Touring - Feedback on Erie Canal Tour

Dear Fellow Travelers:

I am a single cyclist in my 50’s who usually takes self supported tours, but I am thinking of doing the PTNY Erie Canal ride. I was hoping to get some feedback from others who have been on the tour.

1. I see there are historical lectures given a few nights. Are they entertaining or scholarly?
2. How is the mix of people on the tour? Are people friendly or cliquish?
3. How is the food?

I am an independent traveler so I am not sure that if I would like a structured ride. However it would be a nice change not to have to plan for camping sites, meals and the convenience of transport and a SAG wagon. Thanks for your input. John

I have been an independent rider.. I did the Bon Ton Roulet for the past 2 years and doing the Erie this year.
The tour director is the same for the erie as the bon ton, and I had no issues on the trips. wide range of people and I made a couple of out of state friends I am still in contact with and am riding with this year. If you come find me and we can ride together..Look for the yellow fenders & trekking bars.

Dear Fellow Travelers:

I am a single cyclist in my 50’s who usually takes self supported tours, but I am thinking of doing the PTNY Erie Canal ride. I was hoping to get some feedback from others who have been on the tour.

1. I see there are historical lectures given a few nights. Are they entertaining or scholarly?
2. How is the mix of people on the tour? Are people friendly or cliquish?
3. How is the food?

I am an independent traveler so I am not sure that if I would like a structured ride. However it would be a nice change not to have to plan for camping sites, meals and the convenience of transport and a SAG wagon. Thanks for your input. John


While I haven't been on the PTNY Erie Canal tour, I've spoken with some who have, and they have universally praised it as being a really fun time. Their descriptions are of a very laid-back, casual, friendly group of people. My young son and I did the PTNY route independently, and it was huge fun.

As it happens, we're registered for the PTNY Hudson tour this summer, which seems to run on a much smaller scale than the Erie tour. It will also be our first supported tour.

Although we haven't been part of the PTNY group we have ridden along with them on the trail several times. I can't say anything about camp life, lectures, or food, but when on the trail folks were friendly but not overly chatty. For the most part the riders were single file in small groups of 2 or 3, there were also a lot of single riders as well. We did see a number of folks in the 40-50 year old range, as well as families with children so I don't think there is any issue with fitting in. Probably the most surprising thing we found was the less than ideal condition of some of the bikes and people on a ~400 mile tour.

Probably the most surprising thing we found was the less than ideal condition of some of the bikes and people on a ~400 mile tour.

I am happy to hear this. I've signed my girlfriend's 18 yr old son and myself up for this year's ride. I am trying to get out riding regularly to improve my condition but I have a long way to go! My companion is in quite good general condition but not so experienced with biking & very busy with his last year of high school. But I have ordered some new tires so at least our bikes should have a few pluses!

There is a facebook group for the tour https://www.facebook.com/groups/49004971706/ from which the OP might get some tidbits of insight too.

I am happy to hear this. I've signed my girlfriend's 18 yr old son and myself up for this year's ride. I am trying to get out riding regularly to improve my condition but I have a long way to go! My companion is in quite good general condition but not so experienced with biking & very busy with his last year of high school. But I have ordered some new tires so at least our bikes should have a few pluses!

There is a facebook group for the tour https://www.facebook.com/groups/49004971706/ from which the OP might get some tidbits of insight too.


The vast majority of the PTNY route is as flat as a pancake. There is literally just one steep hill, between Schenectady and Albany.

You'll really be happier if you have somewhat wider tires - at least 28mm, and preferably larger. Some sections of the route have a very heavy layer of stone dust, while others can be somewhat sandy.

somewhat wider tires

I've got Schwalbe Marathon Dureme 26x2 tires on the way for us.

I have a 1200 foot climb right out my front door that I do regularly enough. Plenty of smaller hills most any direction I head from here. Flat will be a nice change of pace, I expect!

I've got Schwalbe Marathon Dureme 26x2 tires on the way for us.

I have a 1200 foot climb right out my front door that I do regularly enough. Plenty of smaller hills most any direction I head from here. Flat will be a nice change of pace, I expect!

You should be just fine. My son was on his 24x2.124 mountain bike when we rode it, and it came in handy on some of the mushy spots. I was on 700x35's but still had a couple of near-dumps, especially on a sandy couple of miles near Rome. I believe that might have been preparation to pave it, though.

