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I've spent a while on Google maps, and I reckon it's easily doable. Given that my bike is supposed to be a cyclocross bike, albeit with slicks, guards and a rack, I should be able to handle anything they can throw at me.
Youll be fine, canal paths suit road tyres pretty well. Some of the lesser used bits can get muddy in prolonged rain, and some of the bits near west brom can get a bit slippery in winter with blankets of leaves. Otherwise pretty perfect.
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Well, it was certainly eventful. First off I went along the wrong canal after I got onto them at the ICC, and had to head around the Walsall Road and the Ring Road to get back onto the planned route. I got absolutely drenched in the early rain (12 o'clock) and even sheltered for a short while in an underpass on the ring road. When I finally got onto the right canal it was lovely riding, apart from the constant puddles throwing gritty water onto my shoes, and the odd bit of towpath which seemed to have been designed to shake my bones.
Apart from a wasp flying into my helmet and the inevitable sting, the canal until the turn off onto the Walsall canal was good, and on a dry day would have been perfect. A particular highlight was the Galton tunnel and bridges, unexpectedly pretty.
After the turn off it wasn't so good. On a couple of stretches, I was riding in ruts no more than 6 inches wide, and hoping that I was going to be OK. The first couple of miles are pretty sketchy, but when the towpath reappeared (along with the fishermen), it was hunky dory. Apart from the puncture a couple of bridges before I turned off (at Willenhall), I really enjoyed the ride, although it was a relief to get back onto asphalt.
I think if I do it again, I'll pop on some proper CX tyres as the 28s lost traction under braking on some of the slippery downhills, then I wouldn't be restricted to the ruts on the dodgier sections and would have a bit more grip on the grass. Probably a bit comfier on the rougher patches too.
Very interesting to see a city you know from a completely different angle. Thanks for the help.
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I did the return trip this afternoon. It seemed like I used up all the bad luck on the outbound trip, as this was smooth like butter. No rain, no navigation errors, and it took just over half the time that yesterday's ride did. Gas St Basin is a bloody nightmare to find the way around, but I ended up coming out on Bridge St, about as close to New St as I could hope for.
My bike still got absolutely filthy thanks to the puddles.
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^ been riding a bit of the canals on my ss mtb recently, the problem I've found is there so inconsistent, even in a couple of miles you can encounter various qualitys of surface, ranging from stuff that would be fine on a road bike (theres a bit on the grand union that's concrete slabs) to stuff thats pretty sketchy - good fun if your'e bike can handle it
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Route Advice - Bham New St to Walsall (ish)
Posted by
@lardboy
I'm heading back to visit the family this weekend, and want to take my bike on the train, then ride from New St to WV12 (Rough Wood area)
Anyone know a route that isn't a drag along the main A34/Walsall Road, as I can't imagine that's much fun. Is it feasible to use the canal to get from Bham to Walsall on 28mm slicks?