John Muir Way on 700/32s?

[macartain]

Hello all,

FNG here. I am planning to take the JMW west from Edinburgh to Glasgow and then return by the Forth/Clyde & Union Canal in a week or two - folks from the area on here will know these share quite a few miles in the middle.. Route is taken from bikepacking scotland.

I live in Edinburgh and I've done the eastern parts of the Canal loads of times, so I know what to expect here, but I am wondering if my Trek Crossrip on 700/32s is going to cut it on the JMW up around Loch Lomond etc? My only other option is my Felt Q820 but I have only ever used it for it for very lightweight MTB stuff and it has no mudguards, racks etc.

Cheers for any insights,

[gecko76]

I know about as much as you but I would think you'd be fine on 32s. Might steal your idea actually

[macartain]

OK, ta - only one way to find out I suppose...

Maybe see you out there! I'll be the guy at the side of the path trying to remember how to change an inner after 15 years of commuting on Marathons...

[Keith74]

Not been along some bits of the way this year but it’s definitely doable on the 32s I would think. Small bits maybe not as fun as they would be on something bigger but would think it would still be rideable.

[gecko76]

Sure it'd be a laugh on the bigger tyres. How long are you planning to do it? I want to get into doing longer, multi-day trips and local is good as time is limited.

[macartain]

Thanks for the input.

Well, I had 3 days booked off for Hadrian's Cycleway but my copilot had to bale.. so I am thinking I'll use the 3 days for this instead and if I am making good time, have some time up around Loch Lomond.

The big decision is which to take outbound... if we still have these freezing easterlies next week, I'd be inclined to go west on the canal as it can funnel the wind and then come back on the JMW. If normal service is resumed and its a westerly, I'll do it the other way...

[macartain]

Thanks for the advice - I did this (sort of) and had a blast, of course. I dodged the stuff on the western side of Loch Lomond to Helensburgh and used the Balloch cycle path to get me back to the start of the Canal at Bowling.. The rough stuff between Strathblane and Balloch over the top past Burnscrook Reservoir were not really suited to 32s - pretty rough and basically singletrack for quite a bit. Would be magic fun on an MTB or gravel bike (or whatever hybrids are called this week - are adventure bikes still a thing?) but otherwise you will be pushing. My takeaways:

- there are great surfaced, traffic-free routes around this part of Scotland - I can get on the canal at Tollcross in Edinburgh and never be on a main road until I hit Luss on Loch Lomond - the only road at all is between Strathblane and Balloch and you could avoid that by going up the Dumbarton-Balloch path beside the Leven, which I used for my return leg.
- there are bugger all places to camp around Glasgow until you hit Loch Lomond - and very few in the east as well. Next westbound campsite after the Wheel at Falkirk is Strathblane, hence my enormous-for-me mileages each day.
- hardly anybody seems to be using these routes! The usual dog walkers when near a small town, and people out for a spin on gravel bikes but otherwise I must have seen 2 loaded-up bikepacking bikes across the whole 3 days.
- it was absolutely magic fun, helped by lucky weather.. I am a not-especially-fit 55 year old on a commuter - if in doubt, just do it. Now thinking about the next one...

Happy to post the gps and a fuller description if folks are interested.
Cheers

[fatbikephil]

I'd agree with the nice routes out that way. I can get from Fife to Lochgoilhead all on back roads with BA traffic, cycleways, forest tracks and other good trails. Not done the JMW on the south side of the Campsies yet so will give it a whirl next time I'm out that way.

We always like a write up on here, with pics!