Hi all,
Sorry haven't managed to ride that route in yet, been playing on the main roads with the road bike instead
I have ridden the potholey bits several times on the road bike. I wouldn't do it every day but it's "interesting" enough to be fun without having too large a chance of tanking it!
My current towpath weapon of choice is my XC mountain bike with 700c disc wheels (XT hubs, plain gauge spokes, Mavic CXP33 rims and Spec ACP tyres (only because I had them knocking about spare, I'd normally go for gatorskins!)) Lots of speed but a bit more nimble for the really broken up bits and with better braking
The route is really obvious except for:
the bit we discussed above (if heading south you'll come to a T-junction, head left even though the path looks like it goes right. If heading north it's much more obvious)
The bit at Dobb's Weir Road near Hoddesdon, where you have to cross river at the bridge over the weir.
HTH,
Ed