Could there be a "counterfeit" issue here? Over the last 3 1/2 years, I have gone thru several sets of Marathon Plus Tires. I have been purchasing them direct from Scwalbe, with one exception. I keep stats on all parts of my bicycle and ride 6,000 miles per year. I trade out tires at the 3,500 mile mark, from a preventative mtc point of view. On a normal set, I have been showing 1-2 flats during each sets lifetime.

I purchased one set from a "not to be named" discounter for about 60% of what I had been paying buying direct. This particular set looked just like any other set that I had purchased, but mounted easier. So much easier, that I still remembered it. Within 2 months, commuting in the same manner I had and have been for the last 3 1/2 years, I had 8 flats on the rear and 2 on the front. I purchased another set direct this time, and discarded the "discount" set. My flat stats, went right back to nothing, riding the same roads in the same manner.

The only logical conclusion in my case is that there are some "counterfeit" tires on the market. A batch of tires with diameter issues could happen, I suppose, which would account for the easy mounting, although in this day and age of quality control, I am a little skeptical about that conclusion. I can't reconcile the combination of the number of flats and mounting differences with a quality control issue though.....