Yeah I ride the towpath all the time and definitely second maxing out your tire size. Although it’s crushed limestone from Seneca to the furthest point I’ve been (Harpers Ferry). It’s so flat that there is really no reason to not max out your comfort level. And fenders a must especially near me in DC as the consistency is basically sand and will wreck BBs, etc. Worth if for the ride though.
Hopefully the sewage spill doesn’t ruin the experience much but at least it’s only gonna be bad south of Lock 10. On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 8:09 PM Dave Johnston <[email protected]> wrote: > My main advice for the C&O is to ride the fattest tire you can, not so > much for the mud, but for the vibration of the gravel surface. Also raise > those handlebars, they were too low at the start in the Atlantis picture > above, which may have contributed to the vibration into the hands thing. By > the end of the trip I had raised them at least an inch. > > On Monday, February 2, 2026 at 7:46:13 PM UTC-5 Dave Johnston wrote: > >> No shimmy under load on this C&O Trip. I was pretty overloaded with a >> high front rack. The only handling issue was when I took the front load off >> for a grocery store run, and after getting used to the front load I kept >> oversteering and found the bike super twitchy. >> >> [image: DSC03197_sm.JPG] >> >> On Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 10:41:33 AM UTC-5 [email protected] >> wrote: >> >>> Hi John. >>> Thanks for the input. Your handlebar bag rides high; I wonder if it'd >>> still be a problem if you were to lower it a bit. I'm planning to install >>> a handlebar bag, but it'll sit on a rack down closer to the wheel; that'll >>> lower the center of gravity a bit and might let it ride better. I had a >>> Hunqapillar - the model of stability - many years ago that also got >>> strangely unstable when I attached a Klikfix bag that rode high. >>> We'll see. >>> All the best, >>> Kevin >>> >>> On Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 9:52:24 AM UTC-5 EverRed wrote: >>> >>>> I've done a few tours on my 59cm 26" wheels A/R. When fully loaded it >>>> is a little noodely but in a good way - it still handles fine and seems to >>>> soak up the bumps better. However, if I use a handlebar bag with more than >>>> a few ounces in it, I get awful shimmy at about 15 mph and higher. I like >>>> a handlebar bag so I now use a different bike for touring. >>>> >>>> Enjoy your ride! >>>> John >>>> >>>> [image: IMG_0788] >>>> Before I realised the handlebar bag was the problem. >>>> >>>> On Friday, January 9, 2026 at 8:30:14 PM UTC-5 [email protected] >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Andrew. >>>>> Thanks for the information. Given that your frame is so much bigger >>>>> than mine, I would expect it to handle a bit differently, but maybe not. >>>>> At the end of the day, I'll just have to load it up, take it out, and see >>>>> how it behaves. >>>>> All the best, >>>>> Kevin >>>>> >>>>> On Friday, January 9, 2026 at 12:40:22 AM UTC-5 Andrew Letton wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Kevin, >>>>>> Some more context: My A/R is a 65cm frame and has 700c wheels and >>>>>> Berthoud 50mm stainless fenders. I was probably running 35mm Paselas back >>>>>> then, though I've experienced it with fatter tires as well. My feeling is >>>>>> that the load affects it more than tire size. (Lateral oscillation of the >>>>>> fender may have contributed to the shimmy.) >>>>>> I think I had a densely loaded Riv big boxy handlebar bag and a small >>>>>> Nitto rack with all sorts of stuff strapped to it on the front and a big >>>>>> Nitto rear rack with large panniers and a sleeping bag and tent strapped >>>>>> on >>>>>> top (Or maybe the tent was strapped on the front; I don't remember, as it >>>>>> was nearly 20y ago) >>>>>> The shimmy I experienced would happen when I tried to ride no-handed >>>>>> or one-handed with a very light touch. The tendency to shimmy increased >>>>>> with front load and decreased with speed, and I never experienced the >>>>>> shimmy that Mike mentioned at high speed...and I like to descend fast! I >>>>>> don't think I ever had any shimmy with both hands on the bars. >>>>>> FWIW, I am not able to ride no-handed, even with no bags on the bike. >>>>>> I hope that helps! >>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>> Andrew in Sydney >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Friday, January 9, 2026 at 12:03:57 AM GMT+11, Kevin Lindsey < >>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Andrew: When you say that the AR tended to shimmy when the front end >>>>>> was overloaded, was that when you were using a rack bag, front panniers >>>>>> (or >>>>>> both)? I can see shimmy being worse with a heavy load up high (on a >>>>>> rack), >>>>>> but would have thought that carrying a load down low in front wheel >>>>>> panniers would not have had the same effect. >>>>>> >>>>>> All: Greatly appreciate the feedback. >>>>>> >>>>>> Best regards, >>>>>> Kevin >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 7:23:42 AM UTC-5 Andrew Letton wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> When I bought my (used) A/R in 2006, I was discussing it with Grant, >>>>>> and he said something like, “It’s basically a fancy Atlantis.” >>>>>> You’ll be fine touring with it, but in my experience, it’s best not >>>>>> to overload the front end. When I did, it tended to shimmy pretty easily. >>>>>> cheers, >>>>>> Andrew in Sydney >>>>>> (Painstakingly pecked out on my iPhone; please pardon my brevity and >>>>>> tpyos.) >>>>>> >>>>>> On 8 Jan 2026, at 8:57 am, Kevin Lindsey <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Greetings. >>>>>> >>>>>> I'm thinking of doing the GAP/C&O Canal trip this spring on my >>>>>> All-Rounder and would appreciate any thoughts on using the AR as a loaded >>>>>> tourer. I use it for grocery runs and whatnot, but have never put a lot >>>>>> of >>>>>> weight in the bags and don't know whether there might be handling or >>>>>> other >>>>>> issues if I did. >>>>>> Any thoughts welcomed. >>>>>> Best regards, >>>>>> Kevin L. >>>>>> Alexandria, VA >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> To view this discussion visit >>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7bd595fa-2317-40a9-84ae-51e82e8e1753n%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7bd595fa-2317-40a9-84ae-51e82e8e1753n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> To view this discussion visit >>>>>> >>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/da1ce7d9-94c2-4c29-b432-9db1ed4921efn%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/da1ce7d9-94c2-4c29-b432-9db1ed4921efn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b0f7e9b-7c5d-4961-9218-d80fddd58ce4n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b0f7e9b-7c5d-4961-9218-d80fddd58ce4n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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