On Friday, May 22, 2020 at 11:31:50 AM UTC+1, Roger Merriman wrote:
Andre Jute wrote:
On Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 11:28:51 PM UTC+1, Roger Merriman wrote:

I swapped them out since I noticed that the ride was very harsh and that
nothing seem to penetrate the tread plenty of embedded shards etc, Thus far
the Big Apples have done 4K with little sign of wear I d expect to at least
double that.

Very likely. I took off a pair because I was giving the bike its 6000
mile service and I like doing one service a year and to do everything
them. The Big Apple Liteskins (a lightweight folding, touring tyre no
longer offered since its sidewall is now part of the most expensive Big
Apples) had done 8500km, actually more than Joerg's desired 5000m. The
rear tyre has just the ghost of the faux tread left, the front tyre
appeared to have no wear at all. It was suggested by old tourers that I
am a crazy wastrel, that the Big Apples would have gone the same distance
again if I swapped them around. But that's exactly the point: they would
have gone another 5000m, not 6000 to the next big service. Maybe I should
send them to Joerg, who'll probably reject them because they have no
tread even when new. For spares I ordered whatever the current top Big
Apple is; they're on top of my deepest bookshelf.

Added observation: In use on rough lanes, the Ultraleicht balloon tube,
Type 19A for 700 wheels, is as good as the thicker, heavier standard
tube. I've used both and can detect no service differential.

Andre Jute
In praise of riding low pressure tyres fast
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic798.0


To be honest I suspect they (Big Apples) will die from slash damage at some
point, ie will pick up enough that I’ll loose confidence in them, rather
than wearing out though time will tell! I have been impressed by them thus
far.

As the chain/cassette wear out long before the tyres I tend to do as needed
which isn’t that often to be honest, though commuting over gravel does
trash the chain fairly quickly.

Roger Merriman

Schwalbe advises cyclists to ride their tyres until the protective layer starts showing through. I've never actually done that, because they're hard-wearing tyres, and because I tend to replace them for other reasons than being worn out or even that it is time for a scheduled big service, like the reflective band being ripped off upon too close an acquaintance with the thorny gorse that lines many of the lanes I ride.

Andre Jute