On the end of Unbound Gravel 200, the LifeTime Grand Prix riders sprawled throughout the ground, feeling the results of their nine-hour plus day on the bike.
Amongst them, a overwhelmed Keegan Swenson stood battered and bruised from a crash at mile 130. The American fought to a high ten end regardless of struggling a troublesome day that additionally included a puncture, a failed tyre plug and a wheel swap with teammate Tobin Ortenblad.
Their bikes, Santa Cruz Stigmata CC gravel bikes with Reserve wheels, regarded like every other within the holding pen on the end line, splattered with dried mud. However beneath the remnants of the Flint Hills, that disguised the sunshine blue paint, hid a delicate however uncommon tech element that we have by no means seen earlier than.
Every of their wheels was by some means fitted with not one, however two valves, on reverse sides of the rim. However why?
(Picture credit score: Josh Croxton)
To search out out, I first tried Swenson, however when requested if he may inform me about it, my request for data was met with a brief, candy, however in the end unhelpful “no,” accompanied by a wry smile.
Fortunately, Ortenblad, accompanied by a helper from his bike sponsor Santa Cruz, was extra forthcoming with an evidence.
He explains that the wheel is ready up tubeless as regular however that the second valve belonged to a flat interior tube that was fitted contained in the tyre alongside the tubeless sealant. He defined that the tube was a last-resort backup, to be inflated within the occasion of an irreparable puncture.
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When requested whether or not this was one thing Reserve was planning to carry to market, he laughed off the thought and confirmed that the pair had personally drilled the wheels themselves.
In a sea of techy ideas, methods and hacks right here in Emporia, that is definitely one of many extra inventive and distinctive on present, nevertheless it in the end wasn’t wanted on the 202.5 mile course north of Emporia.
(Picture credit score: Josh Croxton)
“I punctured and the plug got here out,” Swenson defined, clearly happier to debate his race than his hack. “I acquired it fastened and chased. After the primary feed zone, the plug got here free, and I ended up switching wheels with my teammate Tobin. He gave me his wheel and we acquired again to the group.”
Ortenblad later defined that the tyre ended up holding air with out situation, however that given Swenson’s management of the Santa Cruz workforce, they determined to swap.
“It was high quality, however I used to be like ‘dude, simply be sure you have wheel. You do not wish to danger it.'”
The pair did not straight clarify why the hack wasn’t deployed as an alternative, however given the circumstances, it is doubtless that the pair determined a wheel swap was the most effective resolution in that second.
