Why I’m Racing A Drop Bar MTB At Unbound | Is This Gravel’s Future?

Chris Mehlman’s custom bike for Unbound XL might look like a mountain bike at first glance... because it is, sort of. It’s a custom drop-bar Pivot Les SL hardtail, decked out with slick 2.1in tyres, a 100mm suspension fork, clip-on aero bars, and a full ultra-racing luggage setup; a mash-up of some of the most forward-thinking gravel tech trends. In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, digital editor Jack Luke takes a super nerdy deep dive into Chris Mehlman's drop bar Pivot Les, which he’ll race at Unbound XL 2025. Mehlman, based in Colorado Springs, is back to take on Unbound XL again. Unlike shorter gravel races, the XL is unsupported, requiring riders to carry everything they need across tough terrain and through the night – making water capacity and lighting critical to survival. Listen in to go full nerd on every detail of Mehlman's amazing rig. Read more about Chris' bike over on BikeRadar → https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pr... Listen to the BikeRadar Podcast → https://www.bikeradar.com/bikeradar-p... Follow BikeRadar on our social media channels: →   / bikeradar   →   / bikeradar   →   / bikeradar   BikeRadar is supported by Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus Magazine –For more information and to subscribe please visit → https://bit.ly/3nMr3Rn For more content like this see our latest subscription offer – → https://www.cyclingplus.com/subscribe... → https://www.mbuk.com/subscribe-today/