The Marathon Supreme mounts looser than I'd like on Synergy rims.

I can't beleive that you have worn out these tires at 7500 miles. I have a set on my touring bike that have at least twice that distance of loaded touring on them and I'm not even thinking of replacing them yet.
Happy Touring!

They have a tandem...among other bikes.

Aaron:)

The two that have worn out were both rear tires - one on my very-heavily-loaded single, and one on our very-heavily-loaded tandem. Since we have four people but are carrying the gear on essentially two bikes, those two bikes are heavy. No other tire would have lasted as long as the Schwalbes did.

I just got a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. It took me an hour to get one tire onto my rim. As I started to inflate the tube, the bead came out and the tube popped. The Conti 'City Rides' I was using prior to these Marathons were easy to get onto the rim and they fit well; no blow outs after 2500 miles.

The beads on the Marathon Plus series seem to run larger than 622 judging by the reports I've been reading for the past hour.

Classic symptom of a pinched tube. If the tire is very difficult to mount, however, it can be difficult to avoid pinching the tube. To avoid a destroyed tube, and sometimes a destroyed tire, it's a good idea to inflate only halfway and inspect closely before continuing to inflate.

Another aspect of these tires that I noticed was their stiffness. Pliability plays its roll while mounting a tire on a rim. These Marathon Plusses don't flex enough for a proper install.

most overrated tire ever.

It depends on what you want. I personally hate them, but if you want puncture resistance and long wear at all costs they are top of the heap. That puncture resistance and long wear comes at the cost of a dead feel and an extremely heavy weight. It just depends on what you value. I'd rather ride a lighter more lively feeling tire and change a flat once in a while. Others don't care about the weight and feel or even say they like the way they ride.

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.....

Counterfeit? Possibly. The retailer I bought from is a physical shop and they have a reputation. I have no idea who they buy from, I would guess a distributer. Their product description picture was from Quality Bike Products. But, in this globalized world economy, anything can happen.

I haven't ridden the tires yet. My sole gripe so far was the pain-in-the-ass install. The second tire took two people to mount; there was no way I would have gotten it on without a second set of hands to keep the beads from constantly popping out of the rim. Not all tires will mount on all rims well, regardless of stated specifications depicting a compatible component match. This I know. But, several posters have complained about what I am complaining about, so this constitutes a trend.

Currently, one tire is on a rim without a tube (hopefully) stretching. The other is on the second rim, with a tube, stretching at 62 psi. Hopefully I can go out for a slow test ride tonight.

If the tires' beads pop out while under proper air pressure recommendations while I am on my bike, I'll get super pissed. Heads will roll.

Bill, another possibility is that the tires you bought from the discounter had been in storage for a decade and were an older design.

kind of agree with staehpj1 here, I like a lively tire... however, while planning my next tour to the Californian deserts I decided on SMP solely on their Goathead resistance after advice from esteemed BF members :)

Agreed! I HATE fixing flat tires. I mean - I really, really hate fixing flats on the side of the road in 100 degree heat when there is no shade whatsoever and cars are whizzing past me at 300 mph. I hate it. Plus, unless my husband happens to right there beside me when it happens (not likely) I have to unload the whole bike in order to get the tire off - take off the trailer, unload most of the panniers, etc... So then I have all this crap strewn around on the side of said road and am sitting there sweating like a pig and getting filthy as all get-out and have no hope for a shower and all I can think of is, "I HATE fixing flat tires!" Needless to say, I prefer the Schwalbes!

Heres my 2 cents on tires in general

Tire manufacturing isnt rocket science. Yes most companies take pride in their product, but when your dealing with raw materials and end products that have elasticity your not exactly going to have 2 tires (batches) that are exactly the same. Quality control is often alot more qualitative than quantitative to boot. It is more cost effective to send replacement tires to the minority than remake and entire batch of tires. Same thing with rims. I can't even find 2 rim strips that are the same. Also its not a "this company is small and this comapny is large" type of thing, it has more to do with the model or batch. ITs like saying all Nike shoes are smaller than other brands. Not true.

On a side note temperature can effect tire pressure a great deal. This is probably not the case here but its worth mentioning for everyones wealth of knowledge. If you leave you high pressure tires out in the sun, your tubes can explode. I always have to be sure to underinflate peoples tubes in the summers otherwise my shop does alot of free replacments!

Tandem blowing Schwalbe Marathons
 

I have run Schwalbes for tens of thousands of miles and all of a sudden we have blown two. The first tire had about a hundred miles on it and split at the bead. Schwable replaced it. The new then blew with 5 miles. They were both very hard to get on and wonder if they are being stretched to much to get on the rim. They are 26"x1.50, 40-459. The rims are Sunlite Rhinos. They were both on the rear rim. Can't see any problems with the rim. I have not contacted Shawlbe about the last blowout yet.

Anyone else having this problem?

Blow Off rather than a Blow Out .. apparently Bead wire circumference a Bit long.

some how in the elapsed 7 years this may have been resolved..


i thought I Had a spare tire for my Brompton, but it too was too easy to put on and came right off

though i just partially inflated it so no burst tube.




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