Touring Saigon to Bankok on DT: need some opinions

[psykoocycle]

Hey everyone,

I will be taking my DT on a cycle tour that starts in Saigon, through Ankor Wat and ending in Bankok (Oct/08).

I know the terrain will sometimes be on the gnarly end.

I currently have the stock Kenda's on the DT FS, and thinking about changing for 1) more protection 2) better rolling resistance 3) better grip on unpaved surfaces

Should I get:

A) Big Apples
B) Marathon Racers
C) Marathon Plus
D) Just marathons

Also open to any other dual duty tires you can suggest.

If they had marathon racers and plus in the 2.00 width, I'd take them, but I believe the max width is 1.5 or 1.75.

Also, anyone know of any shops I can check out in Bankok or Saigon that carry MERC/FLAMINGOs???

:thumb:

[DVC45]

Marathon Plus. I hear many good things about its durability, here and on other forums.

[doco]

+1 on the Marathon Plus's, especially for an extended tour

[Ericx25]

I use Marathon tyres on my B Friday because 20" Marathon Plus are only available in 1.35 (too narrow) and 1.75 (too much rolling resistance)

{off topic}

I did some cycling several times in Vietnam, in Cambodia , Laos and Thailand.
I would NOT recommend Cambodia for cycling....

My experience in SEA :

Laos : number one destination (nice people, very light traffic, many other foreign cyclists but very hilly in the North

Thailand, Vietnam nice as well but not so bike friendly, cycling from city to city you will sometimes be on the shoulder of a main road.

Cambodia : the worst (dull scenery, bad drivers, dusty roads,...)

Eric
http://www.dramaix.com

[puppypilgrim]

Big Apples for sure. The road conditions and any off road\paths you may encounter will be more comfortable on Big Apples.

[snafu21]

I spent some time working in Cambodia. I used a motorbike though. In 2002 the main highways north out of the capital were at times rutted/flooded/impassable. Life was cheap and fatal accidents common. I think cycling there is possible, but 'exciting' at times. People lovely, many roads very bad in parts, but it's a small country so you're out of it quickly. Rainy season flooding unbelievable!

I'd take Big Apples for paved areas. But they're skittish on loose surfaces, and there's plenty of those in Cambo, so something with more tread for dusty/muddy roads. (http://www.maxxis.com/products/bicycle/product_detail.asp?id=89)

Plus Immodium.

[PhotoByBike]

I'm considering a similar type of tire purchase for longer rides. Would the full suspension on the DT offset the skinnier tires, for instance, a Marathon Plus 20x1.35 on a DT 9FS (20"), or would it still be better to get wider tires. I'm more concerned about comfort than speed, but if I can get the best of both worlds by putting 20x1.35's on there, I think I might go that route.

[snafu21]

edited - got answered elsewhere..

[pm124]

I've toured SE Asia as well. You can rule out the Marathon Racers as there is a good deal of broken glass by the side of the road. Worse, you have killer thorns that will make mincemeat out of them. Marathon Plus or Big Apples are the way to go. I would recommend the latter if they fit your bike.

The roads in Thailand are great. Go to 7-11 (try a few to find it) and buy a good road atlas. It will indicate where canal roads are, but so long as you stay off the 1 or other major freeways, it will be dreamy. Often, though, it is so hot that you have to leave at 4 in the morning and stop by 10AM-11AM. The south is much cooler since you will be by the ocean, but the central northern cities are very interesting.

Travel in VN, Laos, and Cambodia requires some planning ahead. You want to take the optimal routes for bikes. In Thailand, you can hop on just about any road and see where it takes you.

[psykoocycle]

Thanks everyone,

still leaning towards the big apples... but like SNAF stated, wouldn't mind more tread for dirt...

can anyone tell me how well th holy rollers roll... have tried to look, but not sure if they include puncture protection...

PM & ERIC: Have secured guides with a promise to keep us on local roads and not highways (don't want to be blown up by some random mine), part of it will be on the mekong on a boat... going around november... so hopefully it will be a bit cooler...

PHOTO: Its true... with the FS, the big apples maybe too much suspension... but really considering it more for puncture and wider footprint...

[jur]

I second Big Apples for dirt as well.

Don't worry too much about dirt tread - unless you are going to ride through slippery wet clay or deep mud or cornering very fast on a MTB competition track or something extreme like that, you'll find the BAs just fine.

Don't make the mistake of pumping them too hard - rolling resistance increases dramatically on dirt roads if you do. If you can feel bumps, then they're too hard. Don't be afraid to go as low as 30psi or even lower (depending on your weight and luggage).

[pm124]

Agree with Jur. There is no such thing as too much suspension on bad roads, and the thick tires won't sink into the dust.

Speaking of dust, there are often enticing dirt car-free roads that run on the opposite side of the canals lining many roads in Thailand. These can be a great way to get off the road, but you have to watch for dogs. They especially like to chase weird looking folding bikes. Gets their amygdala all lit up.

[snafu21]

"can anyone tell me how well the holy rollers roll... have tried to look, but not sure if they include puncture protection..."


There's a review of the Holy Rollers ( on a 26" bike) in one of the MTB mags this month. But they don't mention road use. Fine for Cambo.

I must be the only one not liking Big Apples on loose surface. The puncture protection, ride quality and comfort make up for a lot, but I won't be putting them on my new bike. There's little real grip on loose packed dirt, (compared to a modest knobbly) and that compromises cornering (like I'm the world's top off-road artist!) and braking. I haven't found the solution yet, but it might come from the Maxxis stable.

I ride an old railway line near me. Even in the summer it's loose top-soil interspersed with mud, leaves, horse-poo and puddles, and those Big Apples don't have the grip to make for safe riding, even on dry loose-pack, especially downhill when braking or attempting a bend. They're brilliant on-road but their modest 'tread' is only a brand imprint, there's nothing there for loose surfaces. Especially when using the brakes.

Mind you, there's only one hill in Cambodia.

Let us know what you fit. Incidentally there are bike 'shops' on every street in Phnom Penh, but I don't know about the availability of 20" rubber.

The road surface north out of Phnom Penh to Siem Reap varies hugely, from hard packed red alluvial soil to deeply-potholed tarmac strewn with glass, wind-blown discarded plastic bags, and sometimes, human waste. When it rains, the red stuff turns to a sort of greasy puree. There are good main highways - but thundering trucks with drivers raving on meth will keep you towards the verges. The roads get better every year though, I was there in 2002. Another choice is to take a boat out of PP up the Mekong to Siem Reap (but get a seat inside - otherwise you fry all day)

Then you just need tires that will float.


However most of the cycling population get buy on ancient tires made from tissue paper, so perhaps don't worry too much. They don't.

Send us pix of your trip!

[OldiesONfoldies]

Big Apples for me. They are comfortable, durable and able to handle sandy, dusty roads (better than M Racers) which you will encounter in yr HCM to BKK adventure. Cambodia may be tough & rough, but its beautiful in its own way. Lovely people.

I just returned from a hi-speed downhill adventure in Cameron Hlands, Malaysia on the Big Apples, and they performed flawlessly. Stable, secure, confident at speeds over 60kmh.