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Reply to Road bikes?
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sandra from Parker, CO on 1/1/2014 7:02:11 PM:
Has anyone completed this trail on a road bike with slick tires?
 
Dave from Kirkwood on 1/1/2014 10:46:00 PM:
There have been many previous discussions about this in the past, if you want to dig around for more opinions.

I make day trips on the eastern half of the trail, and often ride a road bike with narrow tires. I have not had any problems (no flats, for example), knock on wood. After rain, the surface can give enough to slow you down a bit (compared to a wider tire that floats better) in some places.

 
Trek on 1/2/2014 9:24:40 AM:
Our road tandem and the hybrid half bikes all have slick tires. Actually we've not had anything but slicks or inverted tread on the bikes for several years. Our miles are both paved and chat, on or similar to the Katy.

As Dave said....a search here will provide many and differing opinions on tire size and type.
 
ArkyKenny on 1/2/2014 2:30:56 PM:
I'm a bit of a tire freak, so I'll jump in.

Dave makes a good point: The east side of the trail and the west side of the trail are different beasts as far as the Katy Trail surface is concerned. For that matter, Spring/Summer/Fall are different beasts, and wet vs. dry is different as well.

When it comes to Katy tire selection, I don't think I go out on too much of a limb by saying that 1) Mountain bike knobbies are not necessary, 2) Hybrid or semi-slick tires are the most common tires you will see on the trail. From there, you will have to make adjustments.

I would choose a mountain bike with 1 1/2 wide semi slicks (that you can pick up for not much money at Wal-Mart) over $50 Kevlar road tires for virtually every trip on the Katy. The exception to that would be if I was trying to ride the whole thing in 1 day--or cover some long distance. Even then, for a 1 day entire trail trip, I'd pick 28mm touring tires on a road bike. I would never use "Road" slick tires unless that is all I had: But if that was all I had, I'd use them and have a great time.

By the way, I have a new/unused set of Conti TouringPlus 700x 28's that I'd love to sell you at a good price.
 
Pseudio on 1/4/2014 12:23:03 PM:
Arky and Trek have at least a combined 100 years experience on the KT, Sandra. They have it "right on" with the tire selection. If you are CO roadie at least use 28 mm touring tires. The sharp rocks and ruts will get you real fast.
 
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