kalash74

I'm looking for a set of Big Apple Raceguard tires as part of my vintage mountain bike / commuter bike project. I'm trying to decide between 50-559 and 55-559 Big Apple Raceguards. I think the 50mm tires weigh in around 675g or so, the 55mm tires a little more.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A3HKWFZMD0QFVQ


My question is: which will have the best balance of comfort, rolling resistance, and speed? Also, does anyone have actual tire width measurements for a 20mm-ish rim? I plan to run fenders, likely the Velo Orange 60mm fenders, as they are the only ones I can find in aluminum and look traditional:

VO Smooth 60mm Fenders, 26"

Velo Orange states that they accomodate up to 50mm tires. I'm not sure if I could get away with 55mm tires or not.

Thoughts?

Papa Tom

Don't know what 55mm converts to (I only speak English), but my Big Apples are 26" X 2.35" and I love the way they ride. Be sure whichever width you choose will fit your frame, as I had to settle for the Big Apples over the wider Maxxis Hookworms because of this.

Big Apples are great on comfort but suck on rolling resistance and speed. Or maybe I just suck at those things.

Can't imagine fitting a fender over the 2.35" width.

kalash74

50mm = 2"
55mm = 2.165"

I was asking whether people have measured actual widths of these (in mm) with calipers. I've heard they are under spec. I thought before about a pair of 2.35" Fat Franks but they are just too wide for me. I'm leaning towards 50mm but wondering if I should go 55mm. Trying to get a comfy ride but also cut down on rolling resistance.

idiotekniQues

i have no idea why anyone would want to go that wide with tires for a commuter

kalash74

Comfort and stability. Can't ride high pressure, narrow tires due to back pain. Now, does anyone have experience with the above tires that might aid me in a making a decision?

jade408

Since you have 60cm fenders, and generally you want 10-12mm of clearance for fenders, it seems like 50mm is more prudent. Since many people find 38mm and 42mm comfy, I can't imagine why you need another 5mm on an already wide tire.

**My bike shop friend loves these tires. 2in is huge.

alan s 

I have 26 x 2.35 (60 mm) with 60 mm fenders. They fit fine and ride great.

Darth Lefty 

Not everyone has the same commute.

kalash74

Nice pic! Out of curiosity, do your 60mm Big Apple's measure 60mm or somewhat less? Also, which fenders are you running?

alan s 

I've never actually measured the tires, but probably 60mm since the fenders are 60mm, and the tires are about as wide. I think the rims are 19mm. The fenders are Planet Bike. Keep in mind that most spray off the tires comes from the middle of the tire, so while you don't get quite as good protection with the fenders and tires the same width, it's pretty close, and good enough for me.

Mr Pink57

Depends on the shape of the fender.

The Planet Bike Cascadias seem to do the best job.

I have the 29x2.35 Big Apples on my Ogre with Planet Bike ALX Cascadia fenders. Prior to that I had a new set of Blackburn 65mm renders but they cut in pretty hard so they did not cover the entire tire. But the PB ALX (aluminum) fit great. Keep in mind I am on wide rims (rear: Salsa Gordo, front: Stans Flow).

The BG 29er is pretty accurate in width.

Sci-Fi

Imho, while you can mount wide tires on your rims, it might be on the hard side to get the tires on. Might/will feel more tire movement, esp if the bike is loaded, when cornering. Would recommend wider rims, like Alex DM24 or Sun Rhyno Lite. Saying this because of my experience when I replaced a worn rim with a Sun CR18 (18mm wide) and using Fat Franks. Can check various sites for recommended rim width to tire size combos. 2"+ wide tires do offer a more comfortable although heavier.

corwin1968

I have 55mm Big Apples on 25mm rims and they actually measure 54mm with a digital caliper. I've read many times that the 50's actually measure in the 45'ish mm range but I have no direct experience. My 50mm Schwalbe Marathon Supremes measured out at 45mm but that's not a balloon tire so it might not be comparable. I haven't measured my 60mm BA's but they look like a freaking motorcycle tire on my bike.

