Beverly

Some friends and I are planning my "retirement ride". We want to do the Allegheny Passage from near Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD. As far as I know the entire trail is crushed limestone. I rode a small section of it near Ohiopyle a couple years ago on my old hybrid with 700x32 tires and didn't have any problems even with the wet trail conditions - it had rained the previous day. Our plans are to do the 150 mile trip in 3-4 days so we'll have plenty of time to visit sites along or near the trail.

My choices are the Trek 520 with 700 x 32 tires or the mountain bike with 26 x 2.0 tires which are real knobby. Another option is to have less knobby tires mounted on the mountain bike. We will have sag service so carrying items on the bike is not a problem. I'm leaning toward the 520 since I've spent more time on it than the mountain bike. Am I overlooking something that would make the 520 a poor choice?

I know a few people in the group have done this trip..what bike/tires did you use?

Tom Bombadil

I have ridden several limestone rail trails on 700x32 tires with a rigid fork and it was fine. Not quite as smooth as on a hybrid w/suspension fork & 700x38, but still just fine.

Will rides these trails with 700x28 120psi tires with no problems.

I think a steel frame 520 w/700x32 makes for a good rail trail bike. Especially if you are very comfortable on that bike.

The Smokester

I would go with the 520 unless there are some more "serious" off-road trails you might want to attack along the way.

BluesDawg

520, definitely.

stapfam

Think I would take either bike so it is up to you to check out the MTB and see if it is comfortable.

Other than that- Orbea sell some good bikes

Louis

Remember the N+1 rule is in play here. But seriously, the 520 is just the ticket.

BSLeVan

Yep, the Trek 520 would be my choice too. But tell us, how do you feel about the two bikes.

Beverly

I have a little over 200 miles on the 520 and I love it. I've been taking it on club rides working out the fit and saddle. It fits fine but I think I'm going to switch saddles on it. I currently have my old Terry Liberator on it and it's comfortable but around the 30 mile mark it starts to get a little uncomfortable. I'm going to check the saddle position and give it a few more miles. If it doesn't feel better I'll be putting the Specialized saddle on it. I also have a Brooks in the garage but it needs to be broken in before I do any long touring on it.

I plan on taking the 520 on the around Lake Erie tour this month. The Madone would probably be fine but you never know what type of roads you may find in the camp grounds. Besides, I bought the 520 for this type of touring

I don't have any long rides on the mountain bike. I currently have the child trailer hooked to it and use it for hauling the granddaughter to the ice cream store It also has the flat handlebars and I don't like them on longer rides.

I think I've answered my own question. I'm sure the 520 will be doing the Allegheny

BengeBoy 

Good choice. I had my 520 on a gravel path last night, and was just thinking to myself that it would be perfect for longer trips on gravel roads.

Terrierman

Just to be a contrarian, I suggest you ride the MTB with slicks. I did 30 + on a limestone rail trail on Sunday AM riding the Felt 29'er. At no time did I wish for a bike with no suspension or small hard tires. In fact, I decided that I had a 15 mile saddle on a 30 mile ride (not that much fun when you find yourself squirming and standing and coasting and thinking my ass hurts) and will be ordering another B-17 soon.

But. If the 520 is a trusted friend, who am I?

Yen

Bev, sounds like you've made your choice so I don't have any more to add, but to say that sounds like a fun ride and I hope to do that type of ride some day if I'm still healthy when I retire.

Stapfam is bad. He warned me to NOT try on the Sidis, which only raised my curiosity. Once they were on my feet, I knew why he warned me. It's all his fault!

Tom Bombadil

A 700x32 running at around 80psi is not really a small hard tire.

I didn't think hardbutts like you could get a sore ass.

Monoborracho

Beverly I have been considering a week long trip on the Allegheny passage and C&O for a fall tour. I was thinking late Sept or mid-Oct0ber.

When are you going on you trip?

I was planning to ship my bike to Pittsburgh, fly in, go from there, and spend two days in D.C. before heading home. Total time was maybe 11 days. As much as i like my 520 my thoughts had been to take my 94 Schwinn Mesa GSX cro-mo LX with 1.9" tires. So maybe I missed something there or maybe I don't really know what the trail looks like.

