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Biking the C&O Canal Towpath: the Only Thing You Need to Know
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มิ.ย. 2021
- If you need tips for biking the C and O Canal Towpath, this video is for you. Bikepacking is an option, or hotels, either is necessary since this bike path is one of the longest in the country, and the reasons you do it are to see Great Falls National Park, Pawpaw Tunnel, parts of the Billygoat Trail -- but the one thing you need to consider is which bike you choose!
We'll show you our accommodations along the way, the misadventures, and the main mistake we made in our choices.
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Just checking back in to update my previous comment. I rode the entire GAP/C&O trail from Pittsburgh to DC in October. I did the whole thing on my hardtail MTB and was pretty happy to have it. For one thing, the Pawpaw tunnel was closed for repairs so I had to detour over the mountain. It wasn't pleasant pushing the bike up the mountain but the ride down was so much better thanks to suspension and bigger tires. I also saw a ton of people riding the trails on a lot of different bikes. Some mountain, some road, some grave, and some hybrid. What I found was that the best bike for the trail is more than likely a gravel bike or hardtail mountain bike. The big key is the tires. I saw so many people on road bikes with skinny 25C or 30C tires that had flats or trouble with the muddy sections. If anyone is looking to ride either or both of these trails I would suggest wider, fast-rolling tires. My next trip will be the Erie Canal trail, which has similar trail surfaces to the GAP/C&O and I will be taking my gravel bike with 700x40C tires. Cheers and thanks again for sharing your adventure. I hope that you find the time to ride more and for goodness sake, cut your mileage a bit. 60-mile days are crazy for a new rider! 🙂
I agree with your comments.
As a former mountain bike racer and mechanic with 30 years wrenching in all sorts of shops and moonlighting in a shop in Ohiopyle on weekends for 15 seasons, sometimes I’ve seen padded shorts along with padded seats cause more discomfort than using a chamois short with a regular seat or padded seat with no chamois. In a nutshell, you should be fine with one or the other. I also guided trips from Pittsburgh to DC with guests who used both padded shorts and padded seats. Doing the whole 350 miles plus or minus a few if they chose to ride in the van, everyone of these guests had major chaffing going on. Many people don’t have proper saddle height, which can be a source of extreme discomfort and immediately blame the seat. When you’re not accustomed to riding these 100 plus mile days, an improperly fitted bike will destroy your good time. It always amazes me how many guests would drop 2k on a trip, eat expensive meals every night, yet would skimp on a proper bike fitting??? Anyways, one needs to find out what works best for them and my suggestions are merely that, just suggestions and what I’ve noticed working in the industry. Good luck to all who embark on this journey. God bless.
The best quote here: “Right now, we’re really excited…but like any adventure, we’re super excited at the beginning, . And then, once you get into it….uh…uh, this is the thing”. EXACTLY the way I felt two weeks into the Appalachian Trail….where I transformed from a “thru hiker” into a dedicated Section Hiker! This was a great “real life, the way it was not the way we all want it to be” video! You guys made me laugh more than once through “this ride”…thank you!
I watched this happen to 75% of people I started the AT with. Luckily, I had a group that clung together and it dragged us the whole way.
@@toejamr1 I congratulate you…truly, I do. I’m a male, mid-60s, retired Navy Officer and a retired federal wildlife officer. Two great careers, where my success depended upon living and working in challenging conditions--usually outdoors! And I have some great stories to tell, and adventures that I am personally proud of. But, I found the AT--at least during the peak months--to be a 2200 mile long human bacteria-filled Petri dish-Frat party. I get it, I really do, as I was young once….and had more than my fair share of fun. But after a day of backpacking, all that I wanted to do was quickly set up camp, clean up a little, eat, floss, brush my teeth and SACK OUT. I have no shame in having converted to a Section Hiker….and that, during the “shoulder seasons” only. Again, amigo, Bravo-Zulu, we’ll done and congratulations to you and your comrades, on a successful Thru hike!
Why not a gravel bike
Did Washigton to Pittsburg couple years back. Loved the rocks around DC, All the little tow houses.
I think you meant to say, “Don’t ride this trail on the kind of tires that came with my rented mountain bike.” I rode the conjoined GAP and C&O Canal trails from Pittsburgh to DC on a mountain bike with 2” x 26” Schwalbe Mondial touring tires at 60 psi and under. My companion rode 700c touring tires on a hybrid bike. Both bikes did well. Readers, please note that the C&O Canal is infamous for being unpleasant or impossible when the mud gets deep. Some muddy patches can take days to dry out.
