Anyone use schwalbe big Apple tyres?

As good as the marketing blurb? Looking for something to go on a rigid steel hardtail for commuter ing and bombing around foreshore and coastal paths. These look good but also thought of some skinny small block 8s. Ideally as glass/puncture resistant as possible

I’ve hade some as summer tyres on my commuter for a few years now. No complaints [whisper]no puntures either[/whisper].

What size did you go for? 2.3 seems a bit big but the 2.0 might do. Are they as suspensiony as the blurb makes out or is that just sales tosh?

I’ve got super motos on my rigid 29er for commuting, they are essentially lighter (more puncture prone) versions of the big apples.

I bloody love them, have done about 500 miles on them and only suffered one puncture, and that was on hedge cutting day.

I got the 29 x 2.35 ones and the volume of air in them on a 29er makes them a huge amount of fun.

I’m a fan. On a Fargo for touring type stuff, and non-gnar cross country. Not much use in slime, but surprisingly grippy everywhere else due to the amount of rubber contact. Super comfy, more so than Nanos, Marathon Extreme or Vittoria Randonneur that I’ve tried on the same bike, and quick enough for me too.

Edit: 2.0 seems enough for me, maybe 2.35 would help out around the edges of sandy spots a bit more but never tried them, how big does a tyre have to be to give fatbike advantages on sand?

2.0 for me, but that’s all that would fit in my fork.

I used the 2.0s for a road tour on my 29er, bodged tubeless at ~25psi on wider rims. Great tyres. Roll really well on rough roads once up to speed, the cush is good for loaded riding. Descending big hills on tyres like that was a blast. I’d go for the 2.35s or supermotos next time, don’t see any real drawback in going bigger.

i have some/pair in the shed used for 79 miles, 2.1 I think, happy to sell if interested

Interested ish… Are the folders? I fly back to Oz on Saturday so they’d ideally need to be folding, utterly spotless and not too far from. Wolverhampton! I appreciate that makes things iffy!

Schwalbe landcruisers are also a great do it all tyre. Fast on road and surprisingly grippy off road. I think the largest they do is a 2.0 version though.

sorry wire but north west England…????

Thanks vondally but I’ll give em a miss and pick some up when I’m back home.

no worries……good luck

I’ve tried 26″ 2.35 and 2.0

2.35 has crazy grip.

Go for the 2.35 and pay for the lighter supermoto’s.

fancied some to run in my disc trucker. anyone know if the 2.0 will fit?

I do a 20 mile each way commute on a Singular Gryphon shod with 2.0″ Big Apples. Journey speed with panniers (change of clothes and a laptop) varies between 16 and 18mph.
Not bad for a drop barred mountain bike with a 16 stoner on board.

I love the Big Apples (2.35″). Really comfortable, great roadholding, and much better braking. Doesn’t seem to hit my average speed on an all day ride (100-120 miles).

I’m not interested in riding road on anything skinnier anymore.

I’d love a purpose built road bike that took 2.35″ BAs and mudguards.

Avanti KISS 29er:

On-One Scandal:

Kona scandium 29er:

OK offroad too, so long as there’s no slime.

They’re gonna go on some Mavic 719 rims so the 2.35s might be overkill. I’ll look for a decent price on the 2.0 and should be a good balance / match.

Thanks for all the replies and pics.

aphex_2k – Member
…I fly back to Oz on Saturday so they’d ideally need to be folding…

Last time I was in Oz I did a lot of road work. I swore that next time I’d take a set of Big Apples with me.

Oz roads are made for Big Apples. 🙂

epicyclo – Love what you’ve done with that Scandal – what handlebars are those? Surprised that 2.35 big apples fit in the back of the Scandal is that one of the original Scandium frames?

Just shy of 6000 miles on a pair of 2.35s on my hack singlespeed commuter and I love them. Think Ive had 3 punctures in that time from massive thorns, theyre pretty impervious to glass.

if you’re just going for the 2.0, why not go for a marathon plus? If you’re after puncture resistance…

Reckon I could get a set of 2.1’s in the back of a 1997 Kona Hahanna?

