Schwalbe Marathon Tires

[BodhiTree]

My current tires haven't had a puncture over 4 years of use, but they are getting old and worn. They are Vittoria Randonneurs.

I'd like to try Schwalbe Marathons. Many people seem to like them. There are many models of Marathon. Which ones do you like for commuting?

[Melalvai]

I didn't realize there were so many models. My regular tires are Plus, the studded tires are Winter. It also says "Performance Smart Guard" on the tire, but I don't think that's part of the model?

[soprano]

I have Supremes. Pricy, but they roll really well and in 20 months I've had 1 flat, from an extremely sharp and nasty 1/2" nail that would have put a car tire out of commission. I commute through an urban area with all of the usual road debris you get in the city.

[Sky King]

The Marathon Plus is little beefer than the Marathons but both are a great tires. Also the Dureme. We stock Schwalbe (http://store.biketouringnews.com/schwalbe/), in sizes for touring and commuting and are always willing to answer questions.

[BodhiTree]

Thank you all for your answers.

Sky King, I found the inflated size chart you linked very helpful.

It looks like the Marathon Plus would be perfect for the way I ride. How is the traction on wet asphalt and smooth packed dirt?

[Melalvai]

It looks like the Marathon Plus would be perfect for the way I ride. How is the traction on wet asphalt and smooth packed dirt?
Mine have been fine on wet asphalt. I don't ride much on dirt so I can't say.

[Wahine]

DBF did a bunch of research on these as he wanted to order some for an event he will be doing. Here's what he said "You can't go wrong with Marathons. A heavier tire has a thicker tread which will be more puncture resistant. But I'd definitely recommend getting the ones with the reflective stripe on the sidewall."

Hope that helps.

[shootingstar]

I have these tires on my bike. They're great and yes, durable.

[WindingRoad]

Bodhi - There is a significant weight difference between the Schwalbe Marathons and the Randonneurs. I recently had this exact same dilemma and finally opted for the Randonneurs. I really like them a lot too :)

[Biciclista]

This is what I have too. My husband got them about 4 years ago for himself and just didn't get any flat tires and he rode 10's of thousands of miles a year. After I got 2 or 3 flats last year and noticed my sidewall was starting to peel (threads coming off) I switched too.
I love these tires they give me a lot more confidence on slick wet roads with lots of cracks and bumps.

[BodhiTree]

Bodhi - There is a significant weight difference between the Schwalbe Marathons and the Randonneurs. I recently had this exact same dilemma and finally opted for the Randonneurs. I really like them a lot too :)

Which one weighs less: the Randonneurs or the Marathons?

I'm quite happy with my Randonneurs and am only considering the Marathons because I hear so much about them.

[BodhiTree]

This is what I have too. My husband got them about 4 years ago for himself and just didn't get any flat tires and he rode 10's of thousands of miles a year. After I got 2 or 3 flats last year and noticed my sidewall was starting to peel (threads coming off) I switched too.
I love these tires they give me a lot more confidence on slick wet roads with lots of cracks and bumps.

Which ones do you have, the Randonneurs or the Marathons?

[moderncyclista]

I ride Schwalbe Marathon Supremes on my 520. I like em'. Good puncture resistance, roll fast enough. I feel like they're unnecessarily expensive though. I bought some awesome puncture resistant Michelins' (sp.) for my Surly and they were half the price per tire that the Schwalbes were! Same quality. It's kind of a gamble, really.

If you can easily afford the Schwalbes, do it.

If you can't, keep searching and you'll find some that will do the trick.

[WindingRoad]

The Randonneur Hyper is very light and very puncture resistant. Reflective sidewalls too.