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Reply to Appropriate Bike for the Trail

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Brett from Tulsa, OK on 9/2/2014 10:50:32 AM:

Curious to know what most people use (bicycle-wise) on the Katy Trail. Are most of you using mountainbikes, hybrids, cyclocross style bikes? Or can a road bike be used? If so, what tires/tubes do you suggest to avoid trouble? Haven't ridden the trail yet, but the wife and I are excited about trying it out someday soon!

MidSouth from Rogersville, MO on 9/2/2014 11:09:40 AM:

The majority of the bikes I see on the trail are hybrids with about 35c tires. There are plenty of mountain bikes and some road bikes. No need for knobby tires on the mountain bike, nor do you need a suspension fork. For road bikes most recommend at least a 28c tire. I see more and more cyclocross style bikes the last couple of years. I normally use my Salsa Vaya now. Whatever type bike you use, I would recommend tires with flat protection.

Trek on 9/2/2014 12:35:28 PM:

Spot on, MidSouth.

We ride Trek hybrids with 35's....no flat protection, but try to ride in the smooth path and out of the loose chat. I've had a few flats in the past 15 years or so, but not enough to concern myself over. I'll start having a few more now having said that.

We also ride a Santana tandem with 28's. It's had Bontrager Hardcase and Continental Ultra Gatorskins on Katy rides. First ride with the Gatorskins and we had a flat on the spur south of Columbia....go figure.

Ride what you have and know how to patch/change a tube.

sharonbikes from Kansas City on 9/2/2014 8:55:27 PM:

What they said. I ride a recumbent bike these days, but my friends ride cyclocross bikes and hybrids. On the eastern end of the Trail, I tend to see more road bikes. I wouldn't ride my road bike on the Trail - before my recumbent, I rode a mountain bike frame with narrower tires. Knobbies will just slow you down.

Darrell from Jeff City, Mo. on 9/3/2014 6:57:09 PM:

I've seen all kinds of bikes on the Katy Trail, even saw a guy riding a Penny Farthing last year during the Pedaler's Jamboree. We don't know how far you plan to ride, assuming a day trip for the first time on the trail, my choice would be a hybrid. That is my choice most days that I ride, 38c tires.

I think the best all round bike for most riders on the Katy is a hybrid, with 35c to 40c's. Hybrids are, for the most part, not too expensive, fast, agile, an upright riding position, just fun to ride.

For longer multi day trips I ride a touring bike with 32c's and that combo works great. So ride what you like, what you are comfortable with, it will be fun.

Brian from St Louis on 9/28/2014 5:58:25 PM:

You can ride almost anything on the trail. I'd shy away from road tires. I even think 28mm may be a little thin. I have an old mountain bike with 1.5 inch slicks that leave nothing to be desired. Even if the trail is moist, my 220 lbs doesn't push into the trail on those. 1.5 inches converts to 38mm by the way. If the trail is dry, or you weigh less than me, you could go a little thinner. Other than tire size, ride what you want: mountain, hybrid, cyclocross, touring, even a road bike with the fattest possible tires (if it's dry). The trail is flat, well packed, and easy going. Ride it and have some fun.

Jim from Arvada CO on 9/29/2014 7:31:50 PM:

I just rode the Katy on my recumbent trike and didn't have any problem with the surface. It's a great trail! No matter the bike.

Anonymous on 9/30/2014 7:42:54 AM:

My buddy rides his road bike with 25s. That's a little thin for me. Depending on whether I feel like riding my singlespeed or multi-speed bike, I ride 28s - 32s. All have good flat protection. I don't represent nor sell any bicycle equipment, but my favorite tire for gravel rails to trails is the Vittoria Ultra Randonneur (700 x 32). They're not cheap, but they are very comfortable, high thread count with (at least in my experience) great flat protection.

But...all that said...ride what you got...and carry a patch kit and know how to use it.

ENJOY!

Billy from Mokane on 9/30/2014 8:45:42 AM:

Ride a Trek Hybrid (7.7FX), 32's on tires. Love that bike for the trail. It's a 2006 model and I wouldn't trade it for the newer Hybrids. Think Trek was building better Hybrids 6-8 years ago.

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