Fat Tires - How Practical for Long Distance Riding?

[BikeNerd]

Although I'm new to the Rat Rod scene I have been involved in cycling for a good twenty years and have done a few "century" rides in the past. I'm familiar with the Schwalbe tires such as the Marathon but I never heard of the Thick Brick until I came across this site. My question is how are these type of tires for distance rides of perhaps forty or fifty miles or more? Since they are kind of wide is there a lot of rolling resistance with these tires? Are they good for only about twenty miles or less without wearing you out? Are they a comfortable riding tire? Of course it would depend on the bike, terrain, and the rider. Today's tire technology certainly has come a long way since the fifties ballooners and seventies gumwalls, for sure!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

It all depends on speed, check out this page: http://rouesartisanales.over-blog.com/article-1503651.html

Luke.

 

[Ichoptop]

if you air them up on the high end the contact patch is reasonably small.

 

[Bob Gray]

I like my 2.35" Big Apples a lot, but I haven't taken them on any rides over 13 miles. Judging from my experiences on shorter rides though I don't think 20 miles or more would be an issue.

I think weight, tread and pressure are far more important than diameter. Big treads, heavy tires and low pressures are all slow and inefficient. Of course a bigger tires are by their nature heavier and do tend to run at lower pressures, but bigger tires also don't need quite so much pressure to roll efficiently. Big Apples aired up to 60 psi will have very little rolling resistance. I usually run them around 40 psi and compared to the knobbies on my mountain bike they seem to roll forever. I really don't feel they're that much slower than the 700x25mm tires on my road bike. They don't accelerate quite as well though.

 

[user 135]

I like my Scwhalbe Big Apples alot. They are 26x2.35 and mounted on my Xtracycle. I have ridden them for 3 days in a row at 50+ miles each day. They ride great on pavement and excel on gravel roads, more so than nobbies or skinnier Marathons.

http://www.balloonbikes.com/en/advantages.html

 

[LukeTheJoker]

3 days in a row at 50+ miles each day.

50 miles a day 3 days in a row! Impressive stuff!

Luke.

 

[B607]

I have a pair of Bontrager Hanks that take 75 lbs. Makes my cruiser ride with very little resistance. With these tires, the seat and frame configuration would be a bigger factor on a long distance ride. Gary

 

[Schwinnspastic]

50 mile ride ??? I have not done one of those for a long time and if I had to , I would probably not choose a fat tire cruiser . I have found that the 2.235 Schwalbe Fat Franks have not only a far more comfortable ride but less rolling resistance than some of the narrower tires I have used lately...for distance / endurance the frame geometry and overall weight are first , tire rolling resistance is in second.

 

[user 135]

The 50+Mile rides were on a short tour (170miles) with camping along the way.
Here is my write up of it.
http://friendsofcdatrails.org/TheGrandRailTrailofNorthIdaho.pdf

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

I wouldn't hesitate to ride any of the modern high-end fatties long distances as they are all built with modern plying techniques based on the smaller high pressure training/racing tires. While fat, they have relatively low rolling resistance, and good puncture resistance (Big Apples, Fat Franks etc.)

 

[Bicycle808]

I agree that rider ergos, overall weight, rotational weight (wheels + tires), and tread patterns or more of a factor than the actual size of the tire. The randonneur set seems to have settled on 38-42mm rubber for long-distance riding over varied terrain (Grand Bois Hetres seem to get a lot of love, in the 650bx42mm size...) I run some 26x2.35 (559x60mm) Schwalbe Fat Franks on my daily rider; the chilled-out tread and high psi make for a plush but speedy ride. Once they get rollin, they roll pretty fast.

Really, though, I think the biggest factor is having enough room between the saddle and the cranks to allow for full-leg extension while pedaling. Slammed seatposts are popular with alot of folks, but they're no good for long-distances or efficient pedaling. You gotta stand to really lay power down.

HTH
-Rob

 

[deorman]

Surface and weather conditions can make a larger tire more energy efficient in some cases.

 

[Mad Scientist]

It all comes down to how strong of a rider you are. If you've got the legs, you can do a century on fat knobbies. Of course some tires will have advantages over others, but I feel like tread pattern and air pressure is more important than tire width.

 

[chepe13]

Tire pressure my friend.

I've done 20 mile rides several times a week with no problems ever.

 

[mikeeebikey]

I did 15 miles on a 70lb. cruiser, with a 3 speed, on 26 x 3" Kenda flames at 60psi. Once!
Next day it felt like I had ridden 40, into the wind, with a sack of sand tied to my arms....

 

[expjawa]

I have a friend that rode the Continental Divide, mostly solo and unsupported, on his Pugsly. Texas to Montana, through the mountains, mostly off pavement. He is crazy though...

 

[mikeeebikey]

For reference, I ride 15 + miles a day on 1.95 slicks @ 60psi. No problem.
Bike has sparrow bars, 38 lbs.

 

[Bob Gray]

For reference, I ride 15 + miles a day on 1.95 slicks @ 60psi. No problem.
Bike has sparrow bars, 38 lbs.

So what do you think of the Kenda Flames vs. other slicks? I'm asking because I'd like to build a bobber style bike and I was thinking of using Flames on it.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I have heard that Maxxis Hookworms are one of the best rollers for high speed wider tires, a lot of the gravity bike guys use them, so they must roll well... Never used them myself, so can't speak from experience...

Luke.

 

[mikeeebikey]

The flames roll pretty good, but... they are 3" dia.!
All the hookworms I have are lots smaller..
Pure slicks out roll knobbies or treads.
On my d.d. streetfighter I run 1" @ 100 psi.
So what I am saying is the kenda flames are well made, not that heavy for their size, and have a smooth roll out.

I am going to give my slant on knobbies. Energy eating waste of rubber, money, and lunch size knobs are dumb. Even racing mtbs. I never ran more than a 1.95, usually a 1.75 @ 75 - 100 psi. Now I have never done red bull style gravity racing, and never will!
I have done G.S.style racing at a ski slope on slicks, wet grass. That was interesting!