Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Knobbie Tires for Roark

I had a problem with Roark, my Trek 7.5fx flat bar road bike, this weekend. Neil F. and I were at the entrance to the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath. Neil started off pedaling down the path. I sat down on the bike, applied pressure to the pedals, and stood still. The towpath was damp from a recent storm, and the rear tire sank into the mud nearly an inch and a half. My buddy didn't have this problem, since he's 60 pounds lighter than me and has wider tires. Neil and I wound up taking Canal Road, which follows the canal, rather than the towpath.

My fear is that the C & O Canal towpath in Maryland, which Neil and I are riding in June, will be wet at some point and I'm not going to be able to make progress. Aside from losing 60 pounds, what other steps can I take to avoid this problem happening again? How wide a tire can I put on Roark? (He's currently rolling with 700/32.) What brands of knobbies do you recommend?

Well, if the 7.5fx fits like my 7.3, you should be able to get 38mm on there just fine. I couldn't imagine having to go much wider and still have a decent trade off with speed/road handling. Maybe you might look into cyclocross tires?

Well, if the 7.5fx fits like my 7.3, you should be able to get 38mm on there just fine. I couldn't imagine having to go much wider and still have a decent trade off with speed/road handling. Maybe you might look into cyclocross tires?

Speed isn't a problem riding with Neil F., since he's only fast when he's late riding to his work carpool. :)

The Pittsburgh-Washington DC trail/towpath network is half gravel (PA side) half gravel and packed dirt (MD side). We plan on using some paved parallel routes (Western Maryland Rail Trail, and roads through the Sharpsburg battlefield), but the last three or four days will be spent on the dirt towpath.

I still say CX tires. MAybe something like the Conti Twister (http://www.biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=COTWI)?

It comes as wide as 37mm, and I am quite sure that would fit on my 7.3, therefore likely your's too.

Looks like you'd have room for 37-38 MM tires at least on the rear stays. Fenders might be an issue with tires that big though. Give the dealer a call and ask :D

Hey Neil.

Maybe what you want is a tire that still has a road profile down the center and knobs on the side. That way when you're on pavement just riding along, you'll still roll fairly well. When you go off road, those knobs on the side will give you the bite you need to paddle through the mud and stuff. You just have to be careful because going from a road tire to a knobbed tire will change the way your bike corners pretty drastically. It'll take some getting used to.

I was thinking of something like the Specialized Borough:

http://www.specialized.com/media/equip/0018-0080_d.jpg

Other companies have tires like this too so have a look around.

looks like a good choice. Smooth on the hard pack with traction when needed.

we used to sell tires like this by the boatload at my old shop. they're great for rails-to-trails limestone.

I'd say if you have balance problems like you mention in the other thread, you should avoid the mud. You might hurt yourself.

I'd say if you have balance problems like you mention in the other thread, you should avoid the mud. You might hurt yourself.

Sorry, I don't ride a bike to NOT do things. Thanks for playing.

Also mind your tire pressure neil, if you let some pressure out your traction will improve.

Try these:

http://wandertec.com/uploaded_images/sand_bike-771034.jpg

Oh, there's also this Continental Twister which looks pretty nice. I think that it comes in 700X37 and 700X42.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/city/twister/img/twister_en;property=original.gif

Try these:

http://wandertec.com/uploaded_images/sand_bike-771034.jpg

Wiseass.

I'd go with Armadillos. The tread part is very smooth with good deep trenches on the side. Extreme puncture resistant...though they are heavy (then again I'd rather lose a few miles a day then change or patch a tube once a day). I've done 80 miles on my mtb with 1.95 Armadillos on. Then I discovered what a difference 30 pounds on a frame makes ;)

I had to dump my 700X23 Krylions for 700X25 Armadillos because the roads down here in TX kind of suck. They are significantly heavier and slower but I'm not fixing a flat every 10 miles.

I had to dump my 700X23 Krylions for 700X25 Armadillos because the roads down here in TX kind of suck. They are significantly heavier and slower but I'm not fixing a flat every 10 miles.

You also live in the land of the goat's head thorn.

Also mind your tire pressure neil, if you let some pressure out your traction will improve.

I tried that, and I struggled on the gravel Thun Trail this afternoon. I gave up after a mile. I felt like I was fighting a headwind, and I was riding DOWNHILL!

