This spring is killing me. I think I've had seven flats in the past two months. I guess that's what I get for having more than 2000 miles on the tires on two different bikes. I got a pair of Ribmo's to try out on my road bike, but it looks like Schwalbe is the obvious choice for the rain bike (Marin Muirwoods 29er).

Right now I've got 42-622 Continental TownRides on it, the stock tire. I've liked this tire a lot, but I'm thinking maybe I want something even bigger and more flat-resistant. So I've narrowed my choices down to Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Schwalbe Big Apples.

The trade-off, as I see it, is flat protection vs. comfort. This bike is already a tank, so weight is no issue. I'm wondering how the comfort of the 700x45 SMP compares to the 29x2.0 Big Apples. Is there a big enough difference to justify the drop off in flat protection with the BAs? Also, which grips better on wet, sand-laden roads?

Any opinions?

You know they make a 29x2.0 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme? Out of stock at the moment, but supposedly due in soon.

The BA is nowhere near as protected as M+. Its about the same as plain Marathon.
I get about 2000 miles between "deflation events"* on the Marathon and BA.
Why are you getting so many deflation events, is it from the road or from inside your tyres. Are your spokes protruding? what rim tape do you use?

* We dont use the P word.

Yeah, I thought about those too. It looks like they have better wet grip than either, so that might be the way to go. Now what are my chances of finding the 29x2.0 version of the Supremes anywhere?

All exterior intrusions. Three different pairs of tires on two different bikes. Partly, I guess it's just that time of year, but I got a flat today from a small, sharp pebble, so I have to blame that one on tread wear.

FYI, Supremes'll block a heck of a lot of intrusions. They're nearly as resistant as the SMPs, bet hella-faster and more comfortable. I love my 700x35s. If you're only looking at the 29x2.0 BA (rather than the 29x2.35) I believe it would be worth the wait (and marginally higher cost).

If you PM Kojak, he'll be absolutely straight-up with you (both with timing of getting in stock and the relative benefits of each tire). Actually, I'll bet he'll show up here on his own in 24-48hrs.

PS - Kojak works for Schwalbe and is, in my opinion, awesome-sauce for Schwalbe PR due to his forthrightness here at BF.

The key to big apples is low pressure. I've wondered about the marathon supremes but gather they prefer higher pressure, even for the same size tire (26x2.0 in my case). Keep the BAs below 40 (absolutely below 50) and they deform to roll over *anything*. 29x2.35s would be pretty sweet.

Yeah, it would. Marin claims those would fit, but I can't see it leaving enough room for a fender.

Love my Supremes. Zero flats,great in the wet,and much lighter than BA's.

I can only speak to BAs, but I ride 26"x2.0" on my rigid MTB commuter convert. I have only had one flat right after I installed them about 2 months ago, and they ride like a dream. Even at relatively high pressure (60-65 PSI) they make the ride feel plush. Just FYI my rides are in heavy traffic 10-13 mi to long(er) daytrips when I am climbing in the saddle for long periods.

I would have chimed in earlier; I just saw this.

Marathon Supreme 700 x 32C May 20
Marathon Supreme 700 x 35C June 18

Marathon Supreme has awesome wet grip, but just be warned, if there's loose sand on the road even the grippiest tires are going to slide some.

I've noticed that on the MUP I ride into work on. I have to be careful around curves that are dusty...

Got any dates for the bigger sizes?

Sure, I'm just looking to minimize. I'm thinking of the grit left over in the bike lane for weeks after an icy road gets sanded.


Also, I'd love to hear your take on the trade-offs between the Marathon Plus, the Marathon Supremes and the Big Apples in terms of ride feel and flat resistance.

Big Apple: They are plush. It's almost like adding suspension to a bike. They are a really nice rolling tire albeit a bit spongy for some peoples tastes. Others rave about the cushy ride (I guess this is why so many different models of tires are available). Same flat protection as in the standard Marathon, which is above average, but not exceptional.

Marathon Supreme: think of a racing tire for your commuter/touring bike. Same compound and puncture protection as our highest end road racing tire (Ultremo R). The main difference however being that this is a higher volume tire, so it won't be as firm a ride as the Ultremo (again positive for some, negative for others).

Marathon Plus: I generally recommend this tire to those who never want to experience the joy of fixing a flat beside the highway ever again. Will these tires flat? Sure they will, anything with air in it can ultimately be flatted. But, this tire will survive more debris, more often than probably any other pneumatic tire out there. Just do a search on Marathon Plus or SMP in this forum, and I don't have to do my job anymore (don't tell my bosses). In spite of being nearly bomb proof, they are still a nice rolling tire. I won't deny that they are heavy; they are. And the compound is grippy enough, but it's built for longevity, not for winning crits.

Hope this helps. For additional information, do a search on duppie's posts. I may start to consult with him (her? don't want to presume) on our tires...... duppie has knowledge.

I love the SMP tires. I run them with home made sealant for the ultimate in flat protection. I recently ran over a roofing felt tack and it penetrated the flat protection built into the M+, but the sealant did it's job. Check out the most recent post in my blog for more info and a pic.