I like the idea of the cream ones at on-one in the deep red frame.

I had them on an old pub bike I had and liked them. Fast rolling and gives you a ‘mountain bike’ feel that I didn’t get with the skinnys I had on before.

Loove mine … one of the best tyres of all time.

I’ve got 29 x 2.35 Big Apples on my Genesis Longitude. They’re great for commuting 12 miles each way on roads, towpaths, cycletracks and a few cheeky singletrack sections (when dry-ish).

I was happy with 2.2 racekings on my rigid towpath bike. Got a small split in the front so changed to a 2” Spesh nobbly,
Def not as good, hard work. Big apples look perfect.

@ miranmtb – Who makes that front rack?

I’ve a very similar set up that I’m now using a Fat front on but looking to revert to the Salsa fork, std wheels and some Big Apples but am really after a rack!

As another option …anyone tried these?

Geax Tattoo

Hellishly heavy (2.35” 29er 1100g) but non a lot more that wired Big Apples

@letmetalktomark – Vavert Advancer Front Rack from On One on Salsa Fargo V2 fork, had to do a bit of work to clear big apples. Not many cheap minimal front racks.

Saccades – Member
Reckon I could get a set of 2.1’s in the back of a 1997 Kona Hahanna?
I like the idea of the cream ones at on-one in the deep red frame.

Well I just rode in on a 1993 Hahana with the larger (2.35, 2.5?) Big Apples on it.

The lack of knobbles means larger tyre sizes fit than you would think.

There are three bikes (two are mine) at our house with Big Apples – fantastic commuting and general urban tyres. Pot hole? What pot hole?

Edit – 2.35

igm – You’re a star!

Many thanks! Free guide if you are ever in Ireland.

Miranmtb – Many thanks to you too – been looking for a rack like that for ages. I don’t suppose you have a sideways shot?

Now, I wonder if I can drill a hole in the front of my Pompino forks…

@Saccades sideways pic just for you 🙂

I use Marathon Supremes in 28×2.0 flavour. From memory they were the lightest whilst still retaining the max 5* protection (Marathon Plus are 6* on the same scale owing to them being impervious!!!).

Edit: yes, in 2.0, Supremes 95g lighter than Big Apples but 5* as opposed to 4* puncture protection.

Bimbler – Member
epicyclo – Love what you’ve done with that Scandal – what handlebars are those? Surprised that 2.35 big apples fit in the back of the Scandal is that one of the original Scandium frames?

Bars are Satori Bullbar, also known as One23 Minotaur. Probably a generic bar branded to suit. What I like about them is you can fit mtb levers on them, lots of dropbars are road bike diameter. I now have 3 of them on various bikes, so it’s safe to say I like them. 🙂

The Scandal is an early one, so Scandium. I think it’s the nicest riding (on the road) version I’ve done so far. Don’t recall any fit problem.

The biggest hassle with repurposing 29ers for road work is getting a decent size front ring on without chainstay interference. Maybe a 29er with long C/Ss would make it easier.

@miranmtb

Perfect!

That is a sweet looking bike – I’ll be similar on a Ill Pompino, being looking for a high front rack for ages to leave the back of the bike free for a trail gator for the kids whilst keeping the bags clear of the ground.

Many thanks!

Saccades – for pannier use at the back, check out Weeride for mid mounted child seats and follow me tandem for a pannier friendly alternative to the trailgator.
FMT is not cheap but it is good.

Or a LOCT seat if you can find one.

Are there any viable alternatives to the Big Apple?
Large volume semi-slicks?
Something like a landcruiser in 2.35 would be ideal.

igm – cheers – but due to budget and being compatible with everything else in the family I need to run trailgators.

From what I have read – high front racks are fine for light backpacking – have read the pompino is a short chainstay nightmare for the back based racks and then I added an alfine hub to the mix.

20 quid trail for the front rack will not kill the budget and looks likt it will work.

I ended up with a pair of maxxis overdrive 1.75 with kevlar protection for a good price. Need some smaller tubes though but first impressions feels smooth and faster. Much quieter too.