Jeff City 50+ Mile Ride in a few days.

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RK from New England on 7/22/2012 11:44:09 PM:

Hi, I will be visiting Jeff City for the first week of August and was wondering if anyone could recommend the best way to do a 50 mile round trip. I found the Katy Trail via google but am a little concerned with the surface. Any recommendations would be great including tires, if it is decent for road bikes, and for fast rides (18-25mph).

Any other trail/road recommendations would be great too. I will be here for about a week.

Patricia from Joplin, MO on 7/23/2012 9:59:57 PM:

Hi, just completed a 53.6 mile round trip (stayed overnite). The surface was hard packed, with a few medium size rocks & leaves scattered now & then. Pretty much any tires work fine; street tires are faster, but I didn't see anyone going faster than 15 mph. Most people travel at a more leisurely pace to enjoy the scenery. Also, there are some road crossings with yield/stop signs. Bring lots of water, and a spare tire tube as I got a flat the second day (a frequent rider told me there are sometimes thorns that pierce tubes). Have fun!

Tom from Jefferson City,MO on 7/24/2012 11:29:58 PM:

The best 50 mile round trip is to Columbia and back. If you can stand more like 60 mi the go from North Jeff to Rochport. The trail is in good condition- dusty but not cracked. I have a street bike average 13 mph and think this is the best ride on the trail. Start at 6 eat breakfast at Dotties in Heartsburg, an early lunch in Roachport the sprint back to Jeff for supper.

El Toro on 7/25/2012 8:01:40 AM:

For 50-100 mile rides on the road, I would normally average 16-18 mph. A similar ride on the KATY results in an average of about 12-14 mph. I ride a 700 x 25 tire on the road and a 700 x 28 on the KATY.

I wouldn't recommend anyone heading out to ride the KATY thinking about an 18-25 mph ride. Cracks in the trail (given all the heat) and the presence of other people make that aspiration unwise and unsafe in my opinion.

That's my 2 cents. I hope the data is useful.

Anonymous on 7/25/2012 8:05:14 AM:

Jefferson City to Columbia. Can we get a color on the crack situation? 30 percent = read says Bent from Kansas.

Tom from Jefferson City,MO on 7/25/2012 9:03:55 AM:

I road from Jeff to Heartsburg & back yesterday. I didn't notice any cracks - there might be a few small ones but nothing to effect what bike I'd use. It's hot but dry - the humidity can be a killer by the river. I found my ride quite plesant.

Anonymous on 7/25/2012 3:24:54 PM:

I am a beginning Katy rider, have been riding in the Macbaine-Huntsdale-Rocheport area. Another thing to watch for are walnuts! The drought has several of the trees dropping walnuts early.

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