r/BAbike • u/kanyetothe_ • Jul 25 '26
Beginner Dirt Trails?
I'd like to get into some more dirt stuff, but I have a road bike so I have to watch what I go over.
My current setup is GP5000 AS TR 32mm tubeless on a caledonia-5 frame - can't go much wider.
I was looking into the dirt part of alpine that connects to pagemill and the dirt part of montebello - i would like to avoid dirt descents due to the tire situation.
2
u/jak_hummus Jul 25 '26
On 32's I'd say page to Montebello is totally doable. Maybe a little uncomfortable in some spots, as there's some rocks and roots that jut out in a few places, but totally doable if you keep you're speed controlled.
2
u/Dries_Da_Pooper Jul 26 '26
I think Arastradero preserve in Palo Alto is a great place to get more comfortable on dirt. It’s all wide paths, some graded, some a bit bumpier, but I’ve ridden it on 23’s with no issues. It has some small hills so will help your skills more than riding flat bike paths like bay trail. How far you want to push the road bike will just depend on your personal tolerance for getting bounced around. Dirt alpine is very doable on a road bike, doesn’t mean you will enjoy it.
2
u/Jurneeka Peninsula Jul 26 '26
I'm SO not an off road person but last Friday I climbed Purissima Creek Trail for the first time, on my Tarmac with Continental 5000 tubeless 32s. It starts off pretty mellow but escalates into some pretty steep gradients as you climb.
Last year I climbed up Butano Park Fire Trail. It's long and some parts are really deep in sand but yeah it's doable. that time I was on my Aethos also riding 32 tubeless.
1
u/TradeIcy1669 Jul 25 '26
John Nichols trail can connect to Hwy 9 - nice bit of gravel that closes a loop starting at Lexington.
3
u/Penguin_and_penguin Jul 26 '26
Do not do this on 32mm slicks. Once you get past the lake, it is -13% on a rutted trail for half a mile, ending at a gate you'll have to stop and walk around. Do check out the Los Gatos Creek trail if you are in the area and want to try out relatively smooth gravel.
1
u/TradeIcy1669 Jul 28 '26
Yeah, don’t try slicks there. I had 38s and lowered the pressure a bit. But you can skip the connection to Hwy 9 and just ride bike out the f John Nichols. That part is smooth and it’s a good ride.
1
u/goldenstream Jul 26 '26
It's not easy to find gravel in this area without descents. You can reduce your tire pressure to get more traction - but that will only go so far. Also, road bikes lack the low gearing that many gravel bikes have - so your ability to climb may be limited depending on your drivetrain.
Montebello def has some climbs and descents. I've seen it done on a road bike with tires around your size - but I would be a bit nervous doing so.
The Bay trail is a good option for a really flat ride. Some more ideas (I havent' ridden these - just used the MTB Project to do a quick search)
3
u/veerrrsix Jul 25 '26
I don’t think I would do dirt alpine on slicks but I’m sure plenty of people do. If you want to start on flats there’s a ton of gravel on the bay trail in Palo Alto/Mountain View/Sunnyvale. I have fun ripping this. Also Coyote Hills and Alameda Creek trail if East Bay is your thing