2"+ tyres - knobblies vs Big Apple or similar

[thelawnet]

Any experience with these?

I have some Racing Ralphs

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/offroad-rea ... ralph.html

and Racing Rays

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/offroad-rea ... g-ray.html

in 29x2.25"

If I run them at around 18psi they are very nice and plush.

However at closer to their limit of 50psi they are rock hard and while they roll nicely on smooth tarmac, they are really quite bumpy on rough tarmac.

I think that Big Apple is a good bit heavier (800g+ vs 600g)

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tour-reader/big-apple.html

but I wonder how they compare in plushness on the road.

[slowster]

I use 29 x 2.35 Big Apples on an MTB which is ridden on tracks and short road sections, and I have no complaints as far as plushness goes. Previously I rode an MTB with 26 x 2.25 Panaracer knobbly tyres, and my impression is that the Big Apples roll faster on the road and the 29" size does a much better job of smoothing out bumpy trails. The 26" wheels and tyres were obviously quite a bit lighter, a difference which is made even more pronounced by the fact that the Big Apples are a heavy tyre, and I do notice that when going uphill, but I consider that a price worth paying in return for the benefits.

If you want the Big Apple performance without the heavy weight, Schwalbe offer the G-One Speed in the same size with a claimed weight of 530g, but it costs a lot more and will wear out much more quickly than the Big Apple according to Schwalbe.

[kylecycler]

I've tried 'Active Line' 55-559 (26 x 2.15) Big Apples. They replaced the original 50mm Kenda tyres and while they were a lot cushier (relatively speaking), the bike is used for transportation and is heavily laden half the time. It has 19mm (internal diameter) rims, and running the 55mm Big Apples anywhere below about 40psi front, 45-50psi rear made it go all squidgy when carrying a full load. With 21mm+ rims I figure they'd be ok.

Other problem was, Active Line only has K-Guard protection and although K stands for Kevlar and sounds hi-tech, they were puncture magnets, not least because they had more contact area to pick up thorns, etc. Wide tyres run at low-ish pressures are supposed to be less puncture-prone but that wasn't my experience with these.

Recently I swapped them for slightly narrower, Performance Line, 50-559 (26 x 2.00) Big Apples, which aren't so cushy at the same pressures but I might be able to run them at lower pressures without feeling like I'm running on jelly (haven't tried yet - only just fitted them). They have RaceGuard puncture protection, same as my other hybrid's 50-584 (27.5 x 2.00) Almotions and I haven't had a puncture with these (touch wood) since I fitted them about 8 months ago, and I've ridden through the 'thorn season' on them.

Both hybrids are more or less identical (one's used for transport, the other for country/club rides and touring) except for wheel size and the 27.5" wheeled one's ride is markedly more compliant on the same width/pressure tyres than the 26" wheeled one - and as slowster suggests, your 29" wheels should be cushier still. I don't know how much that's to do with whatever difference there is between Big Apples' and Almotions' ride comfort, although I suspect not all that much.

This is just projection but I figure with your 700C/29er wheels, Performance Line Big Apples, either 55-622 or 60-622 - maybe dependent on rim width if you ride it loaded up, i.e. as long as your rims are wide enough - should work quite well. I'd steer clear of Active Line Big Apples, though - they didn't work for me, puncture wise.

I don't know how Big Apples would compare, rolling resistance wise, with Racing Ralphs or Racing Rays, but obviously knobblies tend to be slower on-road. As for weight, it's marginal so I doubt if you'd notice the difference. There used to be 'LiteSkin' - lighter - Big Apples but AFAIK they no longer seem to be available.

[reohn2]

If you want a fast and plush riding 29er/700C x 2in tyre look no further than Marathon Supremes.

[kylecycler]

If you want a fast and plush riding 29er/700C x 2in tyre look no further than Marathon Supremes.

I bought a pair of 27.5"/584mm (650B) Supremes from a lad on the forum (he'd found his bike didn't have the clearance for them) but haven't tried them yet. It'll be interesting to see how they compare with the Almotions. It's disappointing, though, that according to Schwalbe's 2019 catalogue they no longer offer Supremes in 50mm, just 42mm, in that size. 2in/50mm still available in 29er/700C though.

[reohn2]

Any experience with these?

I have some Racing Ralphs

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/offroad-rea ... ralph.html

and Racing Rays

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/offroad-rea ... g-ray.html

in 29x2.25"

If I run them at around 18psi they are very nice and plush.

However at closer to their limit of 50psi they are rock hard and while they roll nicely on smooth tarmac, they are really quite bumpy on rough tarmac.

I think that Big Apple is a good bit heavier (800g+ vs 600g)

https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tour-reader/big-apple.html

but I wonder how they compare in plushness on the road.

A 2.25in section tyre at 50psi is waaayyyy over inflated unless it's loaded up to maximum,which in the case of the tyres mentioned is 120kg per tyre,that's 240kg all up weight rider,bike and any luggage.
18psi front with about 25psi rear is about right for an all up weight of about 100kg IMO.

BA's do roll well for their weight and are quite plush to ride due to their supple side walls,but it's a balancing act of maintaining the optimum tyre pressure for load to get the best performance out of them,if the pressure drops by 3 to 5psi they become draggy IME

[slowster]

BA's do roll well for their weight and are quite plush to ride due to their supple side walls,but it's a balancing act of maintaining the optimum tyre pressure for load to get the best performance out of them,if the pressure drops by 3 to 5psi they become draggy IME

I'm still getting used to the Big Apples on my bike, but so far they seem to be quite tolerant of my carelessness regarding getting the tyre pressure right. That might be because I am less attuned to the differences (which are probably a lot less noticeable than the difference between the 26" knobblies and the 29" Big Apples) and/or because it is masked by the bike (which is a bit of a tractor, i.e. similar to your Longitude). The typical 10kg increase in load on the rear wheel on the return leg of a ride to the supermarket has not so far resulted in me noticing any change in the feel of the ride.

However, I am using extremely wide rims (45mm internal). Not only does that prevent the squidginess that kylecycler complains of, I suspect that it might also result in the range of optimum tyre pressures being wider than with a narrower rim.