Originally Posted by Papa Tom

"Cushy and comfortable," to me, means bump-absorbing and easy on the back without pushing the line on flat resistance. When I used the word "squishy," I was referring to how the tire felt when I pinched it. I should have clarified that. "Squishy," to me, means grossly under-inflated, but perhaps I've just entered into a new realm of understanding about acceptable tire inflations. I am very interested in any other input regarding the experimenting others have done with lower psi.

Regarding the purchase itself, I was sold on the Hookworms before I walked into the store and I should have just stuck with that instinct. The downside of dealing face-to-face with a bike shop owner (rather than an invisible online dealer) is that all the weaknesses in your being come out and you're suddenly dealing with feeling guilty that the person spent so much time with you, or self-conscious that he/she will think you're a jerk if you then walk out of the store without buying anything. So I got "hooked" into the Schwalbes and I knew I wasn't happy before I even got home with them.

Like you, my tires last a long time, mainly because I tend to swap slicks for knobbies several times throughout the year. These were intended to be year-round tires, but I doubt that I will keep them on all the time, which means I, too, am stuck with them for several years -- unless I have a windfall and can afford to eat them and buy a set of Hookworms instead. OR, unless somebody wants to buy a set of very gently used Big Apples right now!