I have never cared for the ride of any of the Marathon incarnations that I have tried. The Compass tires I've been rolling the past year or so have been the best 26" tires I have ever used. Don't pump them up to the recommended max. pressure; just pump them firm enough to not have sidewall issues when riding. (That may not be an issue on a half-bike, but the handling definitely improves when we keep the pressure down around 50 psi on our tandem.) We get about 4000 miles per set on our tandem with a 300 pound team, so they definitely give you your money's worth.

Compass Bicycles: 26" Tires