Dylan Johnson breaks down his unconventional approach to gravel racing that landed him 10th place at Unbound—from running mountain bike tires on his gravel bike to testing aerodynamics in the wind tunnel. He dives deep into the equipment choices, training volume, and tactical decisions that separate top finishers in modern gravel racing, revealing that as the sport gets more tactical, raw power matters less than smart racing.
Key Takeaways
- Mountain bike tires (Conti Race King 2.2) can be faster than gravel-specific tires due to lower rolling resistance from thinner casings and comparable aerodynamics, while also reducing puncture risk
- Tire and wheel combinations are interdependent—deep aero wheels still provide significant savings even with wide tires, contradicting the assumption that wide tires negate wheel aerodynamics
- Heat management strategy—carrying extra fluid to pour on yourself during hot races—can significantly impact power output over 9+ hour efforts; cool conditions lead to faster overall race times
- Unbound has evolved from a race of attrition into a tactical road race; tactical moves and breakaways now win rather than pure fitness, which reduces the advantage of genetically gifted riders like Keegan
- Pre-race training blocks of 35-40 hours per week followed by a 3-week taper (with accidental complete rest due to illness) helped peak fitness; extreme volume followed by extreme recovery may be beneficial
- Narrow handlebars increase aerodynamic drag reduction only if body position remains optimal—going too narrow can actually be slower if it forces elbows out
Expert Quotes
"Amazing writers get great results all the time with suboptimal equipment. It's usually the same suboptimal equipment that everyone else in the race is using so doesn't really prove anything. —Dylan Johnson"
"I think a gravel race bike needs to be able to fit mountain bike tires on it. That's the future of a gravel race bike. —Dylan Johnson"
"The longer you spend in the heat the negative effects of the heat compound. Your power output takes a massive dive if you've been riding for hours in the heat. It's massive. —Dylan Johnson"