I love the Big Apples for utility and recreational riding. I wouldn't recommend them if you plan to ride long distances or with a group but for just getting on your bike and riding for fun, BA's are hard to beat.

chas58

I think part of the problem is that people think they need to over inflate their tires.

I run the minimum recommended pressure up front, and a few pounds more in the back. With 26” tires, there isn’t much reason to put more than 30psi in the front, 40 in the back.

Do a search on bicycle quarterly tire pressure if you want more. Big tires are heavy (slow from a stop, slow up hill), but if you don’t ride much more than 10-12mph, size and weight are not going to be that big of a difference.

(I did purchase a tire similar to a big apple. But, boy was it slow and heavy. And, if you are not going to get some extra wide rims to match a 60mm tire, you are doing more harm than good. Food for though).

alan s 

Yeah, the BAs "float like a Cadillac" at around 40 psi. Love them, even cruising at 17-18 mph. Once they are up to speed, they just roll over everything.

AusTexMurf

Ran a set of 26X2.15 Big Apples for 8,500 miles on my main commuter.
Race Guard level, like the OP mentions, are lighter and more supple.
One of my favorite tire sets to roll on that bike.
Smooth and fast over everything when up to speed.
Also need to get used to the feeling of balloon tires. Feel slower at first when getting accustomed to them.
Ran my front at 36-40 psi and the rear 40-45 tops depending on load.
Don't over inflate !

Papa Tom

Try running them closer to 30psi. That's the sweet spot for my BA 26" X 2.35."

AusTexMurf

My BA's are off the bike and paper thin with about 8,500 miles on them. Started getting frequent flats which had never been an issue with the tires.
I had the smaller 2.15's. Bit less volume.
And I was running them on a bike with front and rear racks, oftentimes fairly heavily loaded.
Pulled 2 different Trail-A-Bikes with kids and 3 different trailers with this setup.
I tended to air them up or down some depending on the load, particularly the rear.
Found the sweet spot for me between 36-42 psi. Pressure too high, ride quality diminished, bouncy.

Leebo

Not all commutes are equal. Some involve 8 miles of dirt out of 20. A 29er with fat slicks is a great urban assault vehicle that can handle everything except mud. YRMV. I love showing up on group rides with keen sandals, a rack and bag, plus lights and fenders. 2 wheels with pedals, all good.

chas58

Yeah, 5" tires are even better! At about 7psi are fairly fast and just roll over everything - feels like a tank tracks.

But, anything over 2" really needs some wide wheels. Otherwise, you are going to have problems running lower (or higher) pressures.

From Schwalbe (rim width is the inner width):

Papa Tom

Yes, I too am finding that they wear fast.

XXLHardrock

I've really enjoyed the ride of my 60x559 BAs. They measure a whopping 63 MM wide and almost 27" tall on a 30mm inside width rim. Use a 60mm Planet Bike fender because that's what I have on hand. Works OK.

I'm now running Rat Trap Pass tires from Compass Cycles. They are noticeably lighter and do roll faster but not that much faster. I kind of miss the Big Apples. Maybe it's just that first impression I had with the BAs after a set of Armadillos.

PaulRivers

If you want comfort, rolling resistance, and speed, the best tire for all of those is the schwalbe marathon supreme 2" (50mm).

HardyWeinberg

I prefer my 50 or 65mm BAs to marathon supremes above 32mm. I have only tried supremes in 700c though. The pudgy/fat ones seemed to want higher pressure than BAs let me get away with. But I have only used 26" BAs.

I like the supremes at 28 or 32.

bikiola

Resurrecting an older thread, what is the actual model of PB fenders? Their website stupidly doesn't list fender widths (only tire widths that the fender can accomodate). I run 26 x 2.35 on my troll, so it looks like we have a VERY similar setup. I had SKS P65 but they looked almost too fat and seemed cartoonish...