Riding the Canals, ever do it?

it doesn't really get all that bumpy to be truthful
there are sections of concrete slabs - smooth just watch that front tyre going in between the slabs and tracking
sections of mud - usually tamped down by millions of footengers and numerous bikes pretty smooth really
sections of gravel - around wormwood scrubs area again lovely and flat

the worst sections encountered are on the leevalley north of springfield parks and that really only is bad for a mile or so

so in summary it's fine on a road bike with 700c x 23's MTB's are really required
have done from limehouse basin to the thames in brentford many many times and it's a great ride

Canals around birmingham are well challening on anything other than a MTB. Full of low bridges often simultaneously with intentionally ridged cobble paths, often these ridged cobbles are placed on the ramps, some of which are very steep/ So you have to give it some welly and hit them at speed, which rattles your bike to death.

I was properly concerned about getting a broken axle, spokes or cracked dropouts when I went for a ride the other day. But I had no option but to ride fast because I was late.

The canals as you get away from the city centre are poorly maintained with no real surfacing. So anytime other than mdsummer, they muddy and often covered in leaves too. So very SLIPPERY. There is often just the path on the one side, any you often have to get off to continue as the path runs out, reconnecting can be confusing, sometimes you need to ride in the wrong direction for a while.