My 10 year old Nephew is coming to stay with us next month and would like to go out for a couple of bike rides whilst he’s here. He’s a bit young to be riding up and down big hills or on the roads around Glasgow, so it’d be canal towpaths between local parks.

The only functioning bike I currently have is my Cannondale CAAD 8, shod with 23c Michelin Pro 3 tyres. Would fitting a set of 25c or 28c treaded tyres (such as these) feasibly be sufficient to take my bike on said canal towpaths without disaster?

Probably being over-cautious, but I have my Dad’s voice ringing in my head from when I was a kid, telling me how the wheels on my ‘racer’ were very fragile and I should avoid bumps where possible. Thinking about it, there’s probably no reason why the rims on my wheels (Shimano RS11) would be any weaker than a lightweight XC mountain bike rim, but I’d feel very silly if I turned out to be naive and out of pocket for new wheels!

Opinions welcome.

Really depends on how much tyre clearance you have under the brake caliper – as CAAD8 is a few year old, you may even find a 25mm tyre a struggle. I’ve frequently ridden gravel tracks on a road bike, tread doesn’t really make much difference unless you’re talking CX tyres. Unless you’re running 24 or less spoke wheels, I wouldn’t worry about the strength of the wheels, particularly for a lighter rider

I’ve done gravel on my normal road bike, that and cobbles, farm tracks and dirt tracks. 25mm tyres will do, just don’t turn too quickly

Watch a youtube clip of paris roubaix then just bash on

Thanks for the speedy responses. The bike is fairly old (2010), dovebiker, I should probably have mentioned that. I have to confess, I didn’t even consider the clearance on the brake calipers, I’d only thought about the clearance on the frame itself.

I rode for a few years off road on 25c tyres. They will be fine and the rims will be fine.
It won’t be that comfortable (something I put up with as doing under 2 hours rides so comfort not that important to me)

I couldn’t use lightweight road tyres though as couldn’t put up with the punctures so went for something tougher.

I don’t think the comfort thing is going to be a major factor, as we’re talking very slow pace for probably no more than an hour or so, no doubt with an obligatory ice cream stop somewhere along the way! My concern was more punctures and that I might damage the bike, but the replies in this thread would seem to suggest that’s not an issue.

You just need to watch this and not worry….. (Assumes some skills though…)

Road Bike Party

As josh said – kit that can survive paris roubaix will certainly survive a canal path.

The bigger problem you are likely to face is cuts to the tread and/or sidewall. I’d look for a set of narrow touring tyres rather than normal road tyres.

fifeandy, what do you make of the Schwalbes I linked to in my first post? Any cop?

Assuming the weather holds (lol), you’ll be fine. Just be careful on the cobbles under bridges. I’m zooming about the canal paths on my fixie atm and that’s got 23s.

Go ride the cobblestones near the Whisky Bond, heaps of fun.

These days on Paris-Roubaix they’re riding on 30mm tyres and have relaxed geometry (even suspension in some cases). They may as well be on gravel bikes.
I have a ‘gravel bike’ and when my roadie friends come to visit on their road bikes with 25mm Strade Bianche tyres, they manage just fine on all the bridleways and flinty tracks I can throw at them. In short, it will all be OK.

@relliott6879, yes, those would be perfect. Exactly what i had in mind.
Some folks find they roll a bit slow and the ride is harsh, but cant say i’ve noticed it much on my set.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Speed absolutely isn’t an issue, I’ll be pootling along at the pace of a slightly asthmatic 10 year old, I just want to do so without shredding tyres or bending my wheels. You’ve collectively set my mind at rest on both counts.

Agree on the Schwalbe Marathons. I used a Marathon on front and a Marathon+ on back for at least a year with not a single puncture.

Road bikes are a lot more capable than many people give them credit for.