# 20" tyres



## Recycle (12 Mar 2016)

Worth recycling this topic because tyre technology and availability changes.

One if the disadvantage of the 20" wheel is that it's not mainstream, so there's limited choice. Schwalbe seems to be the main producer of tyres for 20" wheels.
Puncture protection and rolling resistance is always compromised for speed and I'm a little disappointed that Schwalbe is no longer producing the folding Marathon Racer and the Marathon Supreme for 20" tyres.

I have used both and they have served me well. They will never beat the Marathon plus for puncture protection, but they're fast and light in comparison. A very good commuting tyre.

The wired Marathon Racer is still produced for 20", but it has a lower puncture protection rating than the folding tyre and it's a bit heavier. I guess it was a commercial decision to stop production on the folding tyre, but I would always pay a bit extra for a better tyre.

What do you use, and what's your experience?


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## MichaelW2 (12 Mar 2016)

I use Big Apples on my trailer. I like the 26" ones on my bike and the trailer ones seem to work well as heavy lifters.


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## arallsopp (12 Mar 2016)

My SMGTe came with a Marathon racer on it. When I wore through that*, I thought I'd try a Marathon Plus, then a Supreme.

I've had it seven years. Still waiting on that M+ to wear out 

* was the source of the oft fabled Bournemouth to London pony sidewalled pink tyre ride.


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## Recycle (12 Mar 2016)

arallsopp said:


> I've had it seven years. Still waiting on that M+ to wear out


I have M+ on my upright tourer, and I think I'lll wear out before the tyre does. The M+ is a hard tyre though, and it gives a hard ride. I really like the Racer and the Supreme. They won't give the puncture resistance or endurance of the M+, but they give a far better ride. IMO the compromise for a better ride is worthwhile.


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## ufkacbln (12 Mar 2016)

No connection apart from as a satisfied customer

The best option for 406 and other recumbent tyres is the Small tyre shop at West Country Recumbents

They have a wide stock including some of the more obscure options. You may spend a little more, but for a small specialist trader this is something that you need to accept


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## Riding in Circles (12 Mar 2016)

I have a full box of 406 Marathon Supremes here.


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## fatjel (12 Mar 2016)

Have just swapped Marathon + for Tryker folders..
Only noticeable difference is the ride is much harsher on bad roads.
I live in Kent so not tried them on good roads yet


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## mrandmrspoves (13 Mar 2016)

I run standard 406 Marathon wired on the front. I run a Marathon Plus on the larger rear wheel. My thinking is better protection for the one that is the biggest pain to fix.


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## Tigerbiten (13 Mar 2016)

I've just bought West Country Recumbent out of their last Supreme ....... 
that means I've enough new Supreme's for this years tour.
Plus I've the half worn ones I can put back one once I kill these new ones.
After that it probably going to be either Big Apples or Tykers when I need to buy new tyres.


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## Smokin Joe (13 Mar 2016)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I run standard 406 Marathon wired on the front. I run a Marathon Plus on the larger rear wheel. My thinking is better protection for the one that is the biggest pain to fix.


One would assume you are less prone to punctures on a trike than on a bicycle. The logic being that most punctures are on the rear tyres in any vehicle, caused by the front going over a prone object and flipping it sharp side up just in time for the rear to roll over it. You never see a screw lying upright on the road.

I have a feeling I may well come to regret this post next time I'm standing by the roadside struggling with a reluctant tyre and rim combo.


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## Pale Rider (13 Mar 2016)

Marathon Supremes were factory fitted to my trekking bike.

I found they lacked grip on cinder tracks and light mud.

Presumably that wouldn't be so important on a trike.

I'm now on Marathon Pluses, much heavier but they do grip better.

Ride seems about the same to me, but I do like to run high pressures for a trekking tyre, about 65psi.


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## mrandmrspoves (13 Mar 2016)

Smokin Joe said:


> One would assume you are less prone to punctures on a trike than on a bicycle. The logic being that most punctures are on the rear tyres in any vehicle, caused by the front going over a prone object and flipping it sharp side up just in time for the rear to roll over it. You never see a screw lying upright on the road.
> 
> I have a feeling I may well come to regret this post next time I'm standing by the roadside struggling with a reluctant tyre and rim combo.


 
By my rather simplistic thinking, riding a trike increases the risk of tyre penetration by 50% - due to having 50% more tyres than a bicycle. Some factors that may alter this, include increased difficulty of avoiding sharp objects due to having 3 separate tracks and a slight reduction in risk as a result of being nearer to the road and more able to see said sharp objects.
So far in over 5000 miles on my current trike I have had 2 deflations - front left and rear - both on the OEM Michelin tyres - none (so far!) since swapping to the Marathons approximately 3000 miles ago


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## Pale Rider (13 Mar 2016)

mrandmrspoves said:


> By my rather simplistic thinking, riding a trike increases the risk of tyre penetration by 50% - due to having 50% more tyres than a bicycle.



