Advice please - tyre width for Central Otago Rail Trail

[patrick_keogh]

Hi,

A group of us are planning to ride the full length of the Central Otago Rail Trail and I have never been on it so I have only limited information about the trail surface.

So if you have ridden it in the past two years or so, could you please give me some idea as to what sort of bike/tyres I should take. I assume that my Giant TCR C2 with 23mm is out of the question , but what about my touring bike with 28mm touring tyres on heavy duty rims? If it is too rough for that, then I guess the answer is my hardtail with 2" or similar tyres. We won't have panniers on.

TIA,
Patrick

 

[patrick_keogh]

Nobody?
Unlike this group to not have an opinion

 

[gclark8]

OK, I give up. Where is Otago??

 

[scotty72]

OK, I give up. Where is Otago??

South Isl of New Zealand

Otago Highlanders

right down at the bottom of NZ

 

[gclark8]

hardtail with 2" or similar tyres. We won't have panniers on.

OK, now I get it, sheep country. Use the hardtail, however, you may need the panniers for the sheep.

 

[patrick_keogh]

OK, now I get it, sheep country. Use the hardtail, however, you may need the panniers for the sheep.

Thanks, but I'm not sure I value the advice as to the trail surface on the Rail Trail from someone who doesn't appear to know where Otago is.

 

[scotty72]

OK, now I get it, sheep country. Use the hardtail, however, you may need the panniers for the sheep.

I'm not sure that I believe this advice is 100% genuine - regardless of whether he knows Otago or not

 

[geoffs]

I'm not sure that I believe this advice is 100% genuine - regardless of whether he knows Otago or not

Hi Patrick
We rode the Otago rail trail in 2003 while we touring the sth island and I would only recommend that you use a mountain bike with at least 1 1/2 inch tyres.
You will also need to use steel pannier racks and carry a large selection of spares because if you break down you could be a long way from anywhere.
I saw 2 cyclists have to walk they're bikes out and hitch rides due to broken pannier racks.
We had the bolt for the deraileur top jockey wheel head west and the deraileur went into the spokes and locked the wheel up, breaking spokes on both sides of the wheel and bending the rear dropout on our tandem.
It took me over an our to repair and we only just made the train back down to Dunedin.
In the brochure it talks about all the lovely coffe shops that you will be able to stop at and have a coffee and something to eat. Good Luck! They were all closed when we went through and the only place that was open would even sell us water uness we were going to stay the night as there was a drought and they were having to truck the water in.
We rode it in 2 days.
How fit is your group? Are you intending to carry much supplies??

Cheers

Geoff

 

[artemidorus]

We had the bolt for the deraileur top jockey wheel head west and the deraileur went into the spokes and locked the wheel up, breaking spokes on both sides of the wheel and bending the rear dropout on our tandem.
It took me over an our to repair and we only just made the train back down to Dunedin.

You fixed that in about an hour? Legend!

 

[Dancier]

Bicycle Victoria had an article in there last magazine about this trail. I am not sure if it had the info you wanted. You might want to contact then to see if they have the info you want.

I have included the Bicycle Vic and Otago website links.

Daniel


http://www.centralotagorailtrail.co.nz/


http://www.bv.com.au/topic.php?a=5

 

[geoffs]

You fixed that in about an hour? Legend!

Well, got us going would be more like it. We made it to Pukerangi train station to catch the train to Dunedin. The next day the guy who owns Cyclesurgery straightened the dropout for free while I served customers coffee from the espresso machine. Great bike shop.

 

[geoffs]

The brochure looks good doesn't it.
Thats why we went. It was 2 years ago that we went so things might have changed. We read the article that was in Australian Cyclist about the Otago rail trail and if you read between the lines they had a similar experience of not much being there.

Check out these places on the web and make some phone calls before you go. We rode from Cromwell to Naseby (120kms) as Naseby had been recommended to us. The Hotel is great and as we were starving when we arrived we both had 2 big serves of pasta. The chef was kind enough to wash and dry our clothes for us. Naseby is about 12kms uphill from the rail trail. Ranfurly has a nice hotel also where we had breakfast.

Dont get me wrong, we loved cycling in the south island, just not the Otago rail trail. I have attached a pic of tour old tandem that we used and the 700x28c tires were not wide enough for comfort. Our new tandem has 26"x1.5" tires that are much mre comfortable for these types of trails.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[simonbroekhuize]

i wont ride any NZ gravel with tyres less than 1.8 inch, why go any less than that? get your clothing and saddle right. its a fast trail with good views on a clear day.