Yes sir! We did Georgetown (Washington) to Harper's Ferry, WV on road bikes with 700c tires...when the weather was good and the surface was dry just about all the way.
I really enjoyed this video ! I recently picked up a Hybrid . I haven't t owned a bike in over 15 years . Thank you for sharing the good , the bad ,and ugly of this trip . It was amazing !😀
Just did the whole C&O on a Trek Marlin 7, in very good time (day 1 55 miles, day 2 65 miles, remaining mails on day 3). I'm incredibly comfortable with my mtb. This, as many others have pointed out, is more like A) doing such a long trip on a rental, and B) the rider is likely not used to general geometry on mtbs (which goes back to A)
She is very cute!
And a great biking companion...
That looks like an awesome trip, even with the rain, mud, cold and broken luggage rack. Thanks for sharing.
First of all I did enjoy your video and it will be helpful to people looking for advice on what not to do. I think your first mistake was lack of proper planning. The C/O is beautiful but demanding ride at times. I would not recommend a rented bike unless I was very familiar with the bike I was renting. Tire size and fork clearance are two things to consider, there will be mud. Time of year when riding makes a big difference, we choose August. People will say it's too hot in August but for the most part you are riding in a tree canopy that keeps the sun at bay and if you do get caught in the rain it can actually be refreshing. Shorter mileage days! Lots to see and enjoy. Research the history of the canal, if your just pounding out miles then your going to miss a big part of what makes this a great ride. One last thing, ditch the big padded saddle, they will hurt you in places you don't want to be hurting. Thanks for your vid.
Here is a suggestion I call the great equalizer. I am faster than my wife, so I bought her an eBike (with a 50mile range in pedal assist) and I use my regular MTB. That has allowed us to ride together and still get a workout. If you have an MTB, you can inflate the tires to the max, or replace the tires with less aggressive tires and it won't be much different than riding a hybrid (unless you are running very small chainrings which will limit your top speeds).
Thank you for an honest assessment of your ride of this trail and not sugar-coating it. I like the fact you guys like beer, I am just a little jealous that you stay so thin drinking beer, I wish I could. Salute!
Hey guys, my kids and I are watching your work tonight. Love it! Thanks.
I recently moved to Georgetown and you two inspired me to do this exact trip at the end of this month. I’m so excited!
You are going to crush it!! 💪
I ride 30 miles on the Ohio Erie Canal towpath trail every Sunday morning with my dad. We eat at ernies after. We are working our way towards the whole thing down in a day. (About 100 miles) starting in Cleveland, not sure exactly where the end is.
We did Georgetown to Harpers Ferry and back in one day on road bikes....no problem. The weather was
great and everything packed down so the road bikes did fine. Great ride. Fun video. Thanks for posting.
WOW ! How many miles was that??? Sounds like a lot for one day, I guess you're very experienced. Nice job.
@@elmiguel6725 As I recall, it was right at 100 miles. If you ride a lot, and have bike that's in good condition, it's not hard to build up to a 100 mile ride.
@@USNAVDC thank you.
@@elmiguel6725 El Miguiel...just wondering what part of the world your from?
@@USNAVDC New Jersey, born and raised in Jersey City, now Northern NJ, near Ramapo College.
What an awesome trip! Those Airbnb looked adorable! Thanks for all these helpful tips Maggie & Jimmy!!
I did the whole thing on a Specialized Roll bike. No suspension. My tires are a bit fat , they are 650B×2.3 (27.5") I didn't have any rain and not too much mud. I dis put fenders on just in case. There were several people that said they liked my setup though. I saw all types. Any bike will work for this trip.
Are you guys still using the Panasonic S1H
It's not the bike. If you have a hardtail with a wide enough range in the gears it is the tires. Just put the right tires on that Mt Bike and you will roll fine. A full suspension would be kind of heavy also. If you ride a bike often enough the thinner saddles are better. Your butt muscles like all your other muscles need to be in shape for the task. The big gel saddle will get in the way.
There is nothing quite like jumping off a cliff to see how high it is 😂
Agreed!
Thank you for sharing the trip. I, too, have found the Dollar General useful when traveling in rural area. Outstanding, that you included the shots of the Key Bridge and the Whitehurst Freeway off-ramp. Kudos to you for the good editing!
I am planning on a similar ride along the C&O canal next month from DC to Harpers Ferry. It looks like it is going to be a nice ride. Thanks for sharing. Your ride looked awesome!
The water pumps are about 10 miles apart. Not all of them work, but most do. The towns are 19c, not colonial although there are some 18c houses here and there. The whole trail is in Maryland--it never crosses into West Va.
