Touring - Any slimmer alternative for marathon xr?

Hello all,

I plan to make a 3 week self supported bike tour through Georgia (country) and heard that there are some very bad bad roads.

After reading so much in the web about the Schwalbe Marathon XR's, I plan to buy a couple now.
The thing is, I like slimmer tires and the schwalbe distributor in turkey is just importing the 2" model for 26" wheels, not the 1.60" one which I would really prefer.
Buying tires online is not an option anymore cause I haven't got enough time left.

My question is:
Should I buy the 2"ers or would they slow me down a lot? I normally ride with 1,5" bontrager elite tires and in sommer with 1,25" specialized fat boys but naturally that's when the bike's unloaded and when riding on relative good roads.

And if I should go for a slimmer tire, what are my alternatives for touring? Might be schwalbe again or some other brand. Any recommendations?


Thanks in advance

cadimaki

If the roads are bad, you might enjoy the extra cushioning you'll get from 2.0" tyres?

I've got 26 x 2.0" XRs on two of my bikes. While I wouldn't call them fast tires I am also not plodding along really slowly. If the roads are rough or poorly paved the wider XRs will actually be a fairly fast tire as you can bomb along with less concern than you would with a lighter duty & lower volume tire on your bike.

If you can get the folding version of the XRs I've found them to roll faster than the wire bead versions...nothing scientific here just my observation based on a small sample size.

Continental TravelContact 26x1.75. I get over 10,000 miles on a rear tire before replacement is necessary. Front tires last a bit longer depending upon how much weight I carry in the front panniers. It's a very durable tire. I've had a great experience with them - over 45,000 miles with only a few flats.

Continental TravelContact 26x1.75. I get over 10,000 miles on a rear tire before replacement is necessary. Front tires last a bit longer depending upon how much weight I carry in the front panniers. It's a very durable tire. I've had a great experience with them - over 45,000 miles with only a few flats.

I haven't used them to destruction, but I had a set of the Conti Travel Contacts on a city bike and they rolled quite quickly [better than 2.0" XRs] and I didn't have any flats with them.

I'd say stick with the wider tire for your Georgia tour. I haven't been there, but have riden 2nd world countries a bit.

As for a narrower puncture resistant tire, have a look at Specialized tires. They have a 26" X 1.5" tire with "armor". (Nimbus Armadillo 26" Tire CITY/TREKKING - MOSTLY PAVEMENT/PARTLY OFF ROAD - SUPERIOR PUNCTURE PROTECTIONThis armored version of our classic 26-inch fast rolling Nimbus tire has a rounded profile and recessed tread for great traction, designed for speedy commutes and changing conditions city streets - even when they include glass, nails, and other hazards. Details )

I haven't used this particular tire, but other Armadillos. Pretty darned heavy, but very nice flat protection.

I thougt that I shouldn't think about speed so much when I'm already carrying 40 pounds of load with me and decided to live the comfort of low pressure wider tires on dirt roads.
I got a pair of the foldable version of marathon xr's yesterday and will mount 'em tonight or so. When back to the city, I will skip to 1,25 specialized fat boys on my commuter and can use the xr's on my hard tail mtb.
Thank you for all of your helpful comments, this is a wonderful source of information here.
All the best,
cadimaki

Post pics from your trip when you get back...have fun....:thumb: