I have a girlfriend...
 

who fully supports my cycling habit, and in fact, may be pretty darn close to developing one herself.

Last year, I signed up for and completed my first tour - a fully supported one of the C and O Canal Towpath. I had so much fun that I already registered for this year's ride. My girlfriend would like to participate in this year's ride, but I am concerned about the bike that she wants to use. She rides a 2014 Giant Liv Avail 2, and it looks like the most she could go on beefier tires is a 700x28, which does not seem wide enough for a trail like the C and O. Has anyone here ever put anything bigger on a bike like this? Or should we start looking for her +1? For me, it would be a no brainer, I would just buy a new bike, but she is more budget conscious than I am, which is another thing that makes us a good fit - making me think twice about ridiculous purchases since I live in a town house and between my bikes and my kids' bikes significant wall space is occupied by bicycles.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Score some points by buying her a bike. She can keep it at her place.

+1.

One that she picks out and likes, of course.

I went through this with my then-girlfriend last year. We were going to a place where bike theft was high, and she didn't want to take her nice Specialized, so we went out and found a decent cheap vintage bike she liked to take instead. I found out through that process that what she wants and finds comfortable and important likely is very different than what you place importance on.

Are you close enough that you could do a dry run for a few miles down the path?

How heavy is she... I know, that is always a good question :thumb: But, it is quite possible that 28mm tires for a 100 pound rider would be like 35 mm tires for a 150 pound rider, and you could drop pressures accordingly.

I haven't been on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Tow Path, but I used to ride on the Katy Trail in Missouri. That path had a well packed fine pea gravel (limestone?), and was just fine with 23 and 25mm tires (except just after a snow melt).

Anyway, what are your road conditions like?

Selection of good "gravel" tires for 700x28 are a bit limited, but there should be a few.

We were touring together then. I bought her an LHT as a surprise birthday present. Wasn't much choice since she's only 5' tall. I hung it on the wall rack and told her her present was in the room. Took her longer than I thought it would to find it.

C&O is totally different. Dirt, tree roots, hump in the middle in places, and can turn into a mud pit after heavy rain.

Oh... I keep forgetting, it is dry in the summer on the West Coast, but regularly rains in the East.

I'll ride along the canal paths here. But, they are only a few miles long, with a fairly regular surface, except around the gates.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1461792529

Hopping from one side of the hump to the other is a bit of a pain though.

If I had to choose which bike to do a 200 mile ride on it.... it would be a tough choice.

Of course, you already have been on the Towpath.

Another option to consider might be bike rentals. It may or may not be good to head off on a "tour" on a bike that she hasn't ridden. But, you can find a comfy seat, and it might not be bad.

There are lots of good cross bikes available. Some quite light, if they are in your budget.

I love the looks of the new REI COOP ARD 1.4, Carbon Fiber. But, it looks like the "Women's" version is aluminum. It would be worth looking at both.

https://www.rei.com/product/892430/c...d-14-bike-2017
https://www.rei.com/product/106310/c...mens-bike-2017

Hmmm,, I'm not seeing a lot of small 650b or even 26" Cross bikes (depending on the person's size).

This Surly Straggler showed up (auction ends soon).
Surly Straggler 650b 38cm XS Touring Road Bike Mint | eBay

Agree, unless they've changed it, the C&O had very little if any limestone substrate laid down and it can be a wee bit messy after a rain.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...CN0251-1-1.jpg

What organized group will you be riding with?

San Mar Children's Home
 

I stumbled across the group last spring when I googled C & O Canal Bicycle Tour. It is basically a fund raiser for the children's home (now that group homes have fallen out of favor in Maryland, they use the money for counseling and foster services for the kids that would have been in the group homes). Anyway, for a $475 tax-deductible donation, I was provided with the opportunity to participate in the most fun thing that I have ever done in my life. The tour is fully supported, with camping the first two nights and one night's hotel stay the final night. All food was provided, and the tour was fully supported. If you raised enough money, they would even have someone pitch your tent for you.

I rode the tour by myself, but by the end of the four days, I felt like I had known the people that I was riding with for my entire life. I cannot wait to do it again this year.

If the trip is in a reasonably dry part of the year 28 mm slicks are fine IMO. They might even be my first choice if I knew it would be reasonably dry. It can get pretty sloppy at times though and during wet times a mountain bike can be pretty nice there.

If it is a one time thing consider renting or borrowing a bike with fatter tires. If it will/may be wet and if she will continue to use a fat tire bike regularly it may be time for a +1.