plan your ride

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The crushed limestone surface is fairly smooth and can be ridden on any type of bike. If you're cycling the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal, larger tires generally work better. Tires which are 32mm or wider work best. Most road bikes are limited to thinner tires so you may want to consider a bike that accepts a larger tire. Regardless of which bike style you choose, be certain that the saddle is comfortable. More about the saddle in a minute...

Hybrids - The most popular bike style is a hybrid because the more upright riding position tends to be more comfortable for extended periods in the saddle and the tire size is optimal.

Touring bikes - Typically have hardware which accommodates front and read panniers, have drop bars which provide a more aerodynamic body position than a hybrid and are made to carry heavier loads that touring demands. They will commonly accept a 32mm tire but often not accept anything larger.

Gravel bikes - This is a relatively new bike style which is similar to a touring bike with the drop bars but often has a larger tire size which is even better for the non-paved trails. These are excellent bikes for the trail, especially if you plan on riding greater distances each day (50+ miles).

Mountain bikes - The upside of a mt. bike is that they commonly have suspension and larger tires which make for a cushy ride. The downside is that they are usually equipped with a flat handlebar which doesn't offer many hand position options. Hand fatigue will happen more rapidly so many people add bar ends to gain additional hand positions.

Bicycling is supposed to be fun, not painful. Yet, it's quite common for even experienced cyclists to tolerate saddle discomfort believing it's simply an inevitable part of the sport. Wrong! On the right saddle, you'll be able to enjoy even lengthy rides while hardly noticing your seat at all. If you are cycling the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal in five days, you will spend roughly seven hours a day in the saddle. If there is any discomfort with your saddle, you will certainly find it.

So how do you go about choosing the best saddle? The first step, is ensuring that you're on the right type of saddle for how you ride. There are three basic riding positions, with three corresponding seat types:

Upright Riding Position - sitting completely upright, pedaling slowly with all of your weight directly on the seat. A wider, cushioned seat works best for this rider.

Regular Riding Position - leaning forward slightly, pedaling faster with some of your weight supported by handlebars and pedals. For these riders a medium-width, medium-padded seat works best.

Forward Riding Position - leaning very far forward, positioned for maximum aerodynamic efficiency with your weight supported by seat, bars and pedals. A narrow, lightly padded seat works best for these riders.

If your sit bones are too wide or narrow for a certain seat, you won't benefit from any of its features because it doesn't fit you correctly. Your sit bones should be centered over the rear of the saddle. Often there are anatomic bumps in the area for this purpose. An interesting and effective innovation you'll see in many modern saddles is a cutout or cutaway in the top, which looks like a groove or hole has been cut out of the top of the saddle. The idea is to remove the part of the saddle that's usually responsible for pressuring sensitive tissues and causing numbness and pain.

Different saddle makers have different ideas about the best shape of the cutout and whether it should go all the way through, be a deep groove or maybe just a slight recess. What's important is that you select a saddle that feels right to you. If the cutout is in the wrong spot for your anatomy, it won't do any good. So, it's important to sit on a seat and get a feel for which design works best. There are a number of bicycle touring resources online that can help you identify the proper saddle width.

Front and rear bike racks

A rack provides a stable framework to hold gear on your bicycle. In good weather, items can be strapped directly to the rack without a cover. For weather protection or the ability to hold loose items together, rack trunks and panniers can be easily attached to the rear rack.  Most long-distance cyclist use a combination of front and rear racks.  Keep in mind:

    Rear racks are usually rated to carry loads between 20 and 50 pounds, which is sufficient for most uses.
    A few heavy-duty touring models are able to carry up to 80 pounds. These racks have 3 supports per side (others have only 2).
    Most bikes have braze-on mounts to accept the bolts that attach a rear rack. If your bike does not have these, you can still mount a rack using metal C clips that are included with the mounting hardware. These clips wrap around your bike's frame tubes and accept the lower mounting bolt.

A front rack offers an additional mounting spot for gear. It is a secondary option after a rear rack as it adds weight to the bike's front wheel and can affect steering and balance. Front racks are popular mostly with touring cyclists who carry large volumes of gear. Heavier items are stored in the front panniers which improves bike handling.

There are many different pannier options for configuring a useful bike commuting or bike touring set up. One main point to consider is how much you want to carry. Some bags have distinct advantages over others when it comes to hauling specific items and load weight. For instance, experienced commuters usually prefer lightweight panniers with lots of organization pockets for a laptop, change of clothes, and small bits. If you are cycling the Great Allegheny Passage you may want to keep the panniers more simple. Panniers with less dividers are designed to carry larger items (tents, sleeping bags), and endure the daily beating of traveling through a multitude of weather conditions and over various terrain. When maneuverability and simplicity are key, racks and panniers are a good solution.

Waterproof or water-resistant?  Waterproof bike panniers are made from material such as treated, high-denier Cordura or waterproof, dry bag style PVC. These bags take a heavy duty, minimalist approach to maintain that none of your gear will get wet. By reducing features like pockets and zippers, you can be assured you will have a dry pair of socks to change into after a long ride in the rain.

Water-resistant panniers are typically made from heavy-duty, rip-stop Cordura fabric. With a plethora of features like outer pockets, zippers, snaps, and Velcro closures, necessity items are easily accessible, and organization is a breeze. To increase usability of water-resistant panniers in inclement weather, there is the option of tight fitting rain covers, which offer the best of both worlds.  I saved $75 on my current panniers by purchasing the water-resistant style over the water proof.  After one rainy day on the trail I wished that I had invested in the water proof style because everything I owned that was not in a zip-lock bag was wet.

C&O Bicycle shop located in Hancock, MD had a great selection of panniers. Ortlieb seems to be one of the most popular brands. They are not cheap but they make a beautiful product. Check out more of their products here.