# Tyre choice



## Auntie Helen (11 Sep 2008)

Now my Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres are reaching the end of their life (one is showing the canvas, one is very low tread and the one from the rear wheel is OK but presumably not going to last forever now it's on the offside front where the bald one was) I am trying to decide what tyres to buy to replace the two front tyres. I already have a Big Apple I've stuck on the back wheel and that's working really well.

I assumed for the front wheels that I'd go for a Marathon Racer Plus (less likely to get punctures) but am now wondering whether it might be a better idea to go for the Big Apple. The more comfy ride would be good, maximum speed isn't vitally important but I would like the tyres to last more than 1200 miles. Does anyone have any experience of Big Apples on all three trike wheels? Do you see any disadvantages? The Big Apples are a fair bit cheaper than the Marathon Plus tyres - that's not particularly an issue for me but I wonder if it means they will be less long lasting or something.


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## Riding in Circles (11 Sep 2008)

I prefer a firmer ride for the front than Big Apples give, I use standard Marathons myself. I have the same size front wheels as you but a 26" rear.


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## SmileyBoots (12 Sep 2008)

Helen, I'd be interested to know what difference the rear big apple made to the ride. I have Marathon Plus on all three wheels - fitted them a week after buying the trike after I had already had three punctures but they are heavy and they are a firm ride. 
My ICE Q' is pre-suspension so it shows how long they have been fitted and they still have many miles left in them but, I would something with a little more 'give' over the bumps.


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## Auntie Helen (12 Sep 2008)

Well I've only cycled about 200 metres with the Big Apple (just to test it) as it was raining. I'll do my normal 15 mile circuit today and see how it works out.

My initial impression was that it didn't feel much heavier/slower but it did feel softer at the back, a little more comfortable, and might grip slightly better too. My husband has a Trice QNT pre-suspension and he found the ride much better when he reduced the psi from 60 to 30 (apparently the Big Apple can run at 30psi).

I'm in two minds as to what to do with the front tyres - I think Marathon Plus sound good because of the puncture resistance but Big Apples sound good because of the soft ride (and it can get bumpy at the front!) and they have the kevlar protection, but I note Catrike's comments above.

I expect we'll end up buying a pair of Big Apples for the front because we know if we decide we don't like them and swap them for something else that we have a spare tyre for the back of each trike. I also need to check that they'll fit within my mudguards but I'm pretty sure they will.

Anyway, I'll give more of a report on the Big Apple at the back later today. Interestingly I've not had a puncture on the rear tyre yet although I've had 3-4 on each of the front tyres.


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## squeaker (12 Sep 2008)

Based on my experiences with 40mm Racers, I suspect that *dynamic* mudguard clearance could be a bit problematic, but AFAIK they are supposed to be OK with the standard ICE front guards


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## Auntie Helen (12 Sep 2008)

Well I've now returned from a very wet 15 mile trip on the new back tyre.

The Big Apple has made a HUGE difference to the comfort on the roads - it definitely ironed out a lot of the bumps and potholes. I noticed more tyre roar from the tyre and although it didn't feel any heavier my average speed was down (although it was raining the whole time and I'm not sure I've yet recovered from my long cycle ride two days ago).

I peered at my mudguards and they seem wide enough to give Big Apples on the front wheels a go so I'll order a pair and see how that works.


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## Riding in Circles (12 Sep 2008)

SmileyBoots said:


> Helen, I'd be interested to know what difference the rear big apple made to the ride. I have Marathon Plus on all three wheels - fitted them a week after buying the trike after I had already had three punctures but they are heavy and they are a firm ride.
> My ICE Q' is pre-suspension so it shows how long they have been fitted and they still have many miles left in them but, I would something with a little more 'give' over the bumps.



You can get a 1.75" Marathon plus, they are quite plush, Big Apples are good as a rear tyre as well.


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## PaulM (13 Sep 2008)

I run a BA on the rear of my Speed at 60 psi. I like the BA because of its comfort, and puncture resistance, and I don't think it slow at 60 psi. But might be a bit heavy for the front of a trike and I believe they can alter steering characteristics.

For a combination of speed and comfort try the Scorcher. I now run the non-kevlar 16" Scorchers on the front of the Speed at 70psi. So far, these have proved quite resistant to punctures too. But the larger 20" kevlar Scorchers I had on an ICE didn't last too well and did puncture a fair bit.

The marathon plus comes as 1.35" or 1.75". They have a reputation for being difficult to change.


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## byegad (20 Sep 2008)

I run BAs on my Trice QNT and Kojaks on my Kettwiesel. The BAs give a much smoother ride and no noticable drag compared to the Kojaks. When the time comes for new tyres I may well fit BAs to the Kettwiesel.


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## Auntie Helen (20 Sep 2008)

We haven't yet got round to fitting my Big Apples, I think we're waiting for the Marathon Racers to get more worn first, but it's encouraging to know someone else has put them all round on a Trice. Did you find it altered the handling characteristics particularly?


