How rough is the Appalachian Trail, also would this bike do the job https://www.performancebike.com/shop...usive-31-7055?

The Appalachian trail is a hiking trail, not a biking one I think.

*not a biking one. That being said theoretically there's some tricky parts to it near me that you probably couldn't go up stone stairs on Wiccopee mtn to what did we call it as kids... flat rock, on any bike unless you were one of those parkour hopper bike people. Much of its not too bad though from my limited experience. The other outlet after wiccopee mtn at fahnestock I remember going down a washout that I don't think you could bike up but that may have been a shortcut.

Biking along the AT is not allowed in most if not all of the trail. It is described as a foot path not a bike path.

To answer your question, stay off the AT. Too crowded with hikers, bikes are prohibited and many places on the trail are not rideable.

The bike you reference is a good bikepacking/touring bike, or at least it will get you out there. Since you asked about a route, and I see you are in Georgia, go to bikepacking.com and search TNGA to start. The TNGA is part 3 of the Southern Highlands Traverse, a 4 part, 1200+ mile bikepacking route from northern Virginia to southern Alabama. The TNGA begins in Oconee, SC and zig zags across the north Georgia mountains 350+ miles to the Alabama line. Part 4 turns south to Flagg Mountain. The whole Traverse is mostly singletrack, gravel roads, and dirt roads. There is some small percentage of pavement. This could be a fun way to spend a few weeks.



Trans North Georgia (TNGA) - BIKEPACKING.com
https://www.bikepacking.com/routes/trans-north-georgia-tnga/

Introducing The Southern Highlands Traverse - BIKEPACKING.com
https://www.bikepacking.com/plog/southern-highlands-traverse/