Comments on: Scwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4″: Final Review

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:36:02 +0000

kathar: The handlebars on the blue bike are Origin 8 “Gary” bars. They are distributed here in the U.S. by a company called J&B Importers. The manufacturer of the bars is Kalloy. Retail price on Gary bars in the U.S. is about $25.00 and they are sold through most independant bike shops here.

More specifically, I have put on some Tektro linear pull specific levers and I am using ESI silicone grips on the drop section there with a finishing wrap of Bontrager gel tape.

By: kathar

kathar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:32:13 +0000

Leaving aside for a moment the tires, can you please provide more details about the handlebar you’re using on the displayed bike ?
Thanks.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:39:39 +0000

dosboy: The Weir Wolfs are great in the winter, but yes…….the Ralphs are better. You won’t need to dump as much pressure in the Schwalbes either since the casing is so supple. I would recommend you run about 5-7 psi higher than your settings on the WTB tires.

By: dosboy

dosboy — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:03:28 +0000

Ive ridden through the last two winters on weirwolfs. Would you say the rr outperform the weirs in snow?

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:16:10 +0000

Dirt: I have not personally used them, but I have bent the ears of a few folks that have. Cushy, pretty fast for the size, and good wearing are what I hear most often. I think that if your commute is rough, and you carry any loads, you can’t go wrong. I probably will get a pair for my fixed Monkey around Fall time.

By: Dirt McGirt

Dirt McGirt — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:02:01 +0000

GT: Have you tried the Big Apple 2.3’s? I need a commuter tire and want to know what you think. They look pretty dope, though…

By: EuroWheels

EuroWheels — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:03:24 +0000

The review is on the money. Haven’t tried in the snow since I use studs. These tires are beyond useless if it’s damp. Danger! I also think a CrossMark rolls better. And for weight, just use at ACX in the front. I would like to try again on a dry condition but it may be just too much work to watch conditions that closely. 2.4 on the front and 2.25 on the rear. The rear tire appears to have better side bite, but I can’t confirm since it was all over the place.

By: fritZman

fritZman — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:20:50 +0000

I agree with most of your assessment except the loose over hardpacked performance was still quite acceptable for me (see my pressure comments below).

I think the key to turning this tire from a good XC setup to an exceptional all-rounder is low pressure. I weigh 195 lbs and run my RR 2.4 tubeless at only 18.5-19 psi. Anything higher than 19psi and the ride gets harsher without any perceivable gains in speed/steering feel.

Durability has been stellar as well – especially considering the weight. No torn knobs, I’ll get a full year out of them, and zero flats/tears (again likely due to the lower pressures).

I like these tires so much that I’ve given away all my other used brands (Geax, Panaracer) and have ordered another set of 2.4s for next season.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:17:40 +0000

Roger: Yes, Tim is still around. You’ll most often find his musings on Commute By Bike these days. After our J.E.T. 9 is back up and running, Tim will be writing up a post on the bike here. But mainly, he leaves the meanderings here up to me.

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:04:30 +0000

Does Tim Grahl work for these websites anymore? I never see him post anything and was curious if he is still with this company?