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## PaulM (20 Sep 2008)

*Spoke too soon, Bromptons next*



PaulM said:


> For a combination of speed and comfort try the Scorcher. I now run the non-kevlar 16" Scorchers on the front of the Speed at 70psi. So far, these have proved quite resistant to punctures too. But the larger 20" kevlar Scorchers I had on an ICE didn't last too well and did puncture a fair bit.



I spoke too soon, I got a puncture in the front offside Scorcher yesterday, and quite a gash in the tyre. They are showing signs of wear, and this is after 6 months, maybe 800 miles. At £25 each I have been looking at the 16" alternatives. Have decided to try some non-kevlar Bromptons, £6 each from Cycle Surgery.

Auntie Helen, I think BAs on the front of a Trice are fine. The comments about affecting steering seem to relate more to the Catrikes.


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## byegad (26 Sep 2008)

Sorry for the late reply. I've been on holiday.
The BAs are 50mm on the front and 60mm on the rear. The fronts have done 2100miles and shw no sign of wear. The rear has done 1800miles (I went to 60mm from 50mm at 300miles for more off road traction) again with no signs of wear. Speed is fine (the QNT is faster on BAs than the Kettwiesel is on Kojaks, I suspect this is more an aerodynamic effect than tyres) on road I run 70psi front 60psi rear and rarely alter the pressures for off road use.


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## Riding in Circles (26 Sep 2008)

PaulM said:


> I spoke too soon, I got a puncture in the front offside Scorcher yesterday, and quite a gash in the tyre. They are showing signs of wear, and this is after 6 months, maybe 800 miles. At £25 each I have been looking at the 16" alternatives. Have decided to try some non-kevlar Bromptons, £6 each from Cycle Surgery.
> 
> Auntie Helen, I think BAs on the front of a Trice are fine. The comments about affecting steering seem to relate more to the Catrikes.



Told you the Scorchers don't wear well, the 349 Kojaks will be out soon.


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## PaulM (27 Sep 2008)

*Heavy Bromptons*



PaulM said:


> I spoke too soon, I got a puncture in the front offside Scorcher yesterday, and quite a gash in the tyre. They are showing signs of wear, and this is after 6 months, maybe 800 miles. At £25 each I have been looking at the 16" alternatives. Have decided to try some non-kevlar Bromptons, £6 each from Cycle Surgery.



The Brompton 16" tyres have arrived. Out of interest, I put them on the kitchen scales and was astonished. Just short of One Kg for the pair! That's the same as the Marathon Plus. The construction looks good and the thickness is on the centre line which is where you want it for a trike.

I've not fitted them yet. I've patched the gashed Scorcher and on reflection I think the Scorchers still have some way to go.


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## Auntie Helen (1 Oct 2008)

*Big Apples are Go!*

Well I got a puncture yesterday afternoon. My lovely husband fixed it for me whilst the rain annoyed us - but unfortunately he put the tyre back on the rim the wrong way round. We decided, when we got home, that as we'd have to take the tyre off again we might as well fit the Big Apples I'd bought for the front wheels - especially as they've cut the hedges round here and there are a lot of hawthorn twigs to puncture the unwary.

So, two shiny new tyres on the front this morning as we went for our usual 14 mile circuit - albeit in Force 8 winds!

The conclusion - it didn't really feel much different to me. My husband thinks there's more road noise from the Big Apples (he noticed it when cycling alongside me) but I couldn't hear any difference - in fact it all seemed quieter at the front to me. I didn't notice any difference in perceived comfort of the ride (although when my husband tried my trike he thought it was much more comfortable than his, although he doesn't have the rear suspension on his anyway).

The one thing I had to do was slightly adjust my mudguards to give full clearance. I pumped the Big Apples up to 60psi all round, I might reduce them a bit in a week and see if I can notice any difference. But, so far, so good!


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## Auntie Helen (3 Oct 2008)

..and a further conclusion. I've now worked out why the new tyres seem quieter - it's because the suspension on them damps the slight rattle from the mudguards that I used to have with the Marathon Racer tyres. Overall I'm very happy with the Big Apples at the front and haven't noticed any particular difference in handling except that perhaps I take faster corners fractionally wider.


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## byegad (3 Oct 2008)

Helen, do you have BAs on all three wheels?

If you do try softening the rear suspension one position. You can get away with this as the BAs take some of the sting out of a big bump.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Oct 2008)

Hi Byegad

Yes I do have Big Apples all round.

I have the red and the green suspension elastomer and am currently using the red. I often carry a fair bit of load in the panniers, plus I'm a heavier lass, so I don't know if I should be using the green instead, but the red seems fine.


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## byegad (3 Oct 2008)

Auntie Helen said:


> Hi Byegad
> 
> Yes I do have Big Apples all round.
> 
> I have the red and the green suspension elastomer and am currently using the red. I often carry a fair bit of load in the panniers, plus I'm a heavier lass, so I don't know if I should be using the green instead, but the red seems fine.


I'm 15st 5lbs and use a full red elastomer on the second softest setting and have a cut down (2/3rds height) yellow on the hardest setting. The yellow is hardly ever in contact with the arm but is there if I am about to overwhelm the red. The whole thing works as a dual rate shock absorber. 
I find that the softer ride at the back seems to help with traction on rough surfaces.


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