Later today, Miguel embarks on a 350-mile odyssey across the Flint Hills of Kansas. Let’s take a look at his gravel race bike, a No. 22 Drifter built to take on the Unbound XL…
Unbound needs no introduction, but the XL version, the one I’ll be lining up today, is a different beast altogether. Three hundred and fifty unsupported miles across the hills of Kansas. This is my second ultra in six months, and somehow, it still doesn’t fully compute. There’s something about staring down this kind of challenge that makes me think, ” Why am I actually doing this?” And I believe I finally have an answer…
Identity of a Venezuelan Immigrant
Coming from another country nine years ago, I felt a deep loss of identity. I didn’t know who I was or what I was supposed to be, and no one around me knew my story or my family. At first, I wanted to fit in and play the part, become whoever it was I thought I should be here. After a couple of years, cycling became the tool I used to build myself back up.
Doing this one hard thing has slowly given me a sense of belonging and pride that I’ve been searching for ever since I arrived. I wish I had a bigger calling or a more poetic reason for riding my bike across empty landscapes in the dark, but the truth is I love this sport deeply, and I love who it is making me.
Anyway, enough with the self-reflection, but more on that to come in the future!
Let’s talk about the bike.
The No. 22 Drifter
When John saw the photos after our shoot, he looked up and said, “You’re racing on a literal sportscar bike, homie.” Spencer called it a Lambo, and I couldn’t agree more with them.
The No. 22 Drifter is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s light and snappy with massive tire clearance, running 2.2″ tires as shown, and looking like something that was designed for another planet. I’ve been putting miles on it around Santa Fe all spring, and took it to a local race, the Gravelón, where it finished 4th overall and felt absolutely dialed from start to finish.
The Setup: Modded for Unbound XL
This build is an evolution of my Mega Midsouth rig and guided by the same principle: I don’t want to carry weight and water on my back. Hydration vests and I don’t get along on long efforts, so everything goes on the bike.
Rack & Rear Bag: The centerpiece of this system is a prototype Old Man Mountain rack (super secret, super light) paired with their Atlas rackpack in 9L, which will carry my rain jacket and Ornot’s Microclimate Jacket for the night, along with extra tubes and nutrition. I’ll also use the top straps for an extra water bottle when I need the reserves.
Editorial disclosure: Miguel’s racing schedule is supported by both Old Man Mountain and Ornot.
Top Tube Bag: The Tailfin Long top tube bag has become one of my favorite pieces. It doesn’t move, and I’ve been playing with their velcro dividers long enough to have a system I trust. My ID and cards live in the dividers, extra batteries up front, flat kit in the back, and all my gels and quick-access food in the middle, where I can easily reach them.
Lights: I’ll be running the Exposure Race 19 up front, which I think hits a really nice balance of weight savings and range for gravel racing, and borrowing John’s Diablo Mk14 helmet light once again. It’s the same one that carried me through the night at Mega when my main light decided it was done.
Water: Two 36oz Radavist Expedition bottles in the frame, one 26oz under the down tube, and one more in the rear rack, which gives me 124 ounces (or 3.66 liters) and should be enough to carry me to the first stop at mile 165.
Editorial disclosure: John and Cari force Miguel to use the Expedition bottles. Not really, they’re just the perfect tool for the job! 😉
Aero Bars: Profile Design Sonic Ergo 26a with 30mm stack spacers for extra height. The position is so comfortable I keep joking that I could fall asleep in it, which at mile 200 may not be entirely a joke.
Tires: If conditions stay dry, fingers very much crossed, I’ll run Continental 2.2 Dubnital in race casings front and rear. If it rains and mud starts to factor in, I’ll downsize to 50mm Schwalbe G-One RX up front and RS in the back.
Wheels: HUNT 40 Limitless Gravel Adventure wheelset with 27/26mm internal width, which pairs well with the bigger tire setup and has been rock solid all spring.
Contact Points: Zipp Xplr bars and Fizik Tempo Aliante R1 Adaptive saddle.
Seatpost: A 3D-printed titanium head made in-house by No. 22, built around Enve’s two-bolt clamping system.
Stem: Fully integrated 3D-printed Ti stem, also No. 22.
Cranks: 5DEV road/gravel crankset, custom finished by No. 22 to match the frame.
No Fear
I’m coming into this race having learned a lesson from my Mega Midsouth ride: photochromic glasses this time, an extra light in my bag, and the reminder I had to earn the hard way: dark moments don’t last.
There’s a phrase I’ve been repeating to myself since watching Laurens ten Dam ride Unbound XL at what felt like an almost incomprehensible pace, saying it over and over the whole way through: No Fear. That’s the mantra I’m carrying into Kansas today, and I’m going to do my best to mean it.
Wish me luck!
Many thanks to Evan at the Broken Spoke in Santa Fe for the build!
Check out the Drifter at No. 22 Bicycle Co.