Question about Big Apples
 

Hallo, I have a Dahon Mu p8 the 2015/16 model, and I put about 1,200 miles on it with the stock schwalbe marathon supreme tires. I would like to experiment with wider tires. Can I use the 20 x 2.15 on my dahon or only the 20 x 2.
The plan is to try to get some cushion with the tires before experimenting with thudbuster or the likes.
Thanks

You know for sure that you can use the 20 x 2? 2.0 at 40psi, I doubt you need much more than that. I am not aware of Thudbuster or any other suspension seatpost making a model in the lengths that a folding bike needs.

I have a set of Schwalbe Big Apple 20 X 2.15 tires on my Dahon Speed 3i (custom 3 speed,...was a Speed Uno), and a set of the new Bell Innova Kevlar 20 X 2.0 tires on my Dahon Speed P8. Both fit just fine, and give me fantastic cushion for the tush.

Thanks, after locking at pictures on the net about the Dahon with Schwalbe BA it's safe to buy them and try. Also I have learned that big apples were at some point stock tires for Dahon, in models older than mine. Looks like Thor has them as well.
I am leaning towards the 20 x 2.00 version.

I'd say the 20 X 2.0 would be perfect.

Thudbusters and folding bikes can be friends. My Dahon Helios XL came with one.

It make's life smooth, even running Schwalbe Marathons at 80psi.

More Thudbusters and folders - Thor sells them:

http://www.thorusa.com/accessories/seatpost.htm

If you have fenders then you may have clearance issues with BAs. My recollection is that other forum members have used BA 20x2.0s on Mu models with fenders. Maybe someone with actual experience will respond.

-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

Yes, Fenders! that would be the next incognite, the bicycle has been used mostly in the Strand in SoCal, the bike path it's pretty close to my house, so doing an average of 24 miles on my excursions became pretty much the norm.
Next month I will take the Dahon to Germany and plan the use it mainly in bike paths in the forest (gravel surface) as I happen to be closed to a wonderful forest and there I will need "Fenders" for the very first time with this bicycle.

Don't make the same mistake I made just last week. I asked a similar question and bought tires that didn't fit under my front brake. I have a sidepull brake on my Mu Uno but others had different brakes. So the 2.2 tires I bought, CST Vaults, that fit other people's bikes didn't fit mine.

Maybe ask what brakes everyone is running before you buy them.

Questions to ask:
* Will the tires clear the fork?
* Will the tires clear the fenders?
* Will the tires clear the brakes?
* Is the rim wide enough for the tire width?

You might want to try lowering the pressure (with their spec) of the Marathons to see if that is comfortable. I use Big Apples and they are quite nice, but they aren't magic.

😔 and I thought it would be easy.
* fork = 2.6 in
* no fenders yet
* seems likely
* is the rim wide enough? I have no clue

But thanks for the input.

In the process of learning about getting comfortable with the bicycle I used the marathon at the maximum pressure, in the specs, on the paved bike path they are OK, well a little hard, but I figured it's a price to pay for the small size of the tire, I could live with the marathons but since I plan to use the dahon on a different surface ( paved and hard press gravel paths), nothing extreme as to call it off road, the typical walking - cycling path in a forest in Germany) I started toying with the idea of different tires. I will follow your advice, thank you

The last issue about the rim width is one of not only fit, but also safety. Rim width is specified with two measurements, i.) the distance between the outside walls (the brake tracks, for example), or outer width, and ii.) the distance between the inside walls, or inner width. The one of interest is the inner width for that is the interface that hooks up with the tire bead. A rule of thumb is that the nominal tire width should be 1.25x to 3x the inner rim width. A tire much narrower or wider than the rim risks coming off the rim, rotating against the inner tube thereby wearing it down, or a tire with too tall profile supported by a very narrow base. Caveat emptor.

On a separate though related note, Big Apples are wide, but they are somewhat heavy. I'd look into ligher, folding tires such as Maxxis DTH or Torch which come in larger sizes, but are not as porky as Big Apples.

I too run folding Marathon Supremes (42mm nominal), and I've found them quite good. They are in my view perhaps the best compromise in terms of durability, puncture protection, width and weight in 406 tires. I weigh about 77kg, and their ideal pressures seem to be 60-65psi in the front, 40-45psi front. Give that a try, though wire, non-folding Marathon Supremes may not be as supple.

I have a Helios XL and a Mu XL; both came with the ThudBuster and were more comfortable because of the suspension. The Mu is my designated "winter" bike. In Chicago there's a lot of salt on the roads, which may be responsible for the eventual fracture of the suspension part from the seatpost. The suspension felt extra cushy for a while before it broke. I'm still using the other one and not particularly worried about it. Watchful though!
Steve

We have almost the same weight, I will play with the pressure on the Marathons as your suggestion, and thanks for the explanation about the rims. This forum is great.

As I will probably leave the Dahon in Stuttgart, (depends of how the experience flying goes), most likely will become my "winter" bicycle as well. Watchful though endeed.

did you get that seatpost from me ? let me try to get warranty from thudbuster for you ?
let me know
thor

You bet! I am looking more carefully at the remaining TB... I probably would have seen that crack developing if I had looked for it. Luckily, it was only the last mile to the train station that I had to ride standing up! :eek:
Steve