Commuting daily on some of the worst urban roads I've come across I've suddenly stopped stressing about what's ahead and now enjoy my rides. It's true they are more difficult to put on and they're heavier than my previous tires, but so far they've made my ride so much more enjoyable I don't care. So far no more changing changing flats at night, in the rain, at temperatures below freezing!
I commute 10 miles a day in the Emerald City. I wanted a tire that helped my visibility during the short, rainy days of winter, while providing reliable durability for the potholes and debris encountered. This tire has succeeded at both. The illuminating strip on the sidewall is very visible, and the tread with Smartguard technology provides puncture protection. I am a fan!
These tires were a bit more expensive than I would usually pay, but like most of us, I hate getting flats. They were easier to mount than I expected and fit my rims well despite being wider than my last tires, but I got a flat within two weeks. I was using them in conjunction with Michelin A3 Protek Max 700c Tubes so the tire didn't go completely flat. Never found the cause and didn't have to repair or replace anything, and knock wood, I've been good since.
I had an older set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires with a slightly different tread pattern. I rode them across country. I only had 5 or 6 flat tires over 3,500 miles. These tires are highly glass resistant. Tire wire was the culprit behind most flats I had. The wider tires are great for gripping the very edge of the road - something you'll be doing often if you tour. The performance in light snow (less than 3) and ice is acceptable as long as you decrease PSI and buy a studded high quality snow tire for the front wheel.
When I wore the tires down after another 2K miles I decided to use the stock tires while commuting to and from work (about 12 miles round trip). The stock tires by Continental on my LHT did not stand up to the tire wire or glass in the street. I had one flat every two weeks due to major punctures. I decided to pay up one more time.
I purchased this updated version of the Marathon Plus and couldn't be happier. No more flats. Yes, they are heavier, but it's worth every extra gram. In the long run I have saved time and money with these tires. You will likely too!
I commute 16 miles a day on these tire and roll over a lot of broken glass. I've put 5200 miles on them over the last 2 years and they show little sign of wear, and I haven't had any flats. I love the reflective rims. They were a little hard to mount the first time, as other reviewers have noted. And they weren't cheap. But they are well worth it. I still have a lot of enthusiasm for these tires!
Went from 28mm Conti that came on my Schinbdelhauer Ludwig city bike to these Schwalbes 25 mm...from 85 psi to 100...no sacrifice of comfort and with less rolling resistance. No flats yet.
A great tire ,few hundred miles no problems
Smooth ride, quiet too. Bought these in 25 mm to replace the Conti 28's that came with my Schindelhauer Ludwig. Lighter and able to go increase pressure to 100...still a comfortable ride, less rolling resistance.
I have read lots of good things about Marathons, but my expectations were exceeded. The grip-especially in rain-is excellent. Rolling resistance (70032) is very good compared to my old Gatorskin 28s. Overall I am very impressed and would highly recommend them.
Bought a set of these tires in Walla Walla when my ancient continentals wouldn't cut it. 3,000 miles later in Portland, Maine they're still going strong! Got back home to California (by plane) and switched the front for the rear and I got many more miles left in them. I rode 700c x 28c and they were adequate with 60 pounds of gear plus my 160 lb body. Might go with wider tires next time for cushion, grip, and load benefits.
Never got a puncture flat or snakebite but I did repeatedly lose tube stems by running presta valves with my rims which were drilled for shraders. The tires are a bear to get on initially but they do break in and get easier later.
While these have excellent flat protection they do pick up glass and thorns and the glass will eventually work it's way through the flat protection and poke your tubes. So recommended that you take a moment with a pair of pliers at intervals and remove the nails, glass, wire, insults, teeth, wit, shrapnel, tire cord, and other sharp and biting debris found along side roadways.
Excellent tires and if you get them on sale, they are a steal!
Went from Astoria Oregon to Crescent City California and no flats. These tires are bullet proof and run smooth. They are a bit hard to mount on the rim for the first time, but with some patience it went well. I will definitely buy another set.
I've used these tires for years and haven't gotten a flat yet. I generally ride only on trails and streets and have consistently gotten 8000 miles out of a set although the last time, I changed tires at 7000 and will do so from now on. That last 1000 miles is a little rough.
In the year since installing this tire I have put around 2000 miles on them. I live in the goat head thorn capitol on the planet and have not had 1 flat. I also have slime tubes and use a teflon tire liner.
These are normally great tires. I had to return mine due to delamination of the side wall. Quibble free return at no cost to me. Very happy. These things happen but this company put it right for me
I first bought the Marathon Pus tires (700 x 28) for wet weather and my training bike. I live in New York City and these tires provide me with an enormous amount of trust and confidence against pot holes, steel construction plates, and battered roads. I routinely ride 50 miles or more on all kinds of terrain and surfaces (mostly asphalt and concrete and occasional gravel) and have never had a flat. I bought the same exact tires for my niece. Recently I bought at set of 700x 25 Marathon Plus tires for my custome built $XXXX road bike. These tires have good tread and having more rolling resistance and weight then the Continental Grand Prix (700 x 23) tires that I have rode for more than ten years. You would not want to race on these tires, but they are ideal for dependable safe long rides, and club rides too.
I bought 700cx32s for a Specialized Sirrus. The original tires were ok but the rear tire was pretty well worn after about 3000 miles. After about 700 miles on the Schwalbes I have not had a flat or any other issues. They went on much easier than I had expected. After getting the first bead and tube in the trick I used was to seat a bit of the second bead then use an old tube or zip tie to hold it in place. Then working around i pushed the bead until i felt it seat. I was able to get the last bit over by hand. Since then it has been even easier as the tire has conformed itself to the rim. I had to remove the tire to repair a broken spoke not a flat.
I like the ride on these. They hold well on packed gravel as well as pavement. The rolling resistance seems good and the bike handles well. So far no significant wear is apparent even on the rear tire. The tires are also fairly quiet which I like a lot. The reflective strips are great for visibility and recognition. So far I have no complaints.
I am a daily commuter and regular cyclist and appreciate the long wear and durability of these tires. They are more expensive than some tires but the freedom from flats and other insults is well worth the price if you are riding as much as I do.
They seem to be true to dimension externally. Some people may be confused about the inner tube dimension as the extra layer reduces the interior space for the tube. So for the 32s you might get a 28mm tube.
Looking for a good puncture resistant tire with a good rolling factor this is the tire. Use these tires on all my bikes in the city with great success of no flats.
Bought these on sale, mounted up and took the trip from Astoria Oregon to Crescent City California. Put on 400 miles since. Not one flat. They ride great, feel great and still look great. If you value a worry free life, buy these tires!
I have been commuting to Boston for the last 8 years now. After the first three years of struggling with tires that would barely go 500-600 miles before first flat I am happy to report my highest mileage set of Schwalbe Marathon tire 4900 friggin miles! How about that, for 18-months in service! The highest Schwalbe Marathon tire service life I've experienced before this set of tires was around 3500-miles, and the time before that was almost 4000 miles. The extra weight is trouble-some, but it is an fair trade-off for not having the inconvenience of a flat on the commute. I've only had one tire that didn't go the distance-when I rode over a broken bottle bottom, dunno how I missed that in the road-cut clean across all the tire casing, so I don't think there is a tire out there that could have with stood that kind of cut.
I'm sold on this tire, it's the 5th or 6th pair I've purchased. I'll keep coming back. Thanks Schwalbe for making a quality durable product.
Mark Zieg
Boston
I just finished riding the Katy Trail and these tires went through severe punishment due to the weather conditions and conditions of the trail. I can honestly say if I'm riding a tour or long distance these tires will be on my bike.
