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Ed from Greenville, sc on 4/9/2013 6:52:46 PM:
I have a very sturdy road bike. Is the trail crushed enough to support my bike or should I rent a hybrid?
 
lenny on 4/10/2013 4:18:01 AM:
Which trail? Certainly not the C&O.its to unpredictable. The GAP would be OK if it has been dry, and will stay dry.
 
Anonymous on 4/10/2013 4:41:45 AM:
Just this past Monday 4/7/13 My husband and I started in Cumberland and did 40 miles on trail, half Gap and half C&O. He had a Diamondback Menona 2010 with front suspension and 700c x 35 tires. I had a Novara Randonee with 700c x 32 tires. He was completely comfortable on either trail. I had a sore butt from my new saddle, but other than that both bikes worked exceptionally well on both surfaces. Wider tires with a little tred on the edges, that is wider than road tires, are suggested though for the C&O since the surface is rougher.
 
Jim on 4/10/2013 2:38:11 PM:
The C&O Canal Trail is not your typical Rail-Trail. It is hard packed dirt and rough stone with tree roots and mud mixed in at times. Hybrid Tires would work, Mountain Bike Tires would be better. Be sure to pack some spare inner tubes. Lots of opportunities for punctures. Enjoy your ride.
 
lenny on 4/11/2013 4:20:34 AM:
Hybrid tires work great, I have never used a tire bigger than a 35. The advantage is it is an easier tire to peddle and faster with less drag. I have had a few flats, but only the tube never a tire failure. And most of the tube failures were thorns.
 
Jim on 4/15/2013 9:11:37 AM:
There are lots of sharp rocks as well, which can lead to punctures. The wise man carries spare inner tubes.
 
chris markley from harrisburg, pa on 5/7/2013 7:54:37 PM:
I rode solo Pittsburgh to Georgetown last October on a traditional steel-frame touring bike (circa 1976), with 700c x 32mm in front and 700c x 35 in back. Back tire was a Schwalbe Marathon Plus -- tough tire. GAP was great. C&O was rougher going. With leaves down, I had to be very careful about bouncing off of tree roots hidden by the leaves. I wouldn't do it with anything smaller than 32mm, and most road bikes these days won't fit even a 32. See what you can fit in your frame. But if clearance is really tight in back and you bust a spoke, the out-of-true wheel will lock up against the chainstays. So either bring spare spokes and a mini cassette remover, or a kevlar spare spoke, or go with thinner tires that give you safe clearance. It's all dependent on what you are comfortable with in your riding style. I've heard some people have done it with 25mm road tires.
 
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