For what it would cost to get knobbies and a 36 spoke rear wheel for Roark - he's gonna be carrying tent, sleeping bag, and a week's worth of gear, I could get an entry-level mountain bike. Perhaps that's the way to go. I'll avoid asking for a recommendation, since many of the posts to Clyde/Athena are that very question. :D

Neil,

I don't really know what tire size will work best. I just stay off the gravel trail till it drys out. I do know, that for the tires I owned at the time, a 28mm was too narrow for the gravel, when dry. I could ride on them but did have some slippage. Found 32mm much better. But yes. the 32mm are too narrow to prevent sink in on soft gravel. I only rode about 50 feet today on the gravel before turning around. I would think you have to jump pretty much to the max size 700c tire. I just looked at my 7200FX and I don't see what would prevent a 45mm from being mounted. Finding a tire in that size at a reasonable price, maybe more difficult. As to rims, you are welcome to borrow my stock 7200FX rims. As I mentioned Sunday, I'm currently riding the hybrid with road rims from the Trek 1000 and 32mm tires. A much lighter wheel set. The 7200FX came with Matrix 750 alloy rims (32 spokes) with 700 x 35mm Bontrager Invert Hardcase tires. You can certainly try the 35mm tires first, but I doubt 3mm is going to make much of a difference. A 42mm tire at 10mm wider then your current Roark, is approx. 3/8 inch wider. That may be enough. Rain is forecast for mid week, so trail should stay soft for testing. I really hate to see you getting another bike just to ride C & O trail. I was on trail last July with 28mm tires and no problem for short distance I rode. Seems like a lot is going to depend on weather leading up to your June dates.

I tried that, and I struggled on the gravel Thun Trail this afternoon. I gave up after a mile. I felt like I was fighting a headwind, and I was riding DOWNHILL!

For what it would cost to get knobbies and a 36 spoke rear wheel for Roark - he's gonna be carrying tent, sleeping bag, and a week's worth of gear, I could get an entry-level mountain bike. Perhaps that's the way to go. I'll avoid asking for a recommendation, since many of the posts to Clyde/Athena are that very question. :D

When you have some choices on the table let us know. :)

When you have some choices on the table let us know. :)

OK. Trek 820. Trek 3700, Iron Horse 1.5, Specialized HRXC

Don't you still have your Navigator?

Don't you still have your Navigator?

I do. I'm concerned that I'm going to find the 'flat footed' pedaling position exhausting and painful for day after day of pedaling. I'm going to be riding 335 miles over seven days. Over one hundred miles of it is going to be on a slight upgrade. You have a Navigator; do you find it awkward to ride it long distances on consecutive days?

I do. I'm concerned that I'm going to find the 'flat footed' pedaling position exhausting and painful for day after day of pedaling. I'm going to be riding 335 miles over seven days. Over one hundred miles of it is going to be on a slight upgrade. You have a Navigator; do you find it awkward to ride it long distances on consecutive days?

I havn't done any long rides on it.

I've dropping the handle bars and that made a difference. I'm going to try and lower the whole stem and get the bars as low as I can. I wanted to get a commuter/gravel road bike, but realized that the Navigator should work just fine for that when I get it set up the way I want it. I think that once you get the handlebars lowered, the navigator is going to very similar to a MTB as for as efficency.

OK. Trek 820. Trek 3700, Iron Horse 1.5, Specialized HRXC

What about spending a little more and building up a Surly Karate Monkey? It's a nice steel frame--with all kinds of braze-ons for racks and such--that accepts a larger 29" mtb wheel that would work well for off-road touring.

I havn't done any long rides on it.

I've dropping the handle bars and that made a difference. I'm going to try and lower the whole stem and get the bars as low as I can. I wanted to get a commuter/gravel road bike, but realized that the Navigator should work just fine for that when I get it set up the way I want it. I think that once you get the handlebars lowered, the navigator is going to very similar to a MTB as for as efficency.

OK. I'll try it and let you know what I think.

Meanwhile, I've turned my indecisiveness into a poll in this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=6306322&posted=1#post6306322

OK. I'll try it and let you know what I think.

Meanwhile, I've turned my indecisiveness into a poll in this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=6306322&posted=1#post6306322

I voted in the poll, for Roark, now maybe a set of Cyclocross tires, as wide as will fit the bike......