Bike type

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Frank M from Plainview on 6/4/2023 9:36:32 PM:

My friend and I are planning to ride the trail in September. She thinks a road bike would be best but reading here that the trail is mostly gravel I'm wondering if a mountain bike would be better - I don't have a gravel bike. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

Bop from Rochester on 6/5/2023 10:05:23 AM:

I've ridden a Trek Domane 4.3 25mm road bike between Medina and Fairport for thousands of miles over the years and had little trouble.

There are spots were the path washes out after a heavy rain that can be a pain depending on how many bikes have gone thru before hand. I can't speak for the enter length of the canal, haven't road the entire length.

Bill in Houston from Houston on 6/5/2023 4:32:55 PM:

Found this - "Surface. Mostly flat and off-road, the Erie Canalway Trail includes various surfaces. About 45 percent of the trail is paved, while 41 percent of the trail is stone dust, and 14 percent of the trail is on road. Very few natural stretches of trail remain."

My wife and I ride a MTB and town bike on our long trips. We find them comfortable and reliable.

We saw lots of people on road bikes. You and your friend should probably ride the same type of bike so that you can hold similar speeds and share inner tubes.

We did encounter some softer spots that would have been a little sketchier on a road bike, but they would be doable.

FRed from Cato NY on 6/17/2023 2:10:20 PM:

I too have ridden a Domane on the Canal. Just parts of it are good with that bike. The rest I used a Hybrid with 42mm tires and a Touring Bike with 38's. I find I don't care for straight handlebars much. You could just put a wider tire on your raod bike and be good to go.

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