Are fire trails and easy off-road riding too much for my CdA?

[dd74]

My Serotta is very tough on the battered streets we have here (L.A.). But lately, I've wanted to explore the local trails.

Could my CdA w/Campy 11, withstand off-pavement exploits?

[christian]

I'm having a hard time assessing your riding skill and personal judgment from here. Can you move a little to the right? :)

The short answer being - it depends. Can you ride fireroads with it? Of course. Can you huck it off 5 foot drops? Of course not. Where you draw the line between there gets murky, but the rougher it gets, the slower you'll need to go, of course.

[bicycletricycle]

no they are not, smooth fire roads are fine on any road bike, no drops or rocks, watch for kicked up rock dents. i have ridden lots of dirt on lots of road bikes.

[Dave B]

Since your bike has campy on it, the gods will always allow your bike and you to experience a bit more punishment...they know you speak their language.

Not to worry. :beer:

[rdparadise]

You're typical fire road with compacted dirt or cinders would most likely be fine, provided they are relatively flat without roots, large rocks, etc. prevalent. You will obviously go slower on fire roads because of the terrain and resistence you'll feel because it's not asphalt.

Your Cda should work fine in that environment provided it's a good to high quality surface.

Enjoy the trip.

Bob

[rugbysecondrow]

What tires can you put on there? If you only have room for 23s, then that would be a pretty crappy experience on fireroads or trails. If you can put 32 cross tires on, then it might be fun. What conditions are the fire roads in? I have ridden some here in MD and they have holes, roots, rocks, puddles etc. They are more rough fire access paths vs. road.

Anyway, I think the tires and not the frame would drive my decision.

[djg21]

My Serotta is very tough on the battered streets we have here (L.A.). But lately, I've wanted to explore the local trails.

Could my CdA w/Campy 11, withstand off-pavement exploits?


Pavement is always optional. But it's not a mountain bike and ride accordingly.

[pavel]

Interesting topic - let us know how it goes.

I think the max tire clearance is 28 on CdA? Although I run 700x25 gatorskins on mine and have never tried anything bigger.

[dd74]

Thanks for the answers, guys.

I have ridden on some truly ????ty access roads that look (and feel) like road grader drivers had a kegger party on.

The off-pavement stuff, if it got truly hairy, I would simply stop and turn around on.

Jumps and stuff - no. Slow, careful riding - yes.

I trust Serotta and Campy for their durability, which is why I ask in the first place. I wouldn't consider this if it concerned a lesser bike and components.

[dd74]

Interesting topic - let us know how it goes.

I think the max tire clearance is 28 on CdA? Although I run 700x25 gatorskins on mine and have never tried anything bigger.

Can 28s mount to standard road wheels - like Campy Shamals.

[Dekonick]

Can 28s mount to standard road wheels - like Campy Shamals.

what matters is the space between your stays and fork... not the wheel. A clincher can take clincher tires... but will the tires rub the frame? That is what you need to be concerned with.

A road bike on trails can be fun. Love it on my touring frame :)

[dd74]

what matters is the space between your stays and fork... not the wheel. A clincher can take clincher tires... but will the tires rub the frame? That is what you need to be concerned with.

A road bike on trails can be fun. Love it on my touring frame :)

Yes, you're right about the stays and fork. I think I once heard with the F3 fork that 25mm is the widest tire one can go with.

[pavel]

what matters is the space between your stays and fork... not the wheel. A clincher can take clincher tires... but will the tires rub the frame? That is what you need to be concerned with.

A road bike on trails can be fun. Love it on my touring frame :)

Thats only partially true; while you are absolutely right about stays and fork clearance, the width of a clincher plays a role too. "A clincher can take clincher tires" is misleading - there is no way a shamal, for instance, will run 32s, or a Mavic Reflex anything bigger than a 25.

The width of the rim limits how wide of a tire you can put on.

This chart from sheldon is a big help:

[Hardlyrob]

I did D2R2 on my Kirk road frame with 28's on it - no problem. I doubt those fire roads are worse than the stream beds with road signs we rode down. You'll be fine. Go tubies, and avoid flats :) (waiting for the explosion...)

Rob

[brockd15]

I was on this road for a couple miles on 23's. I went nice and slow, mainly to avoid throwing up rocks.