Which is why Reliant Robins were called dog killers.

If the front wheel doesn't get it, the back two will.


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## starhawk (14 Mar 2016)

Robin Reliant dog killers? It would rather be it's tendency to roll every turn, just look at that petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson testdriving it


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## jayjay (10 Apr 2016)

Hehe - that poor Robin was "doctored" for theatrical purposes or he would have had a much harder time destabilising it.
Object on the road in front of one's Reliant "send it under the driver's seat".
Object on the road in front of the trike "send it under a pedal" to miss the wheels.

12250 miles on 47-406 M+ two left front punctures, hawthorn and flint.
Blue lining just showing on right front, lots left on the rear.
No experience of other tyres yet, apart from a few hundred on a rear Marathon Winter, so I can't compare them to anything.


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## starhawk (11 Apr 2016)

jayjay said:


> Hehe - that poor Robin was "doctored" for theatrical purposes or he would have had a much harder time destabilising it.


Well I think that all that is needed is a delta configuration and a leadfooted petrolhead, no doctoring of the car needed, the Reliant club members he talked with admitted that you had to be careful with especially left turns, a weight in the left seat could make it more stable when driving single. The only doctoring done to the car was probably those outrigger wheels he added later. Reliant has a problem with the fact that the front wheel is right under the engine a more forward position would reduce the problem.


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## Andrew1971 (12 Apr 2016)

I am now using big apple's on my KMX. A lot better than the one's it came with it look's more sporty now
Andrew


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## Tigerbiten (12 Apr 2016)

jayjay said:


> 12250 miles on 47-406 M+ two left front punctures, hawthorn and flint.
> Blue lining just showing on right front, lots left on the rear.
> No experience of other tyres yet, apart from a few hundred on a rear Marathon Winter, so I can't compare them to anything.


From my experience, if one wheel front tyre wears more than the other front then your tracking is out.
I also tend to wear the back tyre more than the fronts. That's the reason I run a Big Apple on the back as there is more rubber to wear down before you get down to canvas.
But a lot of my wear on the back tyre is due to wheel spin on wet uphill roads.


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## jayjay (30 Apr 2016)

starhawk said:


> Well I think that all that is needed is a delta configuration and a leadfooted petrolhead, no doctoring of the car needed, the Reliant club members he talked with admitted that you had to be careful with especially left turns, a weight in the left seat could make it more stable when driving single. The only doctoring done to the car was probably those outrigger wheels he added later. Reliant has a problem with the fact that the front wheel is right under the engine a more forward position would reduce the problem.


Hi Starhawk.
Of course yeah having a smaller footprint puts a different limit on cornering, but my Rialto has quite respectable behaviour on roundabouts (with a higher cornering power right than left.) The Robin _was_ tweaked to make it easier to roll for the staged antics, otherwise it would have to have been driven harder and the rollovers more risky and less comical. Some of my friends were there. All Reliant tricycles have the front wheel in front of the engine. You thinking of the Bond Minicars, maybe?


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## jayjay (30 Apr 2016)

Tigerbiten said:


> From my experience, if one wheel front tyre wears more than the other front then your tracking is out..
> -


Ah, no, it's a spot probably due to an uneven tyre thickness or (cough) maybe dodgy brake use


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## Binka (1 May 2016)

Does anyone know if Big Apple tyres would work on an Ice Sprint with mudguards fitted? There doesn't seem to be a lot of clearance with my current tyres and I read that the Big Apples have a deeper profile?


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## starhawk (2 May 2016)

jayjay said:


> Hi Starhawk.
> Of course yeah having a smaller footprint puts a different limit on cornering, but my Rialto has quite respectable behaviour on roundabouts (with a higher cornering power right than left.) The Robin _was_ tweaked to make it easier to roll for the staged antics, otherwise it would have to have been driven harder and the rollovers more risky and less comical. Some of my friends were there. All Reliant tricycles have the front wheel in front of the engine. You thinking of the Bond Minicars, maybe?


How was it tweaked? Hard to see what you could do except rebuilding it. Ok the wheel is not right under the engine but close to


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## AlanT82 (6 May 2016)

Binka said:


> Does anyone know if Big Apple tyres would work on an Ice Sprint with mudguards fitted? There doesn't seem to be a lot of clearance with my current tyres and I read that the Big Apples have a deeper profile?


There is not much clearance but they will fit - they certainly fitted on mine though I'm now using Tioga Powerband S-Spec tyres on the front of my Sprint 26.


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## jayjay (11 May 2016)

starhawk said:


> How was it tweaked? Hard to see what you could do except rebuilding it. Ok the wheel is not right under the engine but close to


Odd wheels and weights - sorry an earlier reply attempt disappeared into the ether somewhere!


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## starhawk (12 May 2016)

jayjay said:


> Odd wheels and weights - sorry an earlier reply attempt disappeared into the ether somewhere!


Yes I found that Clarksson had confessed that some weights where installed


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