I will have to replace my Big Dummy tires for my 2009 trips. Up to now I used Schwalbe Fat Frank, which showed good riding comfort and low resistance, but I was not really impressed with their durability. I am currently looking for longer lasting tire alternatives. My requirements are

• big fat tires with good riding comfort
• hybrid tread pattern for road and light offroad usage, running easily
• acceptable durability even with some load on bicycle
• not too heavy if ever possible

These are some ideas for pretty wide 26″ Big Dummy allround tires:

• Maxxis Hookworm (2.5″): good looking and durable, but extremely heavy, good grip on tarmac, limited offroad usage
• Maxxis Holy Roller (2.2″, 2.4″): leightweighted, good offroad capabilites
• DMR Moto folding tire (2.2″, 2.4″): thanks to Björn for pointing me to this! Lightweighted and good hybrid tire
• DMR Transition (2.2″, 2.4″): road usage mostly
• IRC Lovers Soul (2.25″): road usage mostly
• Halo Twin Rail (2.2″): several tread colours available, hybrid tire pattern
• Kenda Kiniption (2.3″): road usage mostly, cheap, click here and scroll down for all 26″ sizes available
• Kenda K-Rad (2.3″/2.5″): currently my favourite. Affordable, similar to DMR Moto, not too heavy, good hybrid quality, click here and scroll down for all 26″ sizes available
• Snafu Rim Job/Knob Job (2.35″) (scroll down page)
• Geax Tattoo (2.3″), Geax Booze (2.3), both have rigid and fold versions. The sooner is also available with white color

BTW Schwalbe provides a new colour for its Fat Frank tires besides black and creme: brown (USED HQ has got an image of a complete cycle with brown Fat Franks, looking kind of red). Should look nice at the Big Dummy. However, there were durability issues with my creme coloured Fat Frank at the Big Dummy.

Finally, for you fancy wheelbuilders out there I would like to point out availability of white powder coated spokes at Halo. They are selling them in many lengths, unlike those colourful atomlab spokes being sold only at some very specific lengths for atomlab hubs and rims. I have been searching for such spokes previously, so I would like to add it here.

Late addendum (2009/01/28): I finally decided to order a set of Snafu Knob Job tires, listed above. I got them fairly cheap and they look nice. In the long run I might switch over to using the new Schwalbe Marathon Extreme DD being not as heavy on the one hand, but longer lasting on the other, but these are very expensive and they are not yet available right now.

Schwalbe Fat Frank rear tire after 3000km of tarmac usage mostly, some offroad also. The brown dot is tread wear. There is no more creme coloured rubber there. To me that means, durability of those tires compares to narrow road racing tires.

Basically I think the BD setup with rigid fork is a perfect idea (and was exactly what I wanted). There is no need for suspension at the BD at least for my way of riding (touring on- and offroad, every day riding). However, I am experiencing two issues that I am a bit picky about.

1. Handling of my BD when riding turns: I have no idea whether this is a matter of tires, steering angles or fork specification. Surly setup looks perfectly alright. I cannot see any technical reason for this in frame geometry. Nevertheless, when riding fast turns with quite some slope, there is some sort of oversteering. Handle bar (or tire?) tends to take the turn harder and harder forcefully, no matter whether applying brakes or not. My BD does not just run through the bends in a neutral way as one would expect (my MTB or road bikes handling keeps neutral when riding turns with slope). I have not yet experienced such behaviour with previous bikes, regardless of tire thickness, but I have never been using Fat Frank tires with their special shape before. I have got an 18″ frame using a dainty hope headset keeping front low.
2. Combining rigid fork with disk brake: Apart from quick release axle issue, (see disk brake page) there is some more thing I would like to point out. When using brakes under certain circumstances fork might start building up oscillation in longitudinal direction somehow. Something I have never realized with disk brakes up to now, even at some previous rigid fork setup in another bicycle. It happens when braking on ripples or when using brakes in turns and trying to modify the curve radius. These actions will be taken up by fork which will start swinging back and forth (at least it feels as like), and brake lever needs to be released to calm it down. It is not just like using brakes on uneven ground, as like everyone is used to with ordinary MTB riding or so. In my opinion this may be a matter of rigid fork not being able to vertically absorb initial strong brake impulses on the one hand and riding impacts on the other (concurrently), making it start to oscillate. Maybe this is a matter of thick tire springiness lacking any dampening. Within the last 2600km of BD riding I had it twice, both when riding downhill tarmac roads with nearly no load. Second experience happened today in the morning when I took a tight turn with brakes applied and had to go even tighter which let fork start shaking.
   Brakes (2008 XT hydr. disk) provide strong, clear and smooth operation. There are no noises at all, no vibrations, nothing. Also, there are no issues with irregular brake power, bad rotors or anything.

I am currently thinking about testing my pace RC40F suspension fork (130mm of travel) at the BD to address both issues. It might absorb or dampen sharp braking and riding impacts and could probably prevent what I called fork oscillation. Also it will considerably change steering geometry and thus could resolve handling issue. However, these issues may very much be related to the tires used, so I should probably start experimenting with different tires as a first step.

Björns blog article describes a new and interesting Big Dummy build up project starting right now. His 20″ frame was announced to arrive today. His assembly kit includes heavy duty sports components as like Magura Gustav M downhill brakes in combination with Shimano Alfine internal hub and hub dynamo for allround and offroad usage. I am really curious how it will work. Check his complete blog for any further information. Björn, have fun with it!