ArkyKenny on 11/21/2012 4:53:31 PM:
Both Surly and Salsa make "Fat bikes" made for riding in snow and on sandy beaches. A friend of mine has one and uses it for riding trails. It is basically a rigid mountain bike with REALLY wide (like 5" wide) tires that he says give him about 3 in. of suspension. The bike weighs about 29#, which is not bad, and while the down side of that is that much of the weight is in the tires, so getting going is quite a chore, once you are going, the gyroscopic properties of the wheel keep him going. It may be a good idea for the Katy. He has had no flats that I know of.
I have written elsewhere on this post about switching to a touring on the Katy with my bike with Schwalbe 700c x 42 Marathon Mondial tires that are kevlar reinforced. I now think that is the only way to go--for me anywan--on the Katy. The big tires on my Salsa Vaya keep me on top, and out of ruts with very little sacrifice of speed on the limestone path. They are actually 29er wheels and with disc brakes. When I tour on the road with the same bike, I can put 700c x 28s on, and I have a touring bike where I don't have to be afraid of potholes. Think about that option too.