The above question requires clarification. I’ll frame the issues in a long-winded way as they pertain to my situation (since, from my point of view, it’s all about me). My second- or third-hand 59 Clem Smith Jr. came to me with 50mm (50-622) Schwalbe Big Apple tires (Performance Line, RaceGuard, LiteSkin). Now, after about 2500 of my miles and an unknown prior history, it’s time for new tires.
I am not a sophisticated or particularly knowledgeable judge of tires. I have no depth of experience. However, I like the Big Apple’s virtues: it offers a very comfortable ride, relatively low rolling resistance, longevity, a good price/value relationship, and an admirable resistance to flats. What’s not to like, right? But... there's always a but. Schwalbe, with the Big Apple introduction a decade ago, was a pioneer in the balloon tire movement. And while there have been improvements and variations in the Big Apple line, one wonders what else has been developed by Schwalbe and competitors to fill the same niche for comfort, easy rolling, longevity, value, and flat resistance. To further narrow the question, my riding conditions consist mainly of rails-to-trails mileage, around town use on paved and gravel roads, and very limited use on light-duty off-road bike trails. Although my Clem is rather a heavyweight, even among Clems, with me on board we are still safely below its maximum GVWR, if there is such a thing for bikes. My riding days range from 10-40 miles with very occasional longer ventures. My riding is more relaxed than aggressive. Knobbies and gravel tires don’t seem necessary. I want comfort, easy rolling, value, durability and flat resistance. Finally, I have a generalized impression that lighter tires will be more satisfactory than heavier, other things being equal. To get to the point of this long story, I’m seeking advice from those with more experience. I’m looking at widths from 50-55mm, *maybe* up to 60mm although I have to consider fender clearance. And this will be simply a choice of tires, not a tube vs. tubeless choice – I’m staying with tubes, And, this is not a quest for new tire and wheel combinations. Here’s what I’ve gleaned after spelunking among the archives: · The Big Apple is still a fine choice, but it’s no lightweight · The Schwalbe Big Ben seems to be more of everything the Big Apple offers, including more weight · The Schwalbe Big One, in its several iterations, seems more fragile, less durable and more costly – although its other features are admirable · The Maxxis Torch 29x2.1 looks interesting, and is a good bit wider – yet lighter – than Big Apples, but I haven’t seen many reviews · The Kenda tires that come standard on the Clem seem to be held in low regard · Many of the highly-touted and rather costly specialist tires seem more fragile and/or less long-lived than the Big Apple The question is, what tire make and model would you recommend for my combination of priorities and riding conditions? Or, should I just order another set of Big Apples and call it a day? Thanks for any insights and the patience of the reader. LeRoy -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/b7944bb4-da5d-45a1-8b17-b9670c033430%40googlegroups.com.
