Dick Chainey

I'm 70 and getting back into cycling after a 15 year lay-off. I've brought my old Lemond Zurich out of retirement, but I don't think I can any longer safely negotiate road traffic. Right now I'm sticking to neighborhood streets near my home. I'm thinking I will switch to off-road paths in parks and nature trails. There are two state parks, at least 3 LCRA parks, and a number of nature areas close by, with a variety of surfaces. As a stop-gap I'm thinking of replacing the narrow road tires on my Lemond with some fatter tires, just to see how well I (and my bike) can handle rougher surfaces. I've kinda got the new bike fever and have been looking at cyclo and gravel bikes...maybe a bit down the road. Anyway, I was questioning how stable my road bike will be on trails, and how wide a tire I can get on my road clinchers. I don't want to make it too damn hard to clear the tires through the brakes either.

HTupolev

Depends on you and the trails.

Some well-regarded gravel bikes, like the Open UP, have what's basically a traditional road geometry. It can be just fine as long as things aren't too technical.

Best way to find out is to try it and see what happens.

The road clinchers aren't the problem. While there are reasons to use wider rims when using wider tires, going a bit outside of what a rim is designed for isn't something to fuss over when you're starving for tire width.

The big question is how wide your frame and/or brakes can fit. Since you have the frame in hand, you're going to be the most capable of figuring this out. Look at how much clearance there is around your current tires at places where they're close to the frame or brakes, check how wide they are, and estimate from there. Every 2mm of additional tire width will make the tire about 1mm wider on each side, and a bit taller as well. It's good to leave a few millimeters of clearance for safety.

Unfortunately, from what I can find through googling, most Zurich frames won't take much wider than a 28mm tire, if that. 28mm can be fine on smooth hardpack, but will likely become troublesome as the surfaces get more interesting than that.

Just partially deflate the tire whenever you have to remove a wheel. And whenever you fix a flat, just don't pump the tire back to stiff until the wheel is on the bike.

chas58

I tried that (before "gravel bikes"). Didn't work too well on the rough stuff (rocks, washboard, dirt potholes), although it is fine on rail trails. It can be a good starting point. Road bikes tend to be stiff (even "compliant ones in those days), tend to have short wheelbases, and limited tire clearance. Not ideal.

I'm fine on crushed limestone on 28mm tires, and spend most of the summer on 32mm on my gravel bike and dirt roads - but that bike just soaks up washboard in ways that bikes 15 years ago just don't.

Your frame (not wheels) will be your limiting factor - both in getting the tire between the calipers, and likely the brake bridge (possibly the seat tube and chain stays too).

You don't want to buy new wheels for a rimmed brake bike, but tubeless tires allow you to go nice and low in pressure without worrying about pinch flats - and that is a game changer. You can try low pressure on your current tires/wheels - - just be prepared to change a tube if you get a pinch flat.

fietsbob

Sewup cyclocross tires * are the way to go for lower pressures, Given Tubeless clinchers have burped all the air out at once in corners occasionally ..

*the racer's choice for that specialty.. + few Pinch flats, the rim the tire is glued onto has a smoother edge - corner.. ..

Garfield Cat

At 70 years, if you cannot safely negotiate road, then off-road will just present even more skill level demands. Stay on the Lemond and actually enjoy it on the road. Can east of Austin TX be that dicey on the road?

There are 70 year olds who are still working with very little compromise. I mean working physically as well as mentally. Its about the marbles.

fishboat

If you're with the Zurich(fit, ride..etc), then get a Lemond Poprad in the same frame size. Wonderful bike...light, fast, great tubing, and can take wider tires. I ride my Poprad more than my other road bikes. I'm currently running Panaracer Gravelking slicks on it in 700cx38.

scubaman

My strong recommendation is to consider a new (anyway, new to you) bike. I assume by "trail" you mean some type of multi-purpose trail, like a rail-to-trail conversion, or maybe fire roads, and *not* single track. Still my recommendation would be to get a bike that can handle at least 40mm tires, with a relatively upright position, and maybe with flat bars (or similar - I particularly like Jones bars). Your current Lemond road bike, much as it’s nice and somewhat adaptable, is not adaptable enough for that. Most immediately, it won’t fit wide tires.

I’m a lifelong roadie who started riding wider tires a few years ago, inspired by the teachings of Jan Heine and Bicycle Quarterly. Now I do everything from road rides with friends to urban commuting to gravel bikepacking on 48mm tires, and my road bikes are lonely and neglected. Wider tires at lower pressure are, in my experience, more comfortable and definitely more confidence-inspiring on all surfaces, and really not slower - or anyway not slower enough for me to care. Yes, I can ride most of the same surfaces with 28mm road tires, or 35mm cyclocross tires. But wider is better, and if you need to get something new anyway - as I strongly recommend - I suggest minimum clearance of 40mm or more. E.g., the Surly Bridge Club is available starting around $1000; a Jeff Jones complete bike is around $2000. Assuming you no longer plan to do fast group rides, either of those will comfortably handle essentially anything that you might want to do on two wheels, based on your posts.

I personally prefer a drop bar. But you might see if you find it easier to use the brakes on non-paved surfaces with a flat bar and MTB brake levers.

hsuBM

I cannot agree with this more. I don’t know the OP, but I can say that the vast majority of people I know over 55 can’t touch their toes without help from a chair. I would only suggest to them that riding any type of bicycle anyplace where there are rocks greater in size than 0.010” if I disliked them and hoped to see them injured.

Lights are what you want to be looking into. You want to be at least as visible as a gray car in the shade on a sunny day. That means 300 lumens outta the tail light and 900 lumens minimum outta the front. Those numbers are where the close-calls in traffic start to have a significant drop in my excessive experience. $40 only buys you country road courtesy lights, be prepared to spend $$$ for safety in traffic. It’s worth it. Reflectors and vests are invisible to stoned touchscreen pilots and the DMV keeps giving them licenses.

next would be wider tires on the Lemond. If it’ll fit 28s, do it. It’ll make the roads a lot less rough.

To be fair, I used to ride rather rocky rooty trails with 23c tires pumped up to 120lbs, but I was in my twenties and my muscles were fast enough and springy enough that I could just float through well enough. I’m only 36, very little down time in the last decade, and though I’m telling myself that the dirt has washed away exposing exponentially more rocks, end of the day whether the trails or my body has changed- 32c tires just aren’t big enough at any psi for some of those trails anymore.

32c tires are seeming more and more to be the minimum acceptable on the road for me. I do still spin 23c in the winter for cutting slush, and that’s a fun challenge, but...

I’m at the point of getting a “gravel bike” for the road (+ occasional dirtpaths), and fixing up my old rigid 26” MTB as a gravel bike (hoping to try Compass Rats on it this autumn).

dwmckee

You hang out with the wrong peolpe then. I am in my 60s and I race competitive gravel (at least until all of the events were cancelled this year). I routinely whoop people in their 20s and 30s, and I can still dust (literally) both of my teenagers too.

RockiesDad

If you can swing it might think about getting a new more modern bike. Technology has really taken off in the last couple of years and you'll be amazed at what's out there now. Hydro disk brakes is one example. Frame material, geo, and tires are a few more cool items that make up a modern bike. Flat bar bikes might also be an option. There are many to choose from. Going used may be another thing to think about also. Many choices if you are thinking seriously wanting to get back into cycling. You won't regret it...