Shepherdstown, Harpers ferry are in WV
So here is my funny C&O Canal story. Walking my old Black Labrador (Molly - as in my avatar) near the Clara Barton section, she was off in front sniffing around like always. When from around a bend ahead I heard a huge commotion. Next thing I know Molly comes flying past with something in her mouth followed by one angry fisherman. The little sod had snatched a decent sized fish right off the blokes line as he was reeling it in. The fisherman got so flustered he ended up falling in the canal, and lost his shoes in the subsequent chase for his catch. I think that episode cost me $50 and a very big sorry.
Hahah! What a story, both for you and the fisherman 🙃
You should try a Tadpole Recumbent Trike, a lot more comfortable, no more neck pains, shoulder pain, upper back pain, butt pain, no more numbness in your wrist, no more bruising between your legs, no more balance issues, no more slipping off pedals and crushing your family jewelry, never have to put your foot down, just sit back and enjoy your ride. I Love my Trike by Catrike Dumont. Try you might fall in Love with a Trike.
I’m assuming that your fasteners holding the rack together came loose. When I did it I checked all the bolts a couple of times. Also I cleaned and lubed chain about 3 times daily.
Guys the whole C&O canal is in Maryland. The canal itself is not West Virginia. Sorry the weather was wet. Glad you have a good time.
Yep, we were confused by a sign that said “welcome to West Virginia” - not sure why it was there??
You rented these bikes, and you want to give advice on what type of bike to ride on the CnO ??? Ha !
Correct.
In my book it's always good when the field repair (on the rack) gets you to the destination.
What camera gear do you take with you?
Nice Honest video , because even though as a whole its an enjoyable experience , every minute is not bliss .😊
Haha, you said it 😊
Why Hybrid? Gravel or Cycle Cross surely?
Awesome video and tips. Thanks for sharing!
Good film guys.
And good call with the gel saddles, iv'e been telling anyone who will listen that for years. Standard bike saddles are a pain in the ass, literally.
The C&O/Gap trails are on my bucket list for sure, but as i live in England its kinda tricky to plan right now with the Covid situation.
So i'm making do the the canal network here in the U.K
A decent HT weighs about 30 lbs vs a 'hybrid' at an average of 25 to 30 lbs. (based on FX 3 to Verve 2) Hybrid is a term applied to variety of bikes. A hybrid could be a heavy cruiser type bike or almost a flat bar type road-gravel bike. You want at least a 32mm wide tire for multi-day ride, preferably a 40 to 45mm tire. You have to make clear what you mean. But a 2" wide tire XC mtb would be FINE. 30 lbs with probably a 100mm or 120 mm fork. Was this your fist foray of multi-day riding? 😂
I was literally looking for a new video from you guys yesterday!
Yay for move travel videos! Missed these!!
I just finished weekend warrior completing the C&O on my mountain bike doing out and back day trips and I was thankful to have it instead of my hybrid bike. There are a lot of roots and rocks on the trail. I saw a lot of hybrid riders changing flats but no mountain bikers changing flats. I think it’s all up to personal preference. Also, not sure where you rode on a paved trail on the C&O but it’s all dirt or cinder track. Ride your ride, everyone is different.
Dope 😎😎
Can you tell me what padded seat you purchased. Either a link or brand, Thanks.
Do NOT use the water from the pumps on the way--even back when this video was posted, the water was heavily treated with iodine, now they don't even do that. If you do, please use a water filter.
Also, the C&O Tow Path NEVER crosses over to West Virginia (or any other state)--the entirety of it is in Maryland.
Did you go mid Cicada invasion? I can hear them in the background. I couldn't imagine doing that and getting hit by a cicada every 2 seconds.
What car rental company did you use?
Yes, I will disagree about the tires. I rode over 70 miles on the C&O, on Silk sew up tubular tires, 1994. No flats heeheeeeee. I've ridden some sections since, but that's my claim to fame. It's not the tires it's the rider, ride what you ride.
Thanks for the video - we're headed out in the opposite direction over the holiday weekend....expecting some rains...but we have hybrid bikes!
This trek is on my list of things to do. I have a gravel bike that should work well. The two of you work well together!
I'm heading there next week to ride C&O Canal Trail with my gravel bike, should be good. 👍
You’ll have a better time than us, haha!!
@@BottomLineUpFront Ha-ha 😊 It's hot here in Florida, hopefully cooler there.