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww54/brockd15/Triathlon%20and%20Events/Woodlands%2096%20mile%20ride%20082909/CIMG0031.jpg

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww54/brockd15/Triathlon%20and%20Events/Woodlands%2096%20mile%20ride%20082909/CIMG0037.jpg

[benb]

Here in New England unfortunately a lot of roads are almost as bad as single track.. is a frost heave or a pothole really any different then a root?

I know the roads are pretty damn sketchy up near Saratoga too.. I never worried about my Concours on crap roads and short amounts of dirt, I'm pretty sure Serotta's are designed with plenty of margin of error when it comes to strength and taking a tough road.

All that said.. if you gotta go onto them on slick 23s with your normal gearing it's not going to be that great.

[false_Aest]

I did Dirt Mulholland 2 weeks ago on my steel fuji with 23mm tires.

I dunno how good of a bike handler you are but there are some patches of very loose gravel. Its easy to wash out on if you're not careful.

I'm 150lb right now and dropped my pressure down to 85psi no flats.


I think you should do it.

[Mike748]

what matters is the space between your stays and fork... not the wheel. A clincher can take clincher tires... but will the tires rub the frame? That is what you need to be concerned with.

A road bike on trails can be fun. Love it on my touring frame :)

Not just width but height too. Watch the clearance to your rear brake bridge and chainstay bridge. Carbon fork watch for tread to fork clearance, that's where gravel will get stuck, not on the sides.

[dd74]

I did Dirt Mulholland 2 weeks ago on my steel fuji with 23mm tires.

I dunno how good of a bike handler you are but there are some patches of very loose gravel. Its easy to wash out on if you're not careful.

I'm 150lb right now and dropped my pressure down to 85psi no flats.


I think you should do it.

Dirt Mulholland is one of the roads I'd like to look into. Some of the trails in Griffith Park as well.

I really would like to avoid buying another frame/bike for such excursions, hoping that one bike can do a little of everything.

[Dekonick]

Not just width but height too. Watch the clearance to your rear brake bridge and chainstay bridge. Carbon fork watch for tread to fork clearance, that's where gravel will get stuck, not on the sides.
Yup - that too :)

And that is why I LOVE my Bedford. Kelly designed the perfect relaxed geo do anything frame for me. I am running 37's and low pressure. Awesome! A bit slow, but that is fine for me :)

Now just waiting for the Hors Categorie to come back to the stable... :hello:

[dhoff]

Yes, you're right about the stays and fork. I think I once heard with the F3 fork that 25mm is the widest tire one can go with.

I have run 27's on mine, (Challenge Pari Robaix Clinchers) with no problem at all. And it was the brakes, (DA) not the frame or fork that prevented me from running Grand Bois Clinchers. This was on a Legend not a C/A, but an F3 is an F3, yes?

With the 27's on, the bike was a true pleasure on the local rail trails.

[Ken Robb]

I'll state the obvious: the softer the surface the wider tire you will want. They kind of float along near the top of the surface. Skinny tires dig in and then try to turn the wheel to one side and the other which often leads to a wash-out of the front wheel and a face-plant. Keeping your weight off the front wheel in soft stuff helps as does a relaxed grip on the bars. A rigid grip with stiff arms will put you down in a hurry.

[vqdriver]

it's doable. i've gone on the fireroads in the tarzana and descanso area with 25s and the bike did fine. mud clearance obviously isn't an issue, but the trails here in LA tend to be rutted with a lot of loose dusty dirt atop hardpack so it's quite easy to wash out in turns or spin out on climbs. i wouldn't worry so much about the frame or drivetrain, but your wheels may take a beating.

[anomaly]

Sure, it will do fine. Here are some shots of one of my commute routes that I ride on my Pegoretti Duende with 23s. The bottom of the fire road is a 24% grade then it levels out to 19% for .5 miles.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6094872419_775e6677a0_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6131932416_bfb4f133f0_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6095414788_91d1e19985_b.jpg

[fogrider]

as mentioned, the key is tire clearance...at the frame and the brakes...which is why cross bikes...with really smooth fire trails, you might be able to get by with 28s if its just flat roads. but if there are any grades, you're going to need a little more traction which means letting some air out of the tires. this past sat., I was out on the cross bike and with about 90 psi, I was bouncing around and loosing traction. I let some air out of the tires and things felt nice. a buddy told me that you should be able to feel the rim from time to time. the problem with road tires and low pressure...pinch flats. a few years ago, a friend took out a cross bike but only had road tires...3 pinch flats on the descent.