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Jeanne from Eagle, CO on 4/20/2021 6:51:11 PM:
Any tips on the best type of bike for the C&O and Great Allegheny ride? We are planning to ride Pittsburgh to DC and camp along the way.
We have done trips of similar length with our road bikes outfitted with paniers but I am hearing they will work on the GAP but not the C&O portion. Can they work? Any tips would be appreciated.
 
John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 4/20/2021 7:10:59 PM:
If you’ve done other rides of similar length, you’ll be fine on the C&O. Some of it is crushed limestone but most of it is old dirt mule paths (like tire tracks). The only time those mule paths get sketchy is after it rains a lot.

You can also connect to the Western Maryland Rail Trail for 27 miles before and after Hancock, MD as it’s paved asphalt. It runs parallel to the C&O and everyone hops on.

I ride a Trek Hybrid but a wide array of bikes are used on the C&O.
 
Rivnuts from Homestead, PA on 4/20/2021 7:31:33 PM:
If you want to take the time, there are numerous past forum postings discussing bike types, tire sizes, trail conditions and weather related to your question but John W's responses is a reasonable summary thereof.
 
Bill in Houston from Houston on 4/21/2021 2:06:08 PM:
C&O can get really really muddy. As rivnuts says, this has been discussed many times. Search the forums for "hybrid" and you'll find plenty of old discussions.
 
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