Yes…you are not seeing things. These are real Big Betty UST’s and not a Photoshop rendering.
I received a call from Chad at Red Barn Bikes a week ago that went like this…
Chad:
Robb…the Sasquatch has been sited!
198:
What the hell are you talking about?!
Chad:
Your Big Betty UST’s are on the way.
198:
You have to be kidding me. I thought those were just an urban legend!
Sure enough…Just as I was ready to file the these tires in the same category as Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster…Fedex showed up today with a very pretty pair of Schwalbe UST Big Betty’s.
About the Big Betty UST’s and Why This Is Funny
I have been a huge fan of Schwalbe tires for quite awhile. The Big Betty has been my go to tire for 6″ travel bikes because of it’s mass/volume, tremendous grip, fast rolling and surprisingly light weight for a true 2.4 tire (2.5 at the tread). They have, until now, only been available in a Gooey Gluey and Triple Compound version…no UST. I have always said that this tire would be perfect as a UST tire and at the end of last year…my dream came true. Schwalbe announced that the Big Betty was going to be available in a UST version in ’08.
You can imagine my excitement, so at the end of last year I put a set on order. The original estimated delivery date was the middle of January. Then it got pushed to February…then it got pushed back more and more and more…
The Big Betty UST’s started to become a running joke between Chad and I as we waited not so patiently for their arrival. I seriously thought that the tires were never going to make it or that Schwalbe had a misprint. They must have meant January 2009!
When it is all said and done…I am happy to see that the tires finally made it to my doorstep. At 935 grams a piece, the Big Betty UST’s are light for a 2.4 tubeless tire. I am just hoping that they perform as well as the non-tubeless versions.
The Betty’s will be mounted, tested and reviewed soon so stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, here are some pictures.