I'm on vacation is Destin this week w/family (60 mile ride on the 520 today) but I would welcome discussion with you on this. My repaired shoulder with the big scar keeps thinking about how nice that front shock absorber is on a dirt trail.

Red Baron

520 - !!!!!! And have a very good trip!!!!!!

Beverly

I'll be retiring the 7th of October. We're thinking the following week would be a good time for the ride.

My friends have done the C&O from Cumberland to DC. They say you definitely need a mountain bike for sections of it. I saw some of the C&O when I was in Philadelphia last year and I certainly would have wanted a mountain bike with front suspension for riding it.

The small section of the Allegheny I rode near Ohiopyle was smooth crushed limestone and I've been told the entire trail is the same. I was riding my old Giant hybrid with 700x32's and it did fine. It had rained the previous day and I still didn't have any problems.

I'm going to contact Neil (The Historian) since he's been on both trails recently. I'll see what he rode.

Beverly

I'll be retiring the 7th of October. We're thinking the following week would be a good time for the ride.

My friends have done the C&O from Cumberland to DC. They say you definitely need a mountain bike for sections of it. I saw some of the C&O when I was in Philadelphia last year and I certainly would have wanted a mountain bike with front suspension for riding it.

The small section of the Allegheny I rode near Ohiopyle was smooth crushed limestone and I've been told the entire trail is the same. I was riding my old Giant hybrid with 700x32's and it did fine. It had rained the previous day and I still didn't have any problems.

I just sent a PM to Neil (The Historian) since he's been on both trails recently. Maybe he can give us information on both trail conditions.

George

Without a doubt, the 520, have fun.

ajk03

I haven't done the Allegheny Passage, but most of my riding is on crushed limestone trails on the Illinois Prairie Path and local forest preserve trails. I ride a Novara Randonee with 700 x 32 tires, which would be equivalent to your 520. I find the bike and the tires to be a very good ride on the trails. 150 miles over 3 or 4 days should be an enjoyable trip with your 520.

Al

stapfam

Good advice was given and ignored- but even you have to admit that Ignorence is bliss.

Beverley- Sounds as though you are going to use the 520 and agree- but get the saddle sorted.

Louis

+1

In case you don't get the saddle issue completely sorted in time for the ride, throw another saddle in the SAG van before leaving.

tsl

My new favorite tires for riding crushed gravel and dirt roads are the 34 mm Bontrager Jones CXR cyclocross tires.

They have little itty-bitty baby knobbies that are just enough to hold the gravel beneath the tires, rather than try to skip sideways, roll off it or spit it out the sides. The flatter profile, rather than the rounded one of regular tires, seems to help too.

Slap a set on the 520 and the limestone will be indistinguishable from riding the road.

BTW, I run mine at 65 PSI front, 70 PSI rear.

LynnH

Congrats on your retirement and what perfect way to celebrate, and may the celebration just be ongoing and you just have to keep making these kind of mind boggling decisions! Have fun!

Monoborracho

If you can be comfortable for a long day in the saddle on the mountain bike, I'd still recommend it. I run 26x1.9 Specialized Hemisphere tires, a treaded tire without knobbies, and they work great for dirt road, slick roads, etc. And on hard ground they just roll right along.

I'd rather be on my mountain bike, wishing I had brought the 520, than the other way around.

Neil_B

Beverly, first of all - congratulations on your retirement!

I rode the GAP and C & O canal towpath from Pittsburgh to Williamsport, MD in June. I had crashed outside Cumberland, and rode 90 miles on a fractured rib before I abandoned the tour. I used a Trek 7.5 fx with a trailer. The bike had Bontrager hardcase commuter tires - 700 x 32. I had no trouble on the GAP with them, although personally I might have preferred a wider tire. The C & O had the rainiest May in recent memory, and I had a hard time slogging through the mud.

Here's me outside Fort Frederick:

Tom Bombadil

About 15-20 years ago, Fort Frederick had a couple of large holes in its stone walls. They had been made in order to fire cannons through them. Later they found that in its original configuration, there were no holes. So they filled them in with stone.

We used to stop there on our drives between Morgantown, WV and D.C. We took pictures of our children sitting in those holes ... I think we have 3 or 4 sets of them taken in different years.