GAP C&O bike ride info

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

Pretty sure there are folks who have done the entire GAP + C&O in under 24 hours. I believe that technically there are rules about riding certain sections at night and there's definitely a posted speed limit on sections that would make that time impossible if one were following the rules. It's faster starting in Pitt than in DC.

I have a friend making noise about a one shot full pull. I think he's brain damaged... but he's one of the few people I know that could do it.

[fixieporteur]

The washout at Brunswick, MP 55 as not yet been fixed.

I will be passing through southbound, and am wondering if anyone had found a reasonable detour to ride early on a Saturday morning.

[palincss]

Originally Posted by fixieporteur

The washout at Brunswick, MP 55 as not yet been fixed.

I will be passing through southbound, and am wondering if anyone had found a reasonable detour to ride early on a Saturday morning.

I'm pretty sure you'd find MD-464 a reasonable detour, if you're on the Paceline. Many of the people riding the Towpath because it's flat and has no motor vehicle traffic at all probably would not. There's 800' of elevation gain in the 9 miles between Brunswick & Point of rocks, and several climbs that RWGPS says are between 6 and 7 per cent and much of the distance has no shoulders. I understand many travelers on the Towpath are using shuttle services to get around the closed section.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by .RJ

I have a friend making noise about a one shot full pull. I think he's brain damaged... but he's one of the few people I know that could do it.

Two friends who are early 50's and very strong bike racers did it a few years ago. Even had a broken frame and an emergency bike swap and still finished in under 24 hrs. Pitt to D.C.

[fixieporteur]

Thanks, palincss!

We will be a group of four overnighting in Brunswick on a Friday night. We'll check several sources when we get to Brunswick to verify if the towpath is open.

If the towpath is still closed, it will be very tempting to get up early on a Saturday morning and ride the MD-464 to Point of Rocks, where we will rejoin the towpath.

I was quoted something like $400 for a shuttle for four. I don't consider myself cheap, but it troubles me to pay that much to not ride!

[Cornfed]

May be a way "through" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDN...ature=youtu.be

[djg]

Originally Posted by cderalow

i did the lower 60 of the C&O using 25mm conti GP4000iis about a month ago.

was a bit fun at times, but manageable.

my companion had a 32mm Performance brand 'road' tire... had no problems.

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.

My son's scout troop does a C&O trip every other year, where some do two days out, followed by a ride home, and some do and get a ride home and some do the whole thing. I didn't go on the last one, but I've seen a mix of bikes, go out, including mtb, but also including various road, touring, or cross bikes -- people do fine.

[fixieporteur]

Originally Posted by Cornfed

May be a way "through" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDN...ature=youtu.be

Thanks! This is worth sharing with my traveling group.

[fixieporteur]

Originally Posted by djg

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.

My son's scout troop does a C&O trip every other year, where some do two days out, followed by a ride home, and some do and get a ride home and some do the whole thing. I didn't go on the last one, but I've seen a mix of bikes, go out, including mtb, but also including various road, touring, or cross bikes -- people do fine.

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

[cderalow]

Originally Posted by djg

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.

Opposite direction: harper's ferry into DC all the way.

Originally Posted by fixieporteur

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

it was a mix of mud and wet the day I rode it, including rain.

It'd be perfectly possible to ride ride the towpath portion in a day if you're reasonably fit and still stay within the speed limit (15mph on most of it)

[El Chaba]

I planned to do the C&O (and the GAP as well) this summer. I prefer to do it when it's dry and not a mudfest and there were just a couple of 1-2 week windows this summer when that description *might* apply. I don't think it will recover this fall.

[djg]

Originally Posted by fixieporteur

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

Well, I definitely haven’t seen the worst of it lately, so there’s that. Under the current wet and muddy conditions I would definitely prefer something wider than the road tires, although 33 cross tires might be just fine. I certainly don’t want to try to talk anybody out of 42s or more if that’s what the person has, and has been testing on sections— you know what’s working for you.

[fixieporteur]

I don't disagree that narrow and smooth tires would work for some combination of really experienced riders, light & fast, or dry conditions.

I forgot to mention I'm doing GAP + C&O Pittsburgh to DC. My traveling companions are not interested in light & fast.

I'm local, so I've been pre-running sections of the C&O this season. Our schedule does not allow flexibility to wait for better weather.

For the current muddy conditions, I decided I wanted small knobbies and full fenders.

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

My traveling companions are arriving today. All I know right now about their bikes is they are on Salsa Fargo 29ers, steel and Ti. Should be very capable.

[BikeNY]

Originally Posted by fixieporteur

I don't disagree that narrow and smooth tires would work for some combination of really experienced riders, light & fast, or dry conditions.

I forgot to mention I'm doing GAP + C&O Pittsburgh to DC. My traveling companions are not interested in light & fast.

I'm local, so I've been pre-running sections of the C&O this season. Our schedule does not allow flexibility to wait for better weather.

For the current muddy conditions, I decided I wanted small knobbies and full fenders.

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

My traveling companions are arriving today. All I know right now about their bikes is they are on Salsa Fargo 29ers, steel and Ti. Should be very capable.

If your companions will be on Fargos, they will probably have proper 29er MTB tires. If that's the case, just go with the Thunder Burt 57s, as they should be the most capable and comfortable.

[palincss]

Originally Posted by fixieporteur

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

You aren't going to find more than a few miles of pavement on the GAP + C&O Canal Towpath, certainly less than 15 miles.