Love this video! Great adventurous spirit and good information, but mostly it's refreshing to get a cycle tour report from people who aren't grizzled globe trotting veterans. A group of us is riding C&O/GAP later this year. This video will help us be prepared, and we're looking forward to the trip even more because we're year 'round all weather distance cyclists so we can now comfortably focus on other aspects of the tour. Like getting good B&Bs and planning side trips like to Falling Water. Will bring our gravel bikes, which are the modern equivalent of hybrids. Many thanks!
Before I viewed it, I was going to say make sure you have fenders unless you enjoy mud.
This is the video to watch prior to a thru trip on the C&O.
One of best videos of this trip. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you guys had fun, I'm leaving on the 5th of September to ride from Pittsburgh to DC and back on the GAP and C&O. Weather permitting, I have a feeling with all this rain parts of the C&O could be flooded, especially the section along the river.
Oh yikes, that’s super ambitious! I hope some of the muddy sections can dry up for you!!
Rode C&O for 2 days. Started in Cumberland and jumped off in Leesburg. Got bored because the views were mostly the same for mile after mile.
What? Wild in West Virginia? :-) Say it ain't so! That big, plush seat means a lot of your
effort when you pedal is pushing that seat up and down.
SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DO IN DEATH VALLEY IS GO ON ONE OF THE WINDING-ROUGH ROADS THAT GET 4WD ATTENTION AND DIG I NICE 2.5 WIDE BY 8 INCHES DEEP HOLE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD SOMEWHERE AND PLANT I FIRE HYDRANT IN THE MIDDLE SO THAT IT LOOKS TO BE PLACED WITH INTENT. MY WIFE IS SOUTH AFRICAN BRITISH SO IT'S DOUBTFUL SHE WOULD LIKE ANYTHING THERE OTHER THAN TEA KETTLE JUNCTION.
I really appreciate your filmmaking skills. Production values are on point!
Thank you!! 😁😁😁
what kind of car did you rent for the one way trip to cumberland? was it a uhaul style van, or can you get a rental car with a bike rack?
Hi, I am having trouble understanding why the bike was the issue. What is wrong with riding mountain bike? I’m not trying to be problematic. I’ve been watching lots of videos and would love to do this ride. I have a Cannondale mountain bike. Why wouldn’t I ride that on the trail? What is it? I’m not understanding? Thanks for your help.
You never crossed into West Virginia. The C&O is in Maryland. It does not cross the Potomac.
Great trail and yes, Hybrid is always best on these trails.
We hope to do the Erie Canal someday. Just subscribed and look forward to watching more of your videos.
Some of the camp sites at the campgrounds turn off the pumps during fall/winter.
You guys are effing AWESOME!!!! I SO WANNA DO THIS.....
What car did you rent? How did you transport your bikes?
Don't recall the car, but it was just a sedan -- we had to pull the front tires off of the bikes to fit them into the trunk with the back seats down.
What rental car company had a 1 way trip available from DC to Cumberland? I can't seem to find any, so any tips would be welcome!
You two are hilarious. Thanks for the info.
What car rental service did you use to get to Cumberland?
something I have been contemplating on since last summer. I didn't know air b&b was an option other than at the starting point at Cumberland. I have done small chunks on multiple trips using both touring [hybrid on 44c] and MTB. both will work considering northern part of the trail can get very muddy in many sections after a rain. but definitely bike fender will be helpful to keep things cleaner.
Now that some time has passed, we’ll admit it was a fun trip despite the weather. As long as you have the right bike. 😎
Wouah, thanks for your share 🤩 love your vidéos
I would be using the mountain bike I have. Hybrids are expensive and well, don’t have the $$ for that. So yeah ……
It’s all about the tires - no knobbies…
I ride the C&O once in a while. I use a mountain bike with 29" x 2.25 semi knobby tires @ 65psi. I don't see the problem.
Where in DC did you rent your bike?
The C&O Canal Towpath is an epic, historic journey. An 11.5-minute, rushed video does not do it justice.
Will make a 7 hour video on it.
No one forced you to watch this video.
Thank you you guys are great!!!! I am going oct 9 from Cumberland - then train to Pittsburgh to ride back to cumberland what year and month was this? I have a hybrid trek and put 33 tires on at recommendation of trip leader
We did this over Memorial Day weekend this year, we NEVER imagined it could be so cold, haha!
Learned a lot. Thanks
Awesome video, The good thing about Dollar General close you’re only out $8
Welcome back, looks like a great trip even with the rain. :)
The most fun we never want to have again! 😆😆
@@BottomLineUpFront haha, looked like it
Water is treated with iodine at most of the handpumps. Bring your choice of water powders.
Dude, those glasses are rough lol...but srsly, really nice video!
