Touring - Looking to buy some tires

Can anyone recommend a place on the web to buy some Schwalbe Marathon XR HS 359 700 40's? I google'd it but, wanted to see where other people get there's off the internet.

Thanks in advance,

monkd

You don't mention where you are. So, if in North America try Schwalbe USA:

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/1320

If elsewhere try Schwalbes main site.

EDIT: Adding-Be wary of discounted Schwalbe Marathon's online. I ended up with 3 bad tires (700c) on my year tour. All 3 had sidewall failures after a couple thousand Km. The replacement tires shipped out by Schwalbe USA are still fine and dandy (~10K Km+).

I'm in North America. Thanks for your reply.

I would have said wallbike http://www.wallbike.com/tires.html but they're out of stock

Maybe Peter White Cycles http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schwalbe.asp

or contact Schwalbe USA as per Camel

Can anyone recommend a place on the web to buy some Schwalbe Marathon XR HS 359 700 40's? I google'd it but, wanted to see where other people get there's off the internet.


I've been using these same tires, but in the next width down, on one of my bikes. I love the ride and performance, but I have been surprised by the number and frequency of flats, all of them in the rear tire. Am I just expecting too much of this tire?

A few weeks ago I swapped them front to rear. I'd give them another 2K miles. I would say that I have 3K on them already. Of course, my LBS thinks I should change tires more often but I am a good customer and they can live with my stinginess. I've been to a few third world countries where you would ride a tire down to the last of the tread, so I feel like I have to ride them further. So I have had about one flat tire every 400-500 miles. That's enough flats to really be annoying to me. Do you think I am expecting too much? Chicago is rough on tires. I ride with them at very high pressure. I keep them in the 90 lb range.

I find that Panracer's (my other road touring bike) don't get as many flats, and have a smoother ride sound, but they just don't feel quite as connected to the road. So I am wondering it I should continue with the Schwalbe's when I replace them.

Howard

Interesting comments. I thought these tires were bomb proof. That's why I was considering them. I am a heavy rider 260 and have about 2500 miles on my LHT with Schalbe Marathons and have never had a flat. I've been on some pretty bad bike trails, chip and seal roads, dirt road, singletrack, and the C&O Canal trail. The loaded touring I have done is with a Bob but, I have put on a several 80 - 100 mile days. I run my tires about 80 psi and they are 32's.

I think that if I had change a flat every 500 miles, I might go crazy. In general I don't think your asking too much but, it all depends on how many holes/objects you hit and your particular type of bike handling.

Thanks for your reply,

monkd

I live fairly close to you, and average a flat every other day, or about every 100 miles.

I'm getting really good at fixing tires!

Specialized Burroughs XC Pros.

I'm strongly considering Schwalbe Marathon Supremes in 700X40C.

Try Niagaracycle.com for Schwalbes. Great prices. They're located in Lewiston NY.

[B][COLOR="Green"]I live fairly close to you, and average a flat every other day, or about every 100 miles.


Yikes!

I think the 3 brands I see mentioned the most as being flat-resistant are the Schwalbe's mentioned above, Continental Gatorskins and Specialized Armadillos.

I've had the Gatorskins and had very good luck with them.
I also have stock Bontrager 32c's on a Trek 520 with zero flats after 2,500 miles of mostly commuter miles.

If I had a flat every other day I'd switch, pronto.

I think that if I had change a flat every 500 miles, I might go crazy. In general I don't think your asking too much but, it all depends on how many holes/objects you hit and your particular type of bike handling.
A bigger factor might be where you live or ride. If for example there are goathead thorns the number of flats goes up a lot.

I don't find changing a flat once in a while to be a huge deal. Changing one as often as some here say they do would be too much though.

I am currently using Marathon + tires and they are pretty flat resistant, but I don't think I would buy a tire that heavy again.

Yikes!

I think the 3 brands I see mentioned the most as being flat-resistant are the Schwalbe's mentioned above, Continental Gatorskins and Specialized Armadillos.

I've had the Gatorskins and had very good luck with them.
I also have stock Bontrager 32c's on a Trek 520 with zero flats after 2,500 miles of mostly commuter miles.

If I had a flat every other day I'd switch, pronto.

It is the Specialized Burroughs that are flatting all the time - Schwalbe is what i want to switch to - if I can find them in stock anywhere - waiting on Niagra to get back to me via e-mail

And, now I've got all these patches to use........

I don't recall getting any flats due to puncture. My issue was with faulty Schwalbes which I bought at discount online-premature sidewall failure where the bead separated from the sidewall.

I conject that there was a bad lot or lots which were meant to be destroyed, but somehow some online dealers got there hands on them (and sold them at discount).

-For a big trip I would highly recommend that one does not try to save a few bucks on tires. It really was not worth the hassles involved. I spent gobs of time trying to track down suitable touring tires. I can now recommend a passle of bike shops from Romania to Kashgar thru Ukraine & a tiny bit of Russia , Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan. None had suitable 700c tires (great MTB kit though). In the end I had to wait for a few weeks in Kashgar (watching my Visa time tick down) for replacements to be shipped out from Schwalbe USA.

I likely saved 20$ on the 3 tires I initially bought.

The time wasted-just counting room & board was likely several hundred dollars. The delayed start Kashgar to Lhasa also meant it was colder, and I had less Visa Time. I was forced to hitch rides for ~2/3 of that section.