Good riding can be found on the dirt roads around Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. My husband, a friend and I rode the hard-pack dirt roads on the Pocket Rocket and New World Tourist just fine-no special tires needed. Plenty very friendly bike-loving locals, baobob trees and goats on the rides to make things interesting. Check out Mapmyride.com for Ouagadougou rides is you make it out to West Africa way.