Allegheny Passage/ C&O tire width question
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Allegheny Passage/ C&O tire width question
OK tire gurus, if you had a choice, which 26" tire width would you run for this trip, 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" or neither. (Mind you the third choice will probably keep me from sampling as many crabcakes as I would have hoped) As always, thank you for your input.
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I rode the entire trail on 700x32s with no problems. I was pulling a trailer as well. 26x11/4 would work but w/ a muddy trail one might go wider....and it is muddy right now!
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Depends on the weather. The wetter the more you need a tire with some width and tread. If it is dry you could easily ride it with pretty skinny tires. If unsure about the weather go with the wider ones.
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After this weeks rain, 26x2.1's Between the mud on the C&O and the soft crushed limestone on the GAP
Normal days I wouldn't ride it on less than 32mm's. I'm running there this weekend, I'll be on a MTB with 2.0's.
Normal days I wouldn't ride it on less than 32mm's. I'm running there this weekend, I'll be on a MTB with 2.0's.
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I used 700x32 successfully twice, although during the first 'wet' trip I would have preferred a wider tire with some tread. When I ride in June, I'll be using wider cyclecross tires instead of my hardcase commuting set.
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I'm with The Historian on this one - 700x32 will work, but barely. I found myself wishing for wider tires - and fenders!
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I did the whole C&O last weekend on mostly slick 700x35 Vittoria Randonneurs. We had rain one of the days, and I didn't have any problems related to the tires.
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Done it twice on 700X35's (Schwalbe Marathon Supremes) and never a bit of trouble. One trip was dry, the other pretty wet and I was glad to have fenders. Personally wouldn't have wanted a skinnier tire.
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About any non-slick tire will work. I'd tend towards the wider tires as you will have areas with sketchy traction. The Schwalbe Marathons are excellent more for the puncture resistance than for the tread.
There are bike shops at pretty regular intervals so you may not need to carry a spare tire, just a couple tubes and a patch kit. The roughest portion of the journey (except for the Pinkerton Tunnel bypass) is near DC actually. I had to let air out to get past that area with my wristbones in tact due to the washboards and many small rocks.
There are bike shops at pretty regular intervals so you may not need to carry a spare tire, just a couple tubes and a patch kit. The roughest portion of the journey (except for the Pinkerton Tunnel bypass) is near DC actually. I had to let air out to get past that area with my wristbones in tact due to the washboards and many small rocks.
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I've done the length on 700x40c marathons. These were pretty good though it was early in the year and the GAP section was soggy which made going slower and might have been better with wider rubber. I ended up breaking a spoke about 50miles out from DC (only had 32 spoke wheels) and I agree with the others that this section is the roughest.
I have done some small sections of the C&O canal near DC on 700x28 gators and that was brutal. I was unloaded at the time.
I'm doing a ride down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this summer and have gone for 700x50c marathon XRs (they just fit my bike). So I'd go for the largest tires you can fit on the bike.
I have done some small sections of the C&O canal near DC on 700x28 gators and that was brutal. I was unloaded at the time.
I'm doing a ride down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this summer and have gone for 700x50c marathon XRs (they just fit my bike). So I'd go for the largest tires you can fit on the bike.
Last edited by porter; 04-16-09 at 05:42 PM.
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I've done only a short bit with 32's. my hands were feeling the shocks. I'm not sure if gloves would have prevented this, but next time I am using larger tires.
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About any non-slick tire will work. I'd tend towards the wider tires as you will have areas with sketchy traction. The Schwalbe Marathons are excellent more for the puncture resistance than for the tread.
There are bike shops at pretty regular intervals so you may not need to carry a spare tire, just a couple tubes and a patch kit. The roughest portion of the journey (except for the Pinkerton Tunnel bypass) is near DC actually. I had to let air out to get past that area with my wristbones in tact due to the washboards and many small rocks.
There are bike shops at pretty regular intervals so you may not need to carry a spare tire, just a couple tubes and a patch kit. The roughest portion of the journey (except for the Pinkerton Tunnel bypass) is near DC actually. I had to let air out to get past that area with my wristbones in tact due to the washboards and many small rocks.
Pinkerton Horn wasn't a problem on either of my trips last year, but Ohiopyle is pretty rough in spots.
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#20
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It is not me you need to worry about. My buddy Dave is older than all of us, I am sure and we will be just getting started on the Montour and he will be sipping a beer down in DC. OK a bit of an exaggeration but not much.
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You running 700c's Spinnaker? I have a set of the WTB Interwolf's sitting here you can have. They were pulled with 20 miles on them in favor of Conti tourings. Decent tires they seem, I pulled them because they're a bit cyclocross'ish and subsequently had some buzz on pavement (They came new on my 09 Gary Fisher)
#23
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You running 700c's Spinnaker? I have a set of the WTB Interwolf's sitting here you can have. They were pulled with 20 miles on them in favor of Conti tourings. Decent tires they seem, I pulled them because they're a bit cyclocross'ish and subsequently had some buzz on pavement (They came new on my 09 Gary Fisher)
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but what width are they? (They might as well go to someone else if they are no wider than 32s.)
How would you get them to me? I could reimburse you for shipping. Or maybe you could just bring them with you when you join us for the tour???? (hint hint hint)
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Wow that is really generous. Yes I am running 700c.
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but what width are they? (They might as well go to someone else if they are no wider than 32s.)
How would you get them to me? I could reimburse you for shipping. Or maybe you could just bring them with you when you join us for the tour???? (hint hint hint)
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but what width are they? (They might as well go to someone else if they are no wider than 32s.)
How would you get them to me? I could reimburse you for shipping. Or maybe you could just bring them with you when you join us for the tour???? (hint hint hint)
They'll prolly make a decent trail tire. The bike they came with was converted to a fendered road commuter and I just opted with a smoother tire that had built in flat protection (Continental Touring Plus's)
Last edited by CCrew; 04-17-09 at 09:58 PM.
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