Schwalbe tires

Has anyone had experience with the Schwalbe Touring tires? I am very tempted to try either the
Matathon Slick or the Marathon Plus for mostly city commuting with lots of goat-head stickers
lying around. So the flat-resistant properties of the Marathon Plus is appealing, but they are
HEAVY. Any thoughts?

SF

Several on the touring group at www.phred.org speak highly of the tire and tubes. Tends to be more
popular in Europe. Claims include Schwalbe tubes hold air better.

I have found no dealer other than www.schwalbetires.com in California. OTOH, they seem to have a
complete mail order service in place. I have a set coming which is not the first hand information
you seek. It is one of several premium priced tires, and most riders would be fine with a $20
Specialized Nimbus Armadillo. Actually most riders could get good service out of a sub $20 tire. So
if you like to do distance, and like things like Brooks Saddles, Carradice Bags and Thomson Seat
Posts, order a set and we can compare notes in July.

So you think the tire is heavy? The Marathon Plus is heavy. Less costly, less protective tires
weigh less.

Melissa Cleated Bike Shoes

<sforeman8@comcast.net> wrote in message news:-Kadnd7h6pXI-BujXTWcpw@comcast.com...
> Has anyone had experience with the Schwalbe Touring tires? I am very tempted to try either the
> Matathon Slick or the Marathon Plus for mostly city commuting with lots of goat-head stickers
> lying around. So the flat-resistant properties of the Marathon Plus is appealing, but they are
> HEAVY. Any thoughts?
>
> SF

I've just been browsing on various 'opinions' websites to see what's around as durable semi-slick
'city' tires. It seems almost irregardless of price, puncture-resistant Kevlar strip or not,
opinions are almost 50-50 about ANY tire, depending on the number of flats people get. 50% have no
luck the other half go thousands of miles trouble free.

I have the Michelin Wildgripper City 26x1.5 running at 55psi on the front and 70psi on he back.
They're cheap, tough thick rubber and run great in the city dry or wet. Ok on hard dirt track or
grass fields. These are cheaper than Schwalb or Numbus slemi-slicks but have more tread and water
clearing groves. I have extra strong Michelin inner tubes and no flats for months.

I think no matter whatever you spend on the tires it's almost more important to fit
puncture-resistant inner tubes and Slime strips because somewhere sometