I am confused about the Unbound Gravel Camp pricing. Why is the package with entry included $1200 more? I understand it guarantees your entry into Unbound for that year but isn’t normal entry into Unbound $200-300. Basically you are paying a 4x premium for your entry in addition to the camp. I am sure someone will pay $1200 for a guaranteed entry but seems steep when you can do the lottery and save $900. Can someone tell me if I am missing something here?
by laflare11
13 Comments
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$300 reg fee is already insane. Christ I guess the spirit of gravel really was capitalism all along
Are you telling me this is 2200 to pay to enter a race!?
Honestly I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone pays money to ride these “races”.
I get it if it’s a small local thing that raises money for a cause. I’ll pay $50 or $75 bucks for a big ride and a pulled pork sandwich…
Thousands of dollars to camp? Nah.
$2200 better include a t-shirt.
You aren’t missing anything. If you’re going the pay to play route there’s a premium to skip the line. Same thing applies to all of the coaching packages that include an entry. If you can go the lottery route then that’s the cheapest route. If you’re a “dentist” and you’ve got more money than time you can pay your way in and have a certainty on your calendar.
I paid 60$ to do a local race recently and considering the level of support, it should have been $20. I’m astounded that people spend so much money to go destroy their bikes on these kind of events.
Did you somehow miss that it’s a training camp? You’re not paying just to camp. You are paying for professional coaching and training rides.
Why people pay crazy money like this to go ride in the middle of Kansas boggles my mind. It’s topographically one of the most boring places in the US (yes even the Fint Hills). Maybe I’m just spoiled, but there’s gravel races all over near me that never fill up, cost 1/3 or less, and are multiples times more scenic and enjoyable.
So what is it? What’s the allure of this race? Is it just to tell your comrades in the local gravel group rides that you’re “going to Unbound this year”?
lol throw in another $800 and you’ve bought yourself a Lauf
The camp is usually a 3-day training camp in late winter/early spring. They usually get a few gravel pros to lead group rides in the area and show you the ropes of racing around Emporia. The clientele for this have money and don’t mind spending it to ensure they can race at Unbound with pro level training to make sure they are prepared.
A good friend of my family has more money than he knows what to do with. Races on whatever is the best gravel bike that he buys new every year. He pays an absurd amount of money to train with Keegan Swenson 4X per year.
A brevet is $15-$20, if there’s a fee at all. This is insane. It’s fucking Kansas.
What the actual fuck