Congrats..that's one heck of a bike. Particularly if it fits really well. The bike found a good home..yours. You're fortunate the guy's ad was so poor. If he had "Ogre" in the title, at that price & package, it wouldn't have lasted a day in my region. I would have been tempted to buy it and then find a friend that "needed" it.

If you're somewhat new to this, don't underestimate the value of really good, easy rolling tires. They are worth the investment. They can completely change the feel of a bike and make it a heck of a lot more fun to ride..and much easier too. I tried a number of tires on my touring bike and stopped looking after I ran the Schwalbe Big Bens. They roll easy and feel even better when you ride with a touring load. Run 45-60 psi in the tires..probably 50-55psi would be plenty.

Are there other good tires..sure...but a bird in the hand and all that.

There are many different versions of the tires and confusing standards in tire size. Do not get "greenguard" or the "plus" versions as they are much heavier, don't roll as well, and are overkill in terms of flat protection in your intended use. Your current size tires are 29x2.1". Unfortunately EU-based tire manufactures will also call this same size as 28x2.1". It's best to refer to the "ETRTO" size to be sure what you're buying. The ETRTO size of your current tires is 54-622. (54mm wide, 622mm inner diameter). The Big Ben size you're looking for is 28x2.0 (50-622). This is the tire spec:




The 28x1.5" (40x622) will also fit and are a fair bit lighter (in weight) tire. They won't be as cushy in ride, but will work well. The 2 inch version above would look better..personal preference.




Your local bike shop probably won't carry these tires. Don't let them talk you into "another tire that's basically the same" as, odds are, they won't be and you'll be wasting your money. The bike shop will sell you what they carry...