I recently purchased these Marathon Plus tires in 700x28. Installation went smooth following the steps in the YouTube video. These tires replaced my Michelin Pro 2's (700x25), which I am saving for the spring group rides.
My first impression after taking the Marathon Plus's out on the first ride. Much slower than the Michelins. No surprise here. There is no way more than a 2 lb. jump in rotational weight isn't gonna slow you down big time. It started to rain and the tires had plenty of reassuring grip. Moving onto dirt from tarmac, the treads offered plenty of grip on muddy dirt road going uphill. Wouldn't even have tried this on the Michelins.
On the road, the Marathon Plus is stiff, yet supple. I didn't detect any sqirming. I had the rear pumped up to its max of 100 lbs. and the front at 80 lbs. I weigh 215 lbs. Going downhill in the cold rain (fingers numb), I detected no slipping under cornering or braking.
Day turned to night for the return leg. One nice surprise was that I got more respect from autos, which I attribute to the reflective sidewalls. They can actually be seen from behind, not just from the side. I also use two blinkies, one blinking, one steady, and a small front light.
I gave these tires a high rating because they are everything I want in a winter non studded tire. The beauty of their heaviness, is that I can get the same workout going slower, which means I'm not gonna freeze from wind. Knowing I am not going to have to change a flat in the cold is comforting. Of course, I have an extra tube and a pump, just in case. In fact, I am stowing two extra toe straps (see You tube video). The reflective stripes on the side is a beautiful thing.
I also have a set of Schwalbe Marathon Winter Studded tires on my other bike, which I take if it is gonna be below freezing on my ride. Just one patch of ice could cause a broken hip at my age and I'm not taking any chances. The Winter studded tires ad another rotational lb. to the bike over the Marathon Plus's. Since it is even colder when I use the studded tires, the added weight forces me to ride even slower for the same workout. I like riding slow in the cold to avoid wind chill.
I have been riding hybrids now for 10 years and schwalbe marathon plus tires are the without a doubt the best tires available. They are so well made and their roundness is amazing. The 35c to the 38c are just perfectly smooth and low friction. I will never own anything but a Schwalbe marathon tire
This is the best flat resistant tire on the market. When it's foggy, raining, or freezing outside, I have confidence that I won't get a flat on my 40 mile round-trip commute. I've also done two tours with significant weight with these tires on my touring bike. These are the best!
I rode about 3000 without a flat on my last pair Great tire.
Great touring tire (35). I got over 6,000 miles on my rear tire that I replaced. Even works well on gravel.
I've been thru Armadillos, Continentals, and none of them can hold up to the durability and secure tracking that I feel with this tire. It's a little heavy, but hey why did I buy this tire.....no punctures, no delay trying to get to work, and I get a little better workout.
Even though these tires are a little heavy...I would Rather keep riding instead of fixing Flats... I Love these tires...been riding with nothing else for a couple of years and am extremely happy with them..
Don't have a lot of miles but with the lower pressure requirements they have improved the ride on our tandem.
I put a set of the 25's on my bike for winter commuting, which in California means rainy season. My commute includes a gravel stretch that eats up expensive race tires. These tires can deal with. They also give me the peace of mind I seek when riding home on a cold dark night, knowing I'm not going to have repair a flat with numb fingers.
The only drawback is that they certainly are heavy. You'll really feel the extra rotational weight when going uphill. What doesn't kill you though, makes you stronger.
I've never had the mounting issues that some have had, but not all rims are created equal. I've found Mavic rims are by far the easiest to mount tires on.
I own a 29er mountain bike, but use it to commute. I have put around 1,000 miles on a pair of these tires and they still look new. Best of all no flats.
I get about 4000 miles on the rear tire before I need to change it. The roads are coarse and hot here in south Florida promoting excessive tire wear. You could use cheaper tires but you'd be changing tires two or three times and still not achieve the mileage these Marathons will give you. The puncture protection is also excellent.
If you're doing your homework and reading all the reviews, try a pair. I do about six hundred miles a month and I wouldn't mount any other tire on my rims. I hate doing tire changes.
We have goat heads (puncture vine) in Albuquerque and it's not unusual to see a half dozen people doing repairs on a 25 mile scrape. I had over 8000 miles on my front tire and had worn out 3 on the rear. For those 16000 tire miles, I had about 4 flats...all due to the goat heads. With no tire protection one would be lucky to get 10 miles esp. at this time of year. Great tire to be sure.
I bike commute 100 miles a week 12 months a year in Maine. This is probably the best tire ever for my 4000 miles of snow free summer commuting. They have a slightly higher rolling resistance than a true road tire, but the toughness and flat free worry free ride is worth it. My only caution is that they are VERY difficult to mount. Someone posted a great mounting tutorial....read it and use the wall over your bench in front of you as they suggest. I no longer worry about flats and enjoy the ride!
I just finished a 600 mile bicycle tour across the state of Washington and did not experience a single tire puncture. The ride was challenge enough withiout having to worry about my tires. The Schwalbe tires performed beyond expectations on a variety of surfaces. Although a bit on the expensive side, they were worth every cent.
Ride on pavement and packed dirt or grass whenever I can find them. Very happy with these tires.
I currently ride a Specialized Sirrus Elite fitnesshybrid bicycle with 700x28c Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. I also own a recumbent with Schwalbe 1.5 inch Marathon tires. These tires are extremely dependable. I have experienced very few flats during or after riding approx. 2000 miles per year on paved roads and local rail trails with a crushed limestone surface. The Schwalbe Marathon is well known as a dependable and long lasting touring tire. Delivery was on time and the price was the best I could find anywhere. All , No -
Harold
This is my first road bike, don't want to ruin my experience by getting flats, did my homework and I bought the marathon plus, I rode over one hundred miles already and no flats, just make sure you put in your inner tubes correctly (pinch flats) and inflate correctly and you won't be like those I pass (fixing flats) each time I'm ridingexercising.
Just completed a 350 mile ride through the Alps. 100 miles was with a heavily loaded Americano solo. The rest was with a group of 8 German riders, all using Schwalbe tires. A LOT of riding was on Schotterstrassen or rough gravel roads. No one had a flat. These tires are truly bulletproof. A bit heavy and a bit slow, but the puncture resistance alone makes these tires a first choice
I travel long distences from my vechical on the Rails To Trails network so its importantn that I have a tire that I can trust not to puncher.
I use this too commute to work as the streets are full of glass and other debris.
I love the fact that my flats went down about 90% over any other tire
the cons are the tires are heavy, occasionally they will develop a bubble and if they are not pumped up fully they feel like you are riding in sand