Here is a crazy guy journal (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/CTEC) about the tour, which should fill in many details.

My family and I have done the Erie canal ride several times, it is a nice ride & well managed.
Our youngest was ten when he first rode it solo. There were riders of all ages, one year I believe the eldest rider was 80.
There are frequent lectures, depending upon your prior knowledge can be interesting.
With 400 riders you can get in a group or go solo - everyone was pretty friendly.
The food, is quite adequate you won't go hungry - variations of pasta for dinner and eggs for breakfast, two nights you are on your own to eat. Lots of easy to get to choices. We ate out a couple times - because we wanted to. We also often tried to hit a coffee shop around lunch time, as my partner likes iced coffee when riding and we usually found an ice cream stand in the afternoon. A place with ice cream and iced coffee was a double bonus. We were pretty care free about our diet. One son like chocolate milk and potato chips around nine in the morning - that gave him a good boost of carb and lytes. We have not yet figured out next summer's family ride - don't think we'll ride the erie canal -perhaps the following year we will go again.

Ps- what bike to use - the one that is most comfortable for you.
What tires - our 16 yo had 54 mm big apples one year, which allowed him to float over the crushed stone in the first part. Last year our youngest used a road bike with tires that measured 27 mm, he was fine. Have used 32, 37 and 42 mm tires - have to say I liked the 32 mm better, a good balance of speed, shock absorption and traction, probably 28 mm would be the min for adults; those folks with 22 to25 mm tires probably had more tire problesm. What ever the size- suggest you use some type of touring tire.

The vast majority of the PTNY route is as flat as a pancake. There is literally just one steep hill, between Schenectady and Albany.


Oh yeah, THAT hill. I'll clarify the pancake comment a little. Besides the hill on the trail between Schenectady and Albany you will have some hills on the on-road connector portions, nothing as steep as the hill on the trail but they are long climbs compared to the flat trail you've been riding for days.

BTW we rode a tandem with 32mm tires and had no issues, as with any stone dust trail you've got to watch for the occasional washout, soft spot, etc.

Oh yeah, THAT hill. I'll clarify the pancake comment a little. Besides the hill on the trail between Schenectady and Albany you will have some hills on the on-road connector portions, nothing as steep as the hill on the trail but they are long climbs compared to the flat trail you've been riding for days.

BTW we rode a tandem with 32mm tires and had no issues, as with any stone dust trail you've got to watch for the occasional washout, soft spot, etc.

lol Yeah, my reaction on getting to the hill was "Where did THAT come from?" It would have been a fun hill to climb, if we hadn't had to leave the path halfway up to avoid some out-of-control cyclists coming down the other way.

I think the only truly bad section of trail we hit was around Little Falls. They had clearly just dumped way, way too much stone dust on the trail for about a mile and a half or so - I measured it at five inches deep in one spot. Just as we were saying "Time to get back on the road", it got back to normal.

For non New Yorkers. stone dust is their jargon for pea gravel on top of crushed limestone - similar to the Katy Trail, Great Allegheny Passage, and Wisconsin state trails.

lol Yeah, my reaction on getting to the hill was "Where did THAT come from?" It would have been a fun hill to climb, if we hadn't had to leave the path halfway up to avoid some out-of-control cyclists coming down the other way.

I think the only truly bad section of trail we hit was around Little Falls. They had clearly just dumped way, way too much stone dust on the trail for about a mile and a half or so - I measured it at five inches deep in one spot. Just as we were saying "Time to get back on the road", it got back to normal.

We hit the hill right after we decided to do a speed run on the flat preceding the hill, we were just dialing it back to rest when out of nowhere we hit that hill. We did manage to climb the thing without dismounting but we were toast at the top.

The year we rode through Little Falls the PTNY had marked the trail at the loose stuff with an alternate route, i.e. jump the guardrail and ride on the adjacent roadway. If I recall that was the section where someone had set up a water barrel to collect icy cold spring water that a bunch of people were drinking, when asked how they knew that it was potable they said the previous riders said so.:rolleyes: I just used the cold water to splash on my face and head.

Dear Everybody:

Thanks so much for the feedback. I especially liked the journal that covered the ride. Next step is to see if I can get the time off from work.