnson posted this on Facebook after the event: " This is the second time I’ve hemorrhaged massive time at a muddy Unbound. It’s clearly something I need to figure out, because that will always be part of this race. I actually think that’s part of what makes the race so special. Riders need to be ready for anything, and it rewards mental toughness and perseverance. "

The 2026 Unbound, in my opinion, was a classic ultra-distance gravel event in every way. Riders should feel pride in even having been in this event. But there will be naysayers and critics who want something different. 

Well then, maybe this event is not for you.  

*I consider 2006 - 2019 as an evolution of DK200. From 2020 till the present it has become a completely different affair. Your mileage may vary) 

Country Views: Hazy & Hot

 Escape Route: MLK Trail

Another quick one to get some more miles for BRAN gravel coming up. This time it was hot again, but hazy. I left a little after noon. The wind was out of the Northeast. A weird direction without rain and cool temperatures. Summer kit, of course, and on the pink BMC once again. 

I wanted to head out East to see this part of Black Hawk County again. I haven't been out this way in a while. Typically when I leave Waterloo to do Eastern Black Hawk County gravel I'll use the MLK Trail until it ends out at Tyson's plant. 

Then it's a bout a half a mile North to get to Newell Road and gravel heading East. This road climbs slowly and in fact, the entire way out to this point is more gain than descent. It was also all against the wind! 

The gravel kicks in right off the mark when you leave the road in front of Tyson's

Wind rows of cut hay waiting to be bailed. 

The crops are just peeking out of the ground now but I was surprised to see a fresh cut field of hay. Seems early for the first cut here in Iowa. This will bring out the round bailers soon, no doubt. There is one other agricultural activity happening all across the countryside now as well. I'll get to that later in the story here. 

The fields are looking more and more like no-till practices are being used. (Note the glacial erratic)

I could smell the hay in this field before I saw it!

A few years ago, our friend in Pennsylvania, Dave Pryor, was extolling the virtues of no-till planting to us, (N.Y. Roll and I, that is). Well, it seems the practice is catching on here in Black Hawk County, as I'm seeing more fields being planted through the trash. 

 I came across another freshly cut hay field and it smelled so strongly I caught wind of it before I could see it. Love that smell! It's probably not good for you folks with allergies though, I would imagine. 

The blue sky shown through for a moment or two, then it went back to hazy. 

 

A few cattle grazing peacefully

This area has a lot of field stones piled up here and there. This was an impressive pile on Pilot Grove Road

When I left for this ride, I was indeterminate about where I wanted to go. No big surprise. I generally feel no real sense of where to go until I find myself on certain streets which helps dictate where I will end up going. This ride was kind of like this for most of the route. I had zero intentions of going South on Pilot Grove Road until I got there at the corner of Newell Road and Pilot Grove. I just turned right, and well..... I'd figure it all out from there. 

That other ag activity I mentioned? Sprayer rigs. They are crawling all over the countryside now. 

 

I got dusted by a dump truck. You can see the dust trailing off to the right here. 

I meandered down to the corner of Pilot Grove and Osage Road. There I took a brief rest stop. Then I rode West on Osage Road a few miles until I got to Ordaway Road and I took that South. This dead ends into one of the old routes for Highway 20 in the area. 

Old Highway 20 East of Raymond. It's not bad when the shoulders are graded like this. 

The gravel part ended here on Young Road headed West toward Elk Run Heights

I went this way and that, finding a weird route back to Elk Run Heights which, honestly I kind of like it. The wide gravel shoulder on old Highway 20 is fast and smooth, so that mile to two miles wasn't terrible. I then have to use a shoulder on a County Road (South Raymond Road), for a half mile to a right on Young Road. That gravel takes you to just south of Elk Run Heights. 

It used to be that going into Elk Run Heights was a bit of a nightmare. The road North of the access to I-380 was  an old highway. Narrow, with no shoulder. There were no sidewalks of any kind to get you off the pavement. Pedestrians and child cyclists had carved a bit of a single track into the dirt adjacent to the pavement. That eventually petered out and you were forced into traffic. 

Now there has been an upgrade. The road has a full sidewalk several feet from the edge of the new road which now has a curb. This goes all the way up the hill by Casey's Convenience store where it goes Left, and eventually turns into a new bike path to Evansdale. It's about a thousand times better than it used to be when none of what I just described as new existed. 

Anyway, a good ride was had. More miles in teh bank. I hope to make a few more deposits before I leave on Friday.  

Commentary On The 2026 Class Of The Gravel Cycling Hall Of Fame

Notes And Comments On The 2026 Inductees

This article will sum up my thoughts on this new class of inductees to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame from 2026. First of all, "Congratulations to all four of you inductees!" As a fellow member of the GCHoF, I welcome all of you into this varied and colorful cast of characters who helped form gravel cycling into what it has become today. 

