Riding a road bike on trails?

[sheffgirl]

I am considering asking my employer about the Cycle to Work scheme, to obtain myself a road bike.
I currently have a mountain bike and I commute 18 miles a day. Partof my jjourney (for the summer at least) is on a bridle path through the woods (Beeley Woods if there are any locals on here). I can take the road route but I prefer my current route. Would a road bike be suitable for this? Its a smooth trackonly sslightly gravelly. Or a cyclo cross?
Please forgive my spelling my phone is a bit weird sometimes. I'm normally really pedantic at it

 

[oldroadman]

If in doubt, look up some video of Paris-Roubaix, Ronde van Vlaaderen, or in the UK the Cicle Classic. Road bikes over horrible "roads". If you do decide to go for it, 25c-27c tyre width will make a big difference in handling and stability. Keep the pressures about 6 bar to start with, should be fine.

 

[PK99]

A cross bike is ideal for that sort of route.
D

 

[junkie_ball]

I can't comment on a road bike as i don't have one. I use a specialized tricross sport cyclocross and have taken it on some fairly rough unpaved cycle tracks and tow paths. It has handled everything i have thrown at it and is still fairly quick on the road. I regularly overtake road bikes when i'm out on the road.

 

[Cuchilo]

Just get a road bike and go from there

 

[junkie_ball]

Just get a road bike and go from there

Further to my previous post i must admit although i really like my bike i have only had it since last November and mountain bikes before that. I am already tempted to change to a full blown road bike and keep the cyclocross bike as a winter trainer. I use the bike for training and longer rides though not commuting. So it maybe worth just getting a road bike if the road route to work isn't going to add to many extra miles on your journey.

 

[sheffgirl]

The on-road route is actually a little shorter but its busier and involves crossing the tram tracks, which make me a little nervous. I do have the opportunity to borrow a road bike frommy OH (he's the same height as me, fortunately) so I might take him up on the offer.
I've always been a stubborn MTB commuter, but I might actually give in and become a roadie haha. I'd feel like I should be wearing Lycra though

 

[raleighnut]

Road bike with flat bars if control is your worry, or fit cross top brakes @25 quid the rest of the bike will take pretty much anything surface wise.
(Phew, didn't mention hybrid once)

 

[surfdude]

it should be fine as long as you remember its a road bike when riding this trail. i sometimes take mine down the Bissoe trail which is a gravel and rock track with no problems .

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Depends what you mean by road bike. What sort of tyres ? Disc brakes ?Mudguards ? Rack ? Straight bars ?
My commuting choice for a route that includes lots of gravel track is a Croix de Fer with 32mm Schwalbe Marathons, mudguards and a rack for panniers. Does the job perfectly for me.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

The on-road route is actually a little shorter but its busier and involves crossing the tram tracks, which make me a little nervous. I do have the opportunity to borrow a road bike frommy OH (he's the same height as me, fortunately) so I might take him up on the offer.
I've always been a stubborn MTB commuter, but I might actually give in and become a roadie haha. I'd feel like I should be wearing Lycra though

roadie will be fine for gentle tracks like you describe in your OP. check a few CX clips out for the sort of terrain they're built to cover, Roadies are tougher than people give them credit for, just a tad skittish on rock hard wafer thin tyres, wider rubber and a few psi softer helps. Nowt wrong with CX at all though, I miss my nicked one terribly and it was a more comfy, less stretched out position than the roadie is but still far better to get out of the wind than on a MTB/hybrid type.

Tram tracks will be a PITA with any not fat tyre, I've seen a few roadies come a cropper on the Metrolink tracks that run on road to Ashton u Lyne and had a very scary moment on them on my folder recently with its wider than roadie tyres.

 

[sheffgirl]

Found a picture of the trail. It was resurfaced last year.
I have no idea what kind of bike to go for, but I figure the transition to cyclo cross would be less scary than a full road bike? I'm kind of used to mine, I think I would keep it though for off roading and as a winter bike.
I would have to go over the tram tracks twice where they cross over the roadway. It always makes me nervous, even with wide knobbly tyres lol.

 

[coffeejo]

Assuming that's a compact surface and not loose gravel, I'd happily ride my road bike with its 23mm tyres down there.

Try your OH's and see, then try some more from the LBS. Keep an open mind until then.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

That track looks a lot smoother than many of the tarmac roads of my commute !

 

[Spinney]

Touring bike?
i.e. road bike but can take mudguards, has attachment points for a pannier rack, can take wider tyres than a road bike.
(although I'm not really sure what the difference is between a tourer and a cyclocross bike!)