I thought they were quite stylish 😎😂
the quality of the video is great, but the autofocus of the camera is shit
You're telling us; we're looking at getting a new camera in the near future. Panasonic isn't cutting it anymore.
She is waaaaayyy too hot for him. And he seems kinda whiny.
You must live a sad life.
The C&O canal never enters West Virginia.
We've camped at serval of campground along the trail. It's nice to our taxes dollars going to something for people to get out and enjoy.
You are correct
Where did you guys rent and drop the bikes in DC?
Great video!!!
The shop we used actually closed down, but I know there are more!
Did ya all get interrogated by the bicycle patrol like me and my dogs did?..or did they just sneak up on you and then honk the BOZZO horn?
Hate to say it but you just seemed pretty miserable for the entire trip. Perhaps because you don't ride bikes often enough that you are used to the miles. I will be doing the GAP and C&O Canal trip (Pittsburg to DC) later this year. I am a bit confused by the main point of your video, which was don't use a mountain bike. You didn't really say what the benefit of a hybrid was over the MTB. If it is just the tires then that is easily remedied as you can get fast-rolling tires for a mountain bike. I have them on my hardtail as I ride a lot of mixed surfaces. I guess if you are renting bikes then you might opt for a gravel/hybrid bike. So was it just the heavy lugs of the MTB that you felt were the issue? Thanks for the video.
Exactly - the efficiency was terrible. We were the only MTBs that we saw of hundreds of riders, and it was obvious why. We are fit people, and we’ve done half ironman races, so are quite experienced at biking.
@@BottomLineUpFront thanks. I will be using my hardtail but as I said, it has been outfitted with faster rolling tires so it should serve me well on those smooth segments. Cheers
LOL - agree. Light planning and light training will not deliver a good experience and gel seats won't solve much. Gravel Bike, train and plan and the GAP/C&O is an excellent adventure. 4th run for me an a crew this year (2 C&O and 2nd GAP/C&O) and mix up Camping stops, Lockhouse rentals, etc. and most importantly learned and improved each trek. Old Viking sayin - There's No Bad Weather, Only Bad Clothing.
Great video! I live in Cumberland and prefer riding my mountain bike over my hybrid when riding the C&0. When the trail gets very muddy the slicker tires of a hybrid can lose their grip on the shoulders of the water-filled mudholes and cause a wreck. If you can time your ride during the dry season then I can see why you would recommend hybrid tires. In my experience if you only have a mountain bike then fill your tires to the max air pressure and they will roll smoother and faster on the dry, packed trail while still giving you grip during unexpected muddy conditions..
Couldn't get past 38 seconds due to the rapid talking!
Sorry, it requires rapid thinking 😛
I prefer getting the info quickly.
Great video. But I tend to stick with the mountain bike for the effort. If I am not beat at the end of the day I feel as though I have cheated myself. But I can see why many people would prefer a hybrid.
We’re pretty good bikers, trained up for half ironmen, but this was harder haha!
Kindly check email send by Lubna.
Daaaayum! Hope you packed some cheese for that whine.
Where did you rent a car for $42????
Think it was Hertz? Not completely sure, but yea, we were blown away by the price as well, thought it was a glitch.
So Beautiful 👌❤️❤️
New Friends
Full Sapport Dear Friends 🤝🤝😍🥰
Or just buy fast tires for your mountain bike...
Yes that works too
That’s 11:37 of my life I’ll never get back. You obviously went into this with your eyes closed and have blamed everything other than yourselves for the poor experience. BTW, your “biking experience” with half Ironman competitions is virtually un transferable to real cycling applications. I await your smug response anxiously.
[insert smug response here]
Sometimes you don't WANT to plan. You take it as it comes.
I feel like they were very inspiring . I appreciate that they were very beginner friendly. It made me realize I don’t have to be a super professional in order to atttempt
padded seats? hahahah
Butt hurt
What a downer Dan. So glad I did not ride the trail with you.
You wanted to say you did it.
Not actually do it.
We wanted it to not pour near freezing rain.
@@BottomLineUpFront I rode from Upland, CA. to New Mexico.
I cried. Lol
Did you even enjoy it!? Complain complain complain!
Dude the real feel was 38 degrees.
Cold sucks! Just did an XC and we had 34F mornings in the deserts. Thank God for Jetboils and coffee!
Why would a cyclists not do a lot of cycling in DC???? Wait, a cyclist would totally ride around DC with all those bike paths!!!
It seems like this trip sucked
Weather can make a world of difference. Was a freak cold spell with rain on what is normally a beautiful time of year. 🤷🏻♂️
Y’all not real cyclists lol😂