New 2016 Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB looks good

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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if you get a super gravity tyre it has 4x the thickness of the normal tyres side wall as i had a problem off ripping the normal hans damp off the rim on the back wheel.

if you are going 35mph plus down hill off road you need a thicker tyre to take the hits.

down side is you will tear them up on the road and will not roll as well and be more heavy.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
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The European Union
I caught my Michelin City trying to do the same thing at 3500 km but the sidewall was still holding together with the nylon strings. I put it down to the 3 kg plus Mxus hub motor, Chinese rim and bad treatment. The front tyre is like new with the same mileage.

That is a running cost of 0.006€ a kilometer (just over half a cent), I can live with that.
 

georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,447
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Surrey
I weigh shall we say at least a 100kg and carry two loaded panniers so my rear tyre had certainly soaked up a lot of punishment. I guess you could say that my rear tyre was tested to destruction and on this occasion it was 6000km.

If when they eventually fail they do so in the same way as mine it is quite hard to spot and any change in the way the bike handles should be investigated.

Unfortunately I did not spot the problem with the tyre and mis-diagnosed the problem as my wheel going out of shape.

My other bike that I still have is a Befang rear hub motor Oxygen E-mate city and when I needed to replace the rear wheel and motor I started to get spokes breaking on the new wheel. I became a dab hand with a spoke spanner! I still had the old wheel so I had a lot of spokes to play with!

With this previous experience of my E-mate City rear wheel and knowing how much punishment I put my rear wheel through I assumed I had damaged the rear wheel of my sDuro rather than I had a problem with my tyre. After surviving the rear tyre blow out I was actually very relieved that the wheel was in perfect shape and I only needed a new tyre.

I am not using the original sDuro rear wheel but one that was made up for me by Martin at e-bikeshop based around a Mavic rim and if I had damaged this it would have been more expensive to replace than a new tyre.

Soundwave, that top speed of 35mph I mentioned is on the road on a quite long and steep down hill with the motor off and Sir Isacc Newton's second law of motion in charge. I don't think it is that hard to go 35+mph on the road on any old bicycle e-bike or otherwise. All you need is a good hill.

Off road on the faster downhill sections I am over 20mph but by exactly how much I am not sure as at that speed I need to concentrate on the track rather than my display. Bloody good fun though.
 

lozw

Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2016
47
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RG45
Can someone clarify are there new 2016 tyres available *now*.
It was a bit confusing that an early post says "The new MTB plus is anticipated in the UK slightly later this year around early November time"
Whereas other posts imply folk have already purchased them.
Did you purchase these "new" 2016 ones, or just a previous version?

e.g the picture in these looks the same http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-smartguard-rigid-mtb-tyre/ but it isn't 100% clear they are these "new" 2016 models...
 

signwave

Pedelecer
Aug 1, 2016
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Hampshire
It was a bit confusing that an early post says "The new MTB plus is anticipated in the UK slightly later this year around early November time"
That post you are quoting from was written in September 2015 - a year ago.

Implying that the 2016 tyres would be available from November 2015.
 
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Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
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What about the new 2017 Smart Sam Plus?
http://www.schwalbe.com/en/offroad-reader/smart-sam-plus.html
Less protection 3mm vs 6mm, but still rated 6 vs 7 on their puncture protection rating.
But has a bit more off-road grip according to their ratings.
Presumably the new for 2017 bit is the ECE-R75 eBike ready certification.

Anyone tried a Smart Sam Plus vs a Marathon Plus (mtb)
Not tried the Smart Sam, but did run Schwalbe Landcruisers with similar protection. Unfortunately I got a couple of punctures, which led me to fit the Marathon Plus tyres.

Haven't looked back since. The protection ratings may be almost the same between the Landcruiser and the Marathon, but the puncture protection is miles ahead.

Expect the Smart Sams to be the same.
 
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lozw

Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2016
47
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71
RG45
I upgraded to the Marathon plus.
Been riding around Swinley Forest on them without issue.

The only negative I would say is they seem a little harder than the ones I replaced. A stiffer sidewall perhaps.

I am running them at 35 psi
 

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
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I upgraded to the Marathon plus.
Been riding around Swinley Forest on them without issue.

The only negative I would say is they seem a little harder than the ones I replaced. A stiffer sidewall perhaps.

I am running them at 35 psi
Stiffer sidewalls is all good news my friend. Helps prevent snake bite flats out on the rough stuff. I've noticed zero cracking of the sidewalls too, which I have encountered on other tyres.

Run mine at 35psi too. It's a nice pressure for grip and comfort.
 

lozw

Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2016
47
44
71
RG45
Funny enough there are quite a few snakes in Swinley forest (i often see lizards too).
If they are going to start attacking my bike I am going to cycle elsewhere :D
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
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I'm told alligators are not an uncommon sight for cyclists in Florida.

Some of the roadies bunny hop them.

Not sure what I would do, possibly try to nip around the end with no teeth.
 

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
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I'm told alligators are not an uncommon sight for cyclists in Florida.

Some of the roadies bunny hop them.

Not sure what I would do, possibly try to nip around the end with no teeth.
Had to bunny hop a cheeky little squirrel the other day. They seem to dart out from the undergrowth and sit there contemplating which way to go lol.
 

Croxden

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2013
2,134
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North Staffs
I ran over a young pigeon once, it hopped in front of me missed with the front wheel but oh dear with the back one.

I felt awful, bet the pigeon did too.
 

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