Gravel trail with a road bike?

[skinimini]

Oh! Is it the trail over to Columns Drive? I know lots of folks who do that on road bikes. Won't be a problem at all!

I've got a really nice route that I did back in the fall around the Riverside/Heard's Ferry/Northside Drive area. It's got everything-big hills, little hills, no hills and I don't have to get in the car to go. The Interstate North Parkway entrance to the Chattahoochee River NRA is only a couple of miles from my house. Great, close entrance to Columns Drive (flat 2.6 mi paved road with bike lanes that parallels the river).

Great suggestions everyone--It's a sunshiny day, so I think I'll stop talking and head out. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Pedal Wench]

There's a ride up there that I do too - it's marked with an arrow and six dots - looks like a guitar head. It loops around N. Side, Riverside, Heard's Ferry - it's a great route, but a few of the marks have been paved over - great new pavement, but no marks on the turns. It's about 30 miles - good stuff, but not much flat.

[Crankin]

I guess I'm the only one that wouldn't recommend it. I have had to ride on gravel, hard packed dirt, with lots of ruts and stones quite a few times, especially in the Berkshires, on my 23cc tires. I really hate it. You have to go really slow and I am constantly worrying that something bad will happen; not a flat, but a crash. Last fall, we did a new route in NH and we didn't realize one of the roads was about 2 miles of dirt. Calling it jarring is not a strong enough word.
If I wanted to do that kind of riding, I'd take my hybrid or mountain bike...

[SnappyPix]

Just one last tip - make sure your tyres are properly inflated, with the recommended psi in them.
Riding gravel on under-inflated tyres won't do your rims much good.

[skinimini]

There's a ride up there that I do too - it's marked with an arrow and six dots - looks like a guitar head. It loops around N. Side, Riverside, Heard's Ferry - it's a great route, but a few of the marks have been paved over - great new pavement, but no marks on the turns. It's about 30 miles - good stuff, but not much flat.

I've never noticed the marks, but then I wasn't really looking for them. I'll look today when I go out. It's probably a very similar route.

So, I had a very nice ride yesterday, about 25 miles including the couple of miles on the gravel trail. If this trail weren't such a convenient access to a good, safe, bike-friendly route, I would avoid it with the road bike. Not bad, I avoided loose gravel, and potholes, a little rough, but getting to the other side was worth it. After all the hills around my house, the flat terrain is a welcome relief--but then I have to get home! Two long, big hills. Really slow going for me but I made it up both with the compact drivetrain. Good for me right?