Schwalbe Marathon Plus

[Gubbins]

something else about MP's . They are very stiff especially in the sidewall erea and after some experimenting I generally ride (road bike 700C) with pressures around 30 PSI, definately never more than 40 and nowhere near the 100+ that some seem to think is mandatory for a road bike! This soaks up the bumps incredibly well with no noticable adverse effects. The obvious danger is a pinch flat but even at 30 PSI they roll over pot holes and the like without any sign of give.. In fact at 20 psi even a "Thunb Test" gives no indecation of pressure!

 

[ttxela]

On the front I have a soft grippy wafer thin tyre with slime in it, and only had about 2 punctures needing repair in over 15'000 miles. When I went to fix it I found a few others where the slime had been working for me. So that's a possible alternative.
I also read on Sheldon Brown's website a few years ago why a bicycle doesn't need a tread on it's tyre, hence why I am keeping my worn down treadless slick's going as long as possible.

The slime tubes are OK, or were for me once I figured out how to use them. I was getting punctures almost every other day on my 25 mile round trip commute using the Schwalbe Energizer Life tyres that came on the bike when I bought it. When I could Identify the cause it was mostly small sharp stones.

Initially I thought the slime tubes were a bit of a failure but then I worked out that the worst thing you can do is stop when you get a puncture, you must keep going to keep the slime swilling around and give it a chance to seal.

I ran like this for a while and would regularly hear the hiss of a puncture and see the slime squirting out until the hole sealed a couple of seconds later, the slime is most visible doing this in the dark as your light shines through it. When I did change the wheel there was a visible green coating under the mudguards. Each time this occurred the tyres lost around 20psi of the 80psi I usually run them at and so required topping up at home before the next day.

I've now changed to Marathon Plus and so far am very pleased with their puncture resistance.

 

[gwing3]

You can have tyres as hard as nails that resist nails, but have no grip or you can have tyres with loads of grip and no resistance to nails. There's also ones in between that grip so so and resist some nails. You have to choose where you want to be on the grip-puncture resistance scale.You can't be at both ends at once.

Unless you have a tyre with a grippy outside and a hard inside. how hard can that be?

OK, it'll make the tyre overall stiffer so it can't be right at the very highest grip end, but it could be pretty close.

 

[Warwick]

I nearly had an off today on M+ tyres. I'd pumped them up to 70psi and the rear gave way on a corner when I encountered a van that I had to swerve for. Perfectly good tarmac, if somewhat damp, no leaves and 12C. Fortunately I was able to stay upright, but it was close.

That has shaken my faith in them somewhat, so I'll let them down to 60psi and see if that helps.

 

[NJS]

Unless you have a tyre with a grippy outside and a hard inside. how hard can that be?

Dual compound tyres (http://moto.michelin.co.uk/GB/en/tyres/products/pilot-road-2.html) have been commonplace on m'bikes for years.

Hard in the middle for low rolling resistance and longevity and soft on the shoulders for cornering grip.

And when winter comes you run them a bit soft and get the best of both worlds.

 

[chris_n]

Marathon plus tyres are probably one of the biggest causes of 'offs' in the winter time for the demographic of this type of forum.
The rubber is a very hard compound anyway that gets even harder as it gets colder. They are designed for leisurely long distance touring, leisurely including cornering and braking. They are not a good commuting tyre as they are hopeless in the wet and cold, I'm sure I would rather have the odd puncture than end up down the road under something.
I don't know what I would use but most of my commuting was done either off road on maxxis mtb tyres or on a road bike on Continental GP4s (I think). I can count on one hand the number of punctures I had while commuting, changed the route when the thorns were out though. One thing I certainty would do now is run whatever tyres I did have as tubeless.

 

[ttxela]

They are designed for leisurely long distance touring, leisurely including cornering and braking. They are not a good commuting tyre as they are hopeless in the wet and cold, I'm sure I would rather have the odd puncture than end up down the road under something. .

I'm not sure I follow the logic of this, I'd rather not end up under something whether I'm touring or commuting!

As far as punctures go though I'd be far happier tolerating a few punctures on a leisurely tour where I could repair them in a relaxed manner than whilst commuting when there is always an element of time pressure.

 

[chris_n]

The clue is in your last line, that is why people come off them! If you want some grip while in a hurry get something softer.

