About Us

Life Time UNBOUND Gravel presented by Shimano

UNBOUND Gravel was founded in 2006 at a time when gravel grinding was just beginning to pique the interest of the endurance cycling community. Residing in the Flint Hills of Kansas, cyclists come from around the globe to transcend upon these roads and tackle the hilly, tire-shredding, sun-baked gravel we’re infamous for. Inspired by some of the early gravel events, our founders knew that the beauty of this region is best explored on two wheels, and with that, the 200 mile “race” took shape.

Initially, we had no idea just how much this whole gravel grinding thing would grow. And honestly, it wasn’t what motivated us. What drives our team is providing life-enriching experiences and as this event has grown, so have we.

Community Impact

UNBOUND Gravel isn’t just a race—it’s become a huge piece of the Emporia community and culture. We’ve deeply impacted our local community throughout the years and see a charitable piece from each year’s event affecting the lives of many folks in our town. As we’ve grown from a startline of just 34 athletes back in 2006 to now approx. 5,000 riders from all 50 states and 38 countries, we still pride ourselves in the “grassroots” feel and work hard to impact those coming to Emporia for the race. Riders, fans, families, and volunteers all come together for an amazing celebration of community and cycling. 

Thank you for your interest in UNBOUND Gravel. We hope you will choose to join us in Emporia, Kansas the first weekend after Memorial Day. Contact Us should you have any questions about us or our event. We look forward to hearing from you.

– Your UNBOUND Gravel family

Mission Statement

UNBOUND Gravel is a grassroots event, organized and managed by folks who are passionate about cycling, and have done so for the primary purpose of providing life-enriching cycling experiences for our event participants.