Adapting a bike

forgotrafe

Sorry, not sure what forum to post this in.

I've ordered a new carbon road bike, but question is what to do with the old road bike, which I love riding.

It started life as a Genesis Day 02, From the stem down it is pure road bike but it has flat bars. Mostly Ultegra drivetrain, aluminium frame, carbon (wrapped) bars , carbon forks, carbon seatpost and pannier mounts on the rear.

I have the new road bike coming and a very nice MTB - the only bike "missing" is something I could use for a bit of touring or long distance stuff taking in cycle paths. A friend of mine is doing NCN5 this year and I'd like to do some of it with him. There are some other cycle path based events happening near me. Apparently these paths aren't suitable for a road bike.

Bike has 32 spoke Mavic CXP33 rims on Ultegra hubs which will take a 28mm tyre and, depending on the exact tyre I guess, that should clear the frame (not a lot of clearance). Been looking at a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre?

So with all that background info, do you think it'd be suitable for cycle paths/simple touring? Or would the tyres still make the bike too fragile.

By simple touring I mean one or two nights away possibly with a tent, but I travel light so a small rear pannier maybe.

Wooliferkins

No problem at all. It's basically a hybrid so a few paths won't kill it. Light touring is well within the grasp. It will feel different with panniers on and I wouldn't go as far as cycle camping but other than that fine. I wouldn't go any bigger than 25s personally but that's horses for courses. People get a bit precious about the supposed fragility in bikes, my ally framed carbon forked Tifosi got this lard ar5e round Paris Roubaix two years ago and is still fine so a bit of light touring is not a problem for the Genesis.

forgotrafe

Thanks for that. I try to avoid the term hybrid as it's a bit of a nonsense phrase that conjures up images of 35mm+ tyres and chunky frames If it had drop bars, people would say my genesis is a road bike, but because it has flat bars it becomes a hybrid? Not that I'm overly precious about it because I love the bike so don't care.

Why not cycle camping? Was thinking of that, but only for a night or two, maybe a bivvy rather than a tent?

Currently run 25s on it as I prefer them on the rural roads that I have near home. The new road bike (a Cannondale Synapse, they call it "performance" but "sportif" or "comfort" are possibly equally valid) comes with 25mm and I'll stick with those too.

Thought the 28s might give a bit more so be more comfortable and less demanding on the bike.

Wooliferkins

I just felt the camping gear as well would be a bit too much weight for the handling. If I overload the Tifosi it gets a bit stroppy and skittish. The 28s will give you more give but M+ while brilliant on punctures are quite heavy. I ride my full tourer with 25 Gators and have never felt uncomfortable but the Hewitt is a joy to ride though.

forgotrafe

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Will have to suck it and see or travel uber light (leave the stove at home and eat at the pub

MichaelW

The 28mm tyre seems to have little regard for actual dimensions. Some are like 25mm, others are like 32mm. The Marathon Plus is a big, fat , heavy example.
I like 28mm for general road riding + farm tracks and bridle paths. It is a good size for lightweight touring.

forgotrafe

LOL! I suspected that might be the case. Thanks for the info re 28mm being a good size. If I go this route, I might have to go to a shop and try get the biggest tyre I can that still fits the frame.

bike-a-swan

if you mean the sustrans route five from oxford up to birmingham, I did it with a friend a couple of weekends back (as far as Redditch before we headed west, anyway). We were camping in a lightweight two (just) man tent, and while we ate out in the evenings, we had a light stove to cook on in the mornings, so a middling bot of kit. I was on my Trek 1200- only modification was 28 tyres (http://www.nextdaytyres.com/Tyres/Conti ... -Road.aspx) and flipping the stem to lift the bars. you just need to be aware that the weight may make the handling a little different.

blorg

The Marathons are sized big. You will get a lot of reasonably "racy" tyres up to 700x28, I have Schwalbe Stelvios in 700x28 on my own tourer at the moment and they are quite nippy. I have used Marathons before but only when there was an off-road component.