jd from gkc on 4/9/2009 9:44:12 AM:
Tires might be as important as the bike itself. I use a department-store quality hybrid/comfort bike both for one-day and distance rides on the Katy. I've added quick-connect fenders and flaps to it to hold down any dust or mud from getting on me during excessively dry or wet weather. That limestone mud can also add extra weight to the bike. :)
I use 28-mm tuff-skin tires with an extra thorn liner inside each one. Because the Katy is frequently littered with wind or storm debris, I carry a flat-tire repair kit (two tubes, two tire boots in case of blowouts, levers, screwdriver, stem tool, glue, patches, and air pump). It's much faster and easier to replace a tube than to repair one out in the country. Even the small twigs on the trail following a storm can puncture a tire when least expected.
Additionally, carrying extra water, nourishment, clothing, toiletries, and emergency supplies on a rear rack doesn't hurt anything. Still, I want to try my 23-mm-tire road bike on the trail one of these days.