Appropriate bikes

Go to Forum

Andy from St Louis on 10/5/2011 4:55:50 PM:

I've talked to a lot of people and gotten a pretty even split on this issue: is my road bike appropriate for the Katy or not? I have a MTB that I'm not opposed to riding, but would prefer to take my road bike if at all possible. Thoughts?

Trek on 10/5/2011 8:28:08 PM:

Probably more appropriate than a mountain bike. We ride Trek hybrids that are fitting for the Katy. The Santana tandem road bike is very appropriate also. The main thing is to keep in the track out of the loose chat. That's the case with any bike I think, but is more critical when on the longbike.

kc from nj on 10/6/2011 9:16:47 AM:

I vote MTB if you are planning a long ride on the trail. It will be much more relaxing. With a road bike, you will have to be on guard all day with your eyes 100% on the trail vs. the scenery. Also, I imagine that on a road bike you will be tense from constantly making adjustments to stay on track and from the lack of shock absorption. If it rains, skinny tires will probably sink into the trail surface. However, you don't need big knobbies. So take the MTB with slick or light to medium knobbies. My humble opinion.........

bikegal from Grand Marais, MN on 10/11/2011 2:59:19 PM:

Just returned from a 7day tour/camping on the Katy. Fully loaded and on a road bike with 700x32c cyclecross tires. No problem with scenery viewing, just remember to get off your saddle at the road crossings, that's where most of the rough areas are. Great trail, great site!

David on 10/11/2011 3:02:25 PM:

Or ride some "Urban" tires that are wider and can run lower pressures (50-80psi). If you are more comfortable on your road bike than your mountain bike, this is the way to do it on the katy. You don't need a suspension fork on this trail.

morick from Springfield, MO on 10/11/2011 4:41:00 PM:

On our 50 mile bike ride we had 4 flats. Two happened to mtbs and 2 happened to the same tire on a hybrid. I think the road bike tires would be more susceptible to flats than the mtb. That would be my only concern.

merkin4 from St. Peters MO on 10/12/2011 2:11:30 PM:

Spend the extra bucks and get those tires as bulletproof as you can make them. I've opted for heavy-duty tubes, heavy-duty semi-slick wide tires, and a kevlar belt between the tire and the tube. I finally reached my goal of doing 50 miles in one day this fall - and I've been training long and hard to pull that off. With those tires (and a triple-wall rim back wheel), I've not had a flat all year. And that's with 125-150 miles per week.

Anonymous on 10/12/2011 4:15:36 PM:

I ride my road bike on the KATY all the time and haven't had any problems.

zbiker on 10/15/2011 8:23:46 PM:

I ride a hybrid with 700x35 tires, have ridden end to end, not flats, just make sure I have good tires in good shape.

Having said that, I have seen a lot of road bikes on the trail, though without panniers or bags so I am guessing those are short riders.

justssayin from kcmo on 10/15/2011 9:54:20 PM:

I disagree. I think that your average road bike rider is taller than the average human.

Anonymous on 10/16/2011 9:47:30 AM:

I ride an old road bike frame, converted to single-speed, fixed gear with fairly heavy, but "bullet-proof" 28mm tires. I think that is a great set up for the KATY...and I HATE changing flats. Haven't had one in several hundred miles on the KATY. (Will probably jinx myself by saying that.) Most of my rides are in the 60-100 mile range.

Shayne S. from Wentzville MO on 10/24/2011 5:22:20 AM:

I just rode my first century on the 22nd. I did it on my Gary Fisher Mamba 29er. Didn't have any problems at all took 7hrs and 32mins. I have never ridden a road bike. So I say MTB all the way!

Miguel from Rogers,Ar on 12/22/2011 10:04:40 AM:

I rode this trail twice in my dedicated touring bike with 700x35 continental travel contac regulars tubes and no flats.I cant see myself riding Katy Trail in any other kind of bike.With my down handle bars(like regular road bike) Ive more hands positions than a flat handle bars on a MTB or Hybrid bicycle.

ArkyKenny from Farmington, AR on 12/23/2011 10:20:59 PM:

How far? How much weight are you carrying? etc? I don't recommend mountain bikes with knobby tires, and I don't recommend road bike with road tires of less than 32mm wide no matter what you are doing. I think that 700c x 38's with some light tread and some puncture protection would meet most people's needs. If you ride a mountain bike, I'd look at getting some 1.5" semi slick tires with puncture protection. After than, whether you go drop bars, straght bar, or anything else is up to you, and how you plan to ride. You do not need suspension systems of any kind in my opinion: Just some good shorts and gloves.

FEEDBACK! - Please let us know if you have suggestions, corrections, complaints, or ideas. Your input is valued and appreciated - thanks in advance!

More info: KT Home Katy Trail Map Trip Planner Travel Timeline Forum Towns & Services Mileage Chart Events Trail Merchandise Search Advertise Contact Us

By using this website, you agree to the Terms and Conditions.
how this website uses cookies
This information may not be copied or reproduced in any way.
© Copyright 2026 BikeKatyTrail. All rights reserved.
BikeKatyTrail and BikeKatyTrail.com are registered trademarks.