 

[Gubbins]

I think the trick here is not to be in a hurry when it's cold wet and Slippy .

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I think the extra puncture protection is worth more than the loss of grip. The grip is not really a problem when you've adapted your riding style. It's just when you've changed from a high grip tyre to a MP that you can get a surprise, which is why I mentioned it.

 

[Gubbins]

My worst nightmare would be a puncture on a dark, cold and wet country lane miles from home.
How I deal with the grip issue is to progressively use the rear brake on a straightish road to find the point at which it looses traction and skids to find out just how much grip I have.
I always brake earlier than normal when approaching a bend so that I don't need to brake when actually cornering. If your comuting or time is short ghen set of a bit earlier..
As D8veh says .. It's all in the way you ride..

 

[georgehenry]

I am commuting on Specialised Crossroads Armadillo 650B 27.6” Wired Clincher tyres in 1.9” and now up to 1940 miles with no punctures and little wear showing.

My ride to work today was 16 miles off road and 10 miles on tarmac. They are lighter than my previous schwalbe Smart Sam plus tyres and just as puncture proof, and grip well and roll well on tarmac. There are alternatives to schwalbe you just have to seek them out.

Evans stock them and any armadillo branded specialised tyre is very puncture proof. I have ridden two different armadillo branded specialised tyres around 15.000 both off and on road and not ever had one puncture.

If you want to run a mountain bike tyre I believe that the specialised fast track tyre can be special ordered from evans with armadillo protection.

I use slime filled inner tubes. I took these pictures on the way to work on Sunday.

Dave is right though that you should adjust your riding style to the conditions and if you hammer around braking like you did in the summer you will sooner or later have a scare or an off.

 

[ttxela]

My worst nightmare would be a puncture on a dark, cold and wet country lane miles from home.

You think that's your worst nightmare......until you hear the chainsaw start up behind you.........

 

[Warwick]

I'll be switching to Schwalbe Winters (700x38) on the Orbit and Schwalbe Ice Spikers (27.5 x 50) on the Oxygen soon. Those are both obviously designed for the cold, so will be grippier.

 

[mike killay]

something else about MP's . They are very stiff especially in the sidewall erea and after some experimenting I generally ride (road bike 700C) with pressures around 30 PSI, definately never more than 40 and nowhere near the 100+ that some seem to think is mandatory for a road bike! This soaks up the bumps incredibly well with no noticable adverse effects. The obvious danger is a pinch flat but even at 30 PSI they roll over pot holes and the like without any sign of give.. In fact at 20 psi even a "Thunb Test" gives no indecation of pressure!

When mine (26x1.75 ) get down to 40psi, I can feel an incipient instability when cornering.

 

[Gubbins]

Winter weather is here now and due to my own personal circumstances I cant get out much and as my wieght is starting to go up a bit I dug out the smart trainer, fitted the Giant E-Road to it and after 20 miles beleive it or not I have a puncture on the MP, so off with the tyre and I see a small tear near the valve which I cant explain!
The trainer is suposed to simulate gradients up to 20%, but I only choose rides with 5 or 6% max and ride it unassisted so cant see how the tyre can have moved. I also see 4 inches of bead wire exposed, again unsure how this has happened as it wasnt where I levered it off so ordered a new one from Halfords (£20 black friday deal) to collect Friday.
I just find it laughably odd that after a year and a goodly few miles without issue I get one in the garage..

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The Marathon Plus has a wire bead, which can easily (it seems) be damaged by folding during transport (if you buy mail order) or you use the incorrect installation procedure and apply too much lever pressure to one. There have been several instances of these tyres blowing off rims reported, and I've had it myself when I fitted one with a complicated history. Once the bead has stretched, they're useless. You should be able to see it after fitting, as the white line won't be concentric with the rim.

 

[NJS]

The Marathon Plus...

Any recommendations for a similarly robust (puncture proof) tyre with perhaps better grip and less vulnerable to clumsy fitting?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Everything has advantages and disadvantages. The MP is more or less completely puncture proof. If that's your goal, it's worth accepting the lower grip. The problem of blowing off wouldn't normally be experienced if you put the tyre on following the proper procedure, and you don't get one delivered folded up in a small box.

 

[Gubbins]

The proper procedure for me was impossible.. although I now have the correct tool for the job..