Now, I won't pretend to know a lot about some of you. Hopefully this will change at some point. But as this hall grows larger it only stands to reason that not everyone will know everyone else, or perhaps ever meet each other face to face. Due to this and the varied nature of the inductees, I will not pretend to be an expert on all the members nor will I have any commentary of import for some members now and in the future. It simply is impossible to be a balanced human being and also be hyper-focused on 100% on the GCHoF at the same time. In fact, that would be borderline insane. 

So, here I will be more general in my comments and at the end I will have an over-arching statement for the future and the GCHoF in general. 

I am including the statements from the press release for each individual here for your consideration. 

(L-R) Megan Fisher, Kristen Legan, Paul Errington, Jim Cummings (Image by Dan Hughes)

Megan Fisher: With palmares including Paralympic gold, silver and bronze medals, Meg Fisher turned her world-class talent to gravel bicycle racing. There, she quickly became an example of courage, perseverance and inclusivity, with para category wins at world-class events including Unbound Gravel, Rebecca’s Private Idaho, Gravel Worlds, and SBT GVL, among others. As an advocate for the creation of para classes, Meg has helped create inclusive spaces at gravel events across the country. Her presence at those events, her willingness to share her story, and her encouragement of others has inspired countless riders of all abilities to find confidence, resilience and joy through gravel cycling.

Comments: Gravel cycling, if nothing else, has been welcoming of any and all who wanted to give things a go. Megan Fisher is a person who represents how others who are para-athletes or physically impaired in some way can see themselves "doing that" and be a part of the biggest move in popular cycling in recent memory. Having an athlete with her accomplishments is impressive and a welcomed addition to the Hall. 

Kristen Legan:  Gravel cycling has always been about more than the ride itself. It’s a mindset rooted in resilience, curiosity, adventure, and a strong sense of community. Few people embody that “Spirit of Gravel” more fully than Kristen Legan. From her earliest days chasing dusty, muddy horizons to her current work shaping how the world experiences gravel, Kristen has served as an inspiration to countless aspiring gravel cyclists. Her accomplishments on the bike include multiple Unbound 200 podiums and a victory at the 2023 Unbound XL, but today her ongoing legacy is in her storytelling and the riders she coaches. Kristen has helped cyclists of all abilities accomplish and exceed their goals in gravel cycling. In addition to her coaching, Kristen works with leading brands in the cycling industry, including Shimano, Lazer helmets and others, to advance and promote the sport of gravel cycling.

Comments: Kristen, along with her husband Nick, are the 'first couple of gravel now', I suppose, since they are the first couple inducted in to the GCHoF.  But seriously,Kristen is a very accomplished athlete on gravel and now, behind the scenes, is doing a lot to influence gravel riding. Her work with Shimano is probably more of a big deal than anyone knows, but fortunately, the electors figured it out and voted this well-deserving candidate into the Hall. 

Paul Errington:  While modern gravel cycling has its roots firmly planted in the USA, it has quickly become a global phenomenon. One of the key figures in the global proliferation of gravel events has been Paul Errington. He recognized the potential of gravel cycling as a unique and accessible form of outdoor adventure. As an early advocate for the sport, he’s inspired countless cyclists to explore the world on gravel, both in Europe and beyond. He hosted his first gravel event –– The Dirty Reiver –– in 2016 and was a key figure in the global expansion of the Grinduro gravel series. Today, as the Grinduro series owner, Paul hosts thousands of riders each year at multiple events across the globe.

Comments: Paul is a person I have met and spoken with in the past. He came over and did Trans Iowa in 2013 and I believe he did the DK200 the same year. A Salsa Cycles sponsored athlete as well, if I recall correctly, so he was embedded into gravel culture fairly early on. Echoing the press release here, but Paul has to be the key figure in making gravel cycling more popular in the UK for sure. His event was an immediate hit, and his continuing support of the form speaks volumes years later.  

Jim Cummings:  As co-founder of Unbound Gravel’s predecessor, the Dirty Kanza 200 (with 2023 GCHOF inductee, Joel Dyke), Jim Cummins placed his bet on the potential of gravel as a cycling discipline in 2006. Jim and the DK team successfully scaled from 34 riders in 2006, to using a lottery system to fill the 2,500 available spots in 2018 –– remarkable growth by any standards. It was also one of the first gravel events to host international riders. Today, Unbound Gravel is the world’s largest gravel cycling event, bringing thousands of riders, support crews and race fans from all over the world to the Emporia area. The economic impact is easy to see, as the empty storefronts of 2006 have been replaced by thriving businesses. Throughout the spring, summer and fall, the Emporia area is now a destination for gravel cyclists seeking adventure.