The brochure looks good doesn't it.
Thats why we went. It was 2 years ago that we went so things might have changed. We read the article that was in Australian Cyclist about the Otago rail trail and if you read between the lines they had a similar experience of not much being there.

Check out these places on the web and make some phone calls before you go. We rode from Cromwell to Naseby (120kms) as Naseby had been recommended to us. The Hotel is great and as we were starving when we arrived we both had 2 big serves of pasta. The chef was kind enough to wash and dry our clothes for us. Naseby is about 12kms uphill from the rail trail. Ranfurly has a nice hotel also where we had breakfast.

Dont get me wrong, we loved cycling in the south island, just not the Otago rail trail. I have attached a pic of tour old tandem that we used and the 700x28c tires were not wide enough for comfort. Our new tandem has 26"x1.5" tires that are much mre comfortable for these types of trails.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[patrick_keogh]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I still believe that I don't have the information that I need. To be more specific:

• Take it as read that I've seen everything available on the web.
• Take it as read that I've done my planning including accommodation, distances, food availability etc. (I booked the accommodation approximately 13 months in advance).
• Check out www.keogh.net.au/NZ if you want to see what we've planned. NO sly comments about the short daily distances, I know the capabilities of those who will be riding. I could do the entire distance in two days with comfort, but some of the riders couldn't.

On the web there have been various reports of upgrades to the surface within the past twelve months, and I really just want to know, from someone who lives in the area or who has ridden it in the past twelve months, exactly what the situation is right now. Many in the group will bring MTBs, so that's no issue. However a couple of people including myself would prefer to bring our touring bikes, and so the question is whether 28mm tyres would cut it give the current state of the trail's surface.

 

[geoffs]

I read your website. You din't suffer from a bit of OCD perchance?
When we were in Cyclesurgery in Dunedinin, getting our tandem frame straightened, there were a few other people getting their bike repaired after being on the rail trail so they should be able to give you up to date info on trail conditions. Dave Thompson was the owner that was helping us and he was incredibly helpful. They have have a commercial espresso machine for a java fix as well.
The old section of Cromwell has a great cafe by the waterfront. There is also a reasonable size shoping centre.
Looks like your well planned. A Prado will be expensive on the fuel.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[rcbloxham]

Yes Ive rode from Ranfurly to Hyde on the Otago Rail Trail in April 2005 not have completed the whole trail Yes I do agree with this guy you should always have spare parts for your bike and tools to fit everything.Even its a bumpy ride you do expect something to occur but you need to complete the check for roadworthy so you do not get caught. One thing actually do know what this guy is saying if you had no spares or the proper gear with you and your bike breaks down you could be miles away from nowhere as you need to have a mobile phone available to contact friends or relatives There,s alway some one willing too help. You will need plenty of fluids number one priority and enough food with you The bike that I rode was a 27x1and quarter inch tyres it gave me no problem at all. From Richard
We rode the Otago rail trail in 2003 while we touring the sth island and I would only recommend that you use a mountain bike with at least 1 1/2 inch tyres.
You will also need to use steel pannier racks and carry a large selection of spares because if you break down you could be a long way from anywhere.
I saw 2 cyclists have to walk they're bikes out and hitch rides due to broken pannier racks.
We had the bolt for the deraileur top jockey wheel head west and the deraileur went into the spokes and locked the wheel up, breaking spokes on both sides of the wheel and bending the rear dropout on our tandem.
It took me over an our to repair and we only just made the train back down to Dunedin.
In the brochure it talks about all the lovely coffe shops that you will be able to stop at and have a coffee and something to eat. Good Luck! They were all closed when we went through and the only place that was open would even sell us water uness we were going to stay the night as there was a drought and they were having to truck the water in.
We rode it in 2 days.
How fit is your group? Are you intending to carry much supplies??

Cheers

Geoff[/QUOTE]

 

[patrick_keogh]

Geoff,

Sorry, this thread is old news. Our group of 12 rode the rail trail earlier this year.

No mechanical failures (one puncture) in the entire length.
Two people on road bikes, the rest on MTBs.
Riding my CroMo touring bike with 32/37 Contis front and rear was quite OK, a little rough at times, but fast on the good bits including the all out sprint into Ranfurly

Only saw one other rider on a road bike the entire length, it was some maniac with tri bars and 25mms (an estimate) going the other way. See the results at http://www.keogh.net.au/NZ/