Steve_M

Hi,
Last year I decided I would like to ride the trail from Pittsburgh to DC. After reading this forum, and visiting many LBS's, I bought my first real bike in the fall. Now I have to actually ride it, and get ready for my trip, which I hope to take this year.

I had hoped to find a used hybrid bike, so that I could cut my losses if I decided I didn't like cycling, but I couldn't find one big enough for me. I'm 6' 4", 220 lbs., mid-fifties, with lower back issues. I wound up buying more of a comfort bike, a closeout 2010 Jamis Citizen 3. It has 700mm double walled, 36 spoke wheels, as well as a suspension fork. The riding position is upright, which I wanted, but I'm beginning to have second thoughts about that, and may try to do something about the handlebars. I also got a rearview mirror, computer, helmet, tirelevers, patch kit, hydration pack and pump. Over the next few weeks I'm hoping to figure out whether I should get a trailer or panniers to carry my camping gear. I'll be researching fenders, toolkits, racks, tires, tubes, lights, locks, etc. You will probably see me posting on the Touring and Clydesdale forums, as well as some others.

I want you all to know that I appreciate the time you have taken to put such great information in your postings, and I hope that I will soon be able to contribute as well.

Most of all, I want to thank the administrators and sponsors who have made this site possible.

10 Wheels

Hello Steve,

Welcome to Bike Forums.

Many have found that the forward lean on a road bike actually helps your back problem.


Post some pics sometime.

Touring is great fun on a bike.

GoGranny

Hi, Steve,

Welcome to the forums!

I've done a lot of overnight trips on the C&O Canal. Last summer, after several years away from cycling, I did a weekend trip on the GAP at Connellsville. After years of carrying my camping gear on a milk crate bolted to the rear rack, I'm loving the panniers I started using last year. I've never tried a trailer, but they look heavy

You can travel fairly light because there are restaurants, grocery stores, and even lodgings in towns along the way. A few towns even have bike shops.

Ride your bike and make adjustments until you feel like you've bonded with it. The C&O is muddy and rough, so try to do some rides under those conditions. You can find knobbier tires if your bike doesn't handle well in the mud. However, they'll make for harder work on the GAP, where the surface is harder and more even.

A rear fender might be nice, to keep that mud stripe off your back in wet weather.

If you're an experienced camper, you know that too much gear will drag you down. I think that's especially true on a bike. Do some practice rides carrying the gear you plan to use, and practice using your camping gear. It's a lot of fun to do while anticipating your trip, and when the time comes, you can focus on the experience and not on getting your stove lit or tent up.

Check out a backpacking outfitter for a lightweight camp stove, tent or tarp, sleeping bag and clothes that will keep you comfortable if we get one of our rainy summers.

And keep posting updates!

tmcd

Steve,
I'm brand new to the forum as well. What a great resource! I biked the GAP three years ago with my 14 yr old son using panniers and had a blast. We saw a couple folks using trailers but most were using panniers. My bias is that "if you have the space, you will fill it up" thus panniers keep the load lighter than it would be otherwise.

Steve_M

Thanks all, for your welcomes and suggestions. So far I've only put about 100 miles on the bike, mostly on crushed limestone trails. I stood up on the pedals for the first time today!

Because of a ten day, eighty mile backpacking trip my son and I took with the Boy Scouts about 5 years ago, I have appropriate lightweight camping stuff. I'm trying to gather it all together so that I can weigh and measure it. At that point I will refine my thinking on the pannier/trailer decision and post my thoughts. I am only considering a pannier because some heavy riders think that it makes a difference to the survival of the rear wheel. I also suspect that it may be less expensive to get a trailer, considering the cost of mounting a front rack on a suspension fork.

I have taken the following pictures, which show some of the components which are subject to debate. It has a wide, padded saddle (I haven't been tempted to buy padded shorts yet), which I'm told I may want to change. I'm going to experiment with adjustments on the handlebars. The guy who sold me the bike thinks that the 700x35 tires are ok for the C&O, but he thinks I should replace the stock inner tubes with something better.

Steve_M

Well, I left from Boston last Sunday (the 20th), and arrived in DC on Thursday evening the 24th. I had problems, but all in all it was a good trip.

I went with my brother, who had his gear in panniers on an old Schwinn mountain bike, and I put all of my stuff in a Bob Yak 28 Plus. We went to Confluence the first day, which was well over 80 degrees - the trail was crowded near Ohiopyle. I had trouble keeping up because of a bike problem that wouldn't be identified/corrected for a couple days. We camped at the Outflow campground, and ate at the Lucky Dog Cafe that is basically within walking distance.

The second day we had rain all the way to Cumberland- that was probably a good thing, considering the heat. I apparently twisted my right knee dismounting at the Salisbury Viaduct, which continues to hurt. I had to work hard to pedal downhill from the Divide, which I thought was because of my left pedal, which was visibly falling apart, as well as my knee pain. We camped at the Riverside Y. My wife met us and took us by car to a restaurant called Puccini on the oustskirts of town, that was quite good.

The next day we headed for Hancock, but we decided early on that I wouldn't make it the way things were going. We had my wife meet me at Paw Paw, WV, to take me on to Hancock where I would meet my brother. The plan was to get rid of the camping gear to lighten my load, and that we would continue the trip using B&B's. When I got to Hancock I tried riding without my gear, and ralized it was still very difficult. At that point I examined my bike and realized that the rear wheel wasn't spinning freely. I took it to the C&O Cyclery right where the C&O and WMRT trails enter the west side of town, where they quickly determined that my rear wheel needed to be trued. $10 later it was fine, and I was able to ride somewhat ok, despite my bad knee. I really should have realized I had a blike problem at the end of the first day.

The fourth day we got off to a late start, and took the asphalt WMRT for the first 10 miles or so. We then rejoined the C&O. With a properly working bike, I made it to Harpers Ferry just fine, even with occasional sharp pains in my knee. My wife met us on the trail side of the railroad bridge there, and we walked across to the car, and she shuttled us to the Quality Conference Center about 5 miles above town. In the morning it was an easy ride downhill back to the town.

The next day we went the rest of the way. The Towpath was muddy because of rain the night before, and we had a very slow time getting into DC. We hit the Towpath around 8:15 or so, and didn't get to Georgetown until about 6:30. I am having more trouble recovering from the muddy conditions of the last day, than I am from the bike and knee problems of the first four.

The next time I will allow more time to deal with problems, and spend more time exploring some of the towns along the way.

GeoBigJon

Welcome to the forums, awesome ride report, thanks for sharing.

GoGranny

Sounds like you overcame the challenges very nicely! Hope your knee is better soon.