Comments: Righting a serious wrong here, the electors finally came to their senses and inducted Jim after his having been submitted as a candidate for every year of the Hall's existence. Also- Thank you in that I don't have to write another screed admonishing this entity for its lack of inducting one of the key founders of gravel cycling in the Modern Era in Jim Cummings.  

And yes - that upset me. So, selfishly I can now be at peace seeing Jim being included in this hall. But also I am happy for Jim, and I know he has his head on straight and I know his heart is in the right place. He didn't need to be in this Hall. He already knows where his 'prize; is, and it isn't in this World.  But that said, I am happy for him. He deserved to be a first class inductee along with myself, but at least he got in. I hope people will celebrate his inclusion and see his contributions as being paramount to the success of gravel cycling as we know it in 2026 and beyond. 

The Extras: There were other awards handed out as well on Wednesday evening. These included GCHoF Athletes of the Year, and GCHoF Community Impact Awards. There was a Gravel Icon award as well. 

Comments: Nice, but honestly, will anyone care next month? I get it. Recognizing work in the field is meaningful to those working in the field. To consumers it matters little. This is just the hard truth of the matter. Also - No one cares about cue sheets. This coming from someone deeply passionate about them.  My opinion- others can disagree. 

Final Thoughts:

Ah....halls of fame! This sort of thing engenders a lot of feelings. Some are indifferent. Some are passionate. I suspect most don't care. 

I saw a little more of an effort to showcase the physical items representing the history by the GCHoF social media person. The stories this hall purported it wanted to catalog? I don't see it. Personalities seem to be this hall's area of expertise. I get it....

A week ago I floated an idea for an Iowa Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. The discussion in the comments helped me focus this idea and distill it down to what I feel really matters: The historical record of gravel and having that record tell the story of how gravel cycling grew into this world-wide phenomenon which it is today.

 My opinion is that the current leadership behind the GCHoF has no appetite for doing a historical record in keeping with the truth of the matters as they occurred. And, it should be added to be fair, they don't have the finances or manpower to do that anyway, in my opinion. So the GCHoF is what it is. I'm less excited about that than I am about what I see as being more important in the future, That is telling a story, based in historical facts, in such a way that future generations can read it, or see it,  and understand where this form of cycling originated from. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Cameron Jones Instagram

The 32" Watch: Cameron Jones To Race 32"er Scott Bike At Unbound:

With a stern message from Scott that this bike is "only a prototype with no plans for production", the images of a Scott gravel bike with 32" tires has set the internet buzzing since images hit on Tuesday morning earlier this week. 

While Scott can say whatever they want, it would be foolish of them to put out this bike without some sort of plan to at least garner interest in the platform. It may not be this exact bike, but I am going to say Scott has something in the works for 2027. 

However this may turn out, we do know the bike is outfitted with Schwalbe G-One rubber. According to a comment made by Cameron Jones on his Instagram post of this bike, those tires are 32" x 50mm. This would lead me to believe earlier rumors of 32" gravel bikes in the pipeline. 

And look at those deep section carbon wheels. You must know that something like this is not a one-off. I'd look for aero 32"er rims to be a thing very soon. 

Tomorrow will be interesting in Kansas. I would not at all be surprised to see some other 32"ers break cover there also. 

In other 32"er news "Bike Rumor" posted a story about a prototype 32"er DT Swss front suspension fork being spotted at a recent World Cup MTB event along with 32"er DT Swiss wheels.  

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles

 Specialized Introduces "The Fastest Gravel Race Bike"

 Claiming the new 5th version of the Specialized Crux is the fastest gravel race bike in existence is a heady claim. But that is what Specialized is saying about this new Crux. 

The version 5 of the Crux leaves the classically shaped round tubes for a predictably more aero tube design, but Specialized did not go all-in on aero. They used data gathered from athletes riding in events like Unbound and inserted the data into their design plans. What came out was a theory that real-world racing conditions - Slower and more technically demanding - trumped aerodynamics to a degree, requiring a different design than what an all-out aero driven design may have demanded. 

Specialized dropped the bottom bracket some and tweaked the head tube angle a bit due to the new trend of running huge tires on gravel bikes. This results in a maximum tire clearance for the Crux 5 of 55mm in width.  Designers did not want to utilize dropped chain stays or longer chain stays so this design is 1X compatible only. 

Of course, it is expensive. But you would have guessed this anyway. Check out the range on Specialized's site HERE.  

Image courtesy of  Pardus

Chinese Brand Commits To European Sales Model:

China's top high-performance cycling brand, Pardus, have announced a commitment to enter the European cycling market with sales support in Europe and by selling through brick and mortar bike shops only. This news came via a press release sent out earlier this week.  

Comments: You may not see much of importance here. However; this bears watching and I think it could be an interesting development for US based cycling companies.  

