What do you think? They are going on my carbon 456 so really skinny tyres will look daft. I was thinking small block 8s maybe?

Is this a road or off-road coast to coast?

It’s about 50/50 road and trails

Schwalbe Big Apples?

Won’t be anything technical, I’ve done it before on very nobbly tyres but on a much heavier bike

I’d say something like the Schwalbe touring tyres – Marathon (or I think the Mondial is it’s replacement these days). You can get them fairly chunky if you’re worrying about spoiling the looks of your bike.

Or the cheaper ones like the the Schwalbe Hurricane.

Those big apples look good but are they ok for occasional trail riding? Look very slick

I think I used schwalbe land ranger

The Big Apples work find offroad in the dry for non techie stuff if you run them at a lower pressure.

Another option would be Conti Race Kings perhaps…not sure how they are in 26″ flavour, but on my 29er they are surprisingly fast rolling on the road for such a huge tyre,

I’ve just done a ride like that on Schwalbe Duremes. Amazed how they performed in the dirt and seem to roll well on the road. Cass Gilbert gives a review of them here and compares with other Schwalbes.

Alternatively Landcruisers are slightly heavier but cheaper and also roll well.

Schwale Rocket Ron or Maxxis Aspen, Larsen or Ikon.

use whatever you want –

I did it on 2.5 maxxis hookworms on my fat bike – nice and comfy, and quick rolling, still made it

I’ve always liked Halo Twin Rails

Some good suggestions here, can’t find any bargains for sale at the moment though. Cozz, sounds like you’re a lot fitter than me mate!

Whitehaven to Sunderland/Tynemouth? It’s mostly road. And the off-road sections (with the exception of a couple of short alternative bits) are mostly gentle railway paths easily rideable on slicks. Semi-slicks will be spot on.

small block 8s will be good.

Don’t forget your coat!

You will need offroad capable tyres for the last good bit of the C2C – Rookhope to Consett (it’s all downhill from there and not in a good way).

You climb out of the village on a very steep, deeply rutted track to climb over the moors. I was there last week and they’ve ‘improved’ the moorland track by dumping several hundred tons of quarry waste onto it. Lots of tennis ball sized, sharp, angular stones.

I’d go with non-slicks, no doubt.

EDIT: not the last good bit, but the last good views.