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Ive had an old Langster that has been built with spare parts etc...looks the mutts nuts and is generally used to get me to and from work all year round.
Just a shame that it wont take a more aggressive tyre..as I would love to hack an alternative route in to work along the sustrans path/ tow path.
Would I wreck it by doing this daily commute or just find that its bloody lethal?
In the old days, everyone used to ride 10 speed 'racers', which were pretty much touring bikes, often with 1" or 1.125" tyres. They were fine on tow paths. My 10 speed at home was used all the time on the tow path and never had anything done to the wheels except new tyres / tubes.
It's only a modern idea that you need a mountain bike with a massive fat tyre to ride along a tow path. People have been riding tow paths for years on just whatever bike they happen to have. Even my proper 23mm tyred road bike is fine on tow paths really, although the very slick tyres are not ideal if it is very muddy).
If you find you're puncturing tyres all the time stick a touring tyre on it - I always used to use Schwalbe Marathons on my 10 speed. They come down to 25mm width which will fit on pretty much any frame.
I rode mine along a sustrans "off road" path (brampton valley way in northamptonshire, it's very tame) a few times and it was fine. Did the same with my Allez as well.
Yeah will give it a go tomorrow
Am I crayzee or what !!?
;@)
you'll be fine, the worst that would happen is potholes or hidden rocks/bricks
keep an eye on the back wheel to make sure it stays true and check the spoke tension when you do your periodic service
you can get a 25 in the back, you may squeeze a 28mm in there which would help to spread the load
keep your eyes peeled