Watch the You Tube videos of the Shanghai Bicycle Show from this year and you most likely will see Pardus bikes on their stand. Often cited as the most popular Chinese high-performance brand, their integrated manufacturing model, where all facets of frame and fork production are done in-house, could pose to be a formidable force in the European market due to Pardus advantage on price. 

This could push sales away from European Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, and Giant dealers. These brands all are already scrapping and fighting to get every sale they can in an atmosphere where the oxygen is scarce.  

Having a new, heavy-hitter come into the market in Europe could upset things even on these shores. Much more so if a Pardus type brand landed product directly here for sale. I'm keeping an eye on this.  

Image courtesy of Twin Six

The 32" Watch Part Deux - Twin Six 32"er To Be Offered Soon

I was informed by a "reliable source" that pre-orders for the Twin Six 32"er will go live "...in a few weeks.". 

Spec details will be released at the same time the pre-orders go live. As of now, there isn't much to go on concerning this new 32"er offering. 

I do know it was designed to be set up with flat or drop bars. I also know the person riding the prototype is super-stoked on the ride. Stating it is "pure fun". 

I can only speculate based upon past history with Twin Six and say this bike should be a classy looking rig with a reasonable price tag. I wouldn't be shocked if it had an eccentric bottom bracket for single speed but I also wouldn't expect this in titanium from Twin Six, as they typically do not offer the eccentric in their titanium offerings. 

I also know N.Y. Roll is excited about getting one of these. We will have to see what sort of size range Twin Six ends up offering, but my guess is the smallest size would be a Medium and then Large, XL, and perhaps an XXL would be the sizing range which is what we have seen other companies do. (Salsa Cycles notwithstanding) 

Stay tuned for further updates on this bike.

The Unbound Section of the FN&V

Courtesy of @ministerofgravel Instagram

20 Years Later And You Get All This And More:

Of course, I cannot go into this weekend without a nod to the twentieth anniversary of a gravel event which has changed so dramatically it is almost comical. 

In 2006 you got nothing. Basically show up, sign in, "Here's your number and a course map", show up on time the next day and ride. I remember not knowing anything about Emporia, Kansas, the Flint Hills in general, or knowing anything about the event at all. 

Now? 

Well, everyone knows about Emporia, Kansas. Gravel cycling product has the name on it. The event is known world-wide in gravel cycling circles, at least. The Flint Hills? Lots of information on that area out there now. Roads you'd never had a need to hear of now are famous. Geographical points, like Texaco Hill, are known to thousands of riders. 

And if you are one of the few yet clueless to what Unbound courses are like, there is a livestream of the event, or you can get all the information, images, and advice you'd ever want from lots of sites. Even a local known as "The Minister of Gravel" (Neil Taylor,an actual Christian minister), gives detailed course reviews of this years Unbound courses. It was this event preview I watched to learn about what the riders will be facing this year. 

So even I know what to expect, and I'm not even going to the event! Ha! What a change from 20 years ago. The advancements in technology have demystified this once mystical experience and perhaps has turned it into a commodity. I know the 2026 riders will not have anywhere near the types of experiences we used to have, and maybe they like it that way. 

I think that is a loss for anyone who feels that way, but hey - ride on! You'll get an experience, of some sort, and that is what matters most. 

Pretty sure this road is part of the 200 this year. From DK My Way 2017

Is This A Wet Year 200?

Looking at the forecast for tomorrow in Kansas things look wet. Scattered showers should persist over most of Southern Kansas and perhaps up into the Flint Hills due to a weird jet stream pattern which has a lot of Pacific moisture streaming in from the Southwest.  

It would be fitting if in fact it were raining this year since the course is utilizing the same three mile stretch of minimum maintenance roads used in the infamous "Wet Year" of 2015.  

As stated above, you can find out all sorts of stuff you couldn't possibly have known was going on in Emporia ten years ago. One of those things are what bicycle set ups the big-time Pro riders are using. 

I noted a bike run down from one of the top male contenders and it was interesting to hear this one particular racer say the focus is all on the aero. So much so that he had numbers for how a 50mm tire up front is better than the fad of running a XC MTB tire in a 29" X 2+ inch width is for aero. Interestingly this person also stated suspension gravel forks are notoriously not very good aerodynamically. His choice? An inverted Cane Creek design which his team developed fairings for to get it within a half a watt in aero compared to a rigid fork. 

Maybe fat tires and suspension forks are really MTB things? It would seem so from this rider's standpoint. 

If the rains hold off or are minimal this could be the fastest 200 ever because the course is using flatter roads, especially in the last sections, and not the really gnarly, mountain-bikish terrain which was used in recent years. 

Tailwinds to all riding tomorrow out of Emporia!

That'll do it for this week. I'll have a commentary on the inductees to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame tomorrow. Now, get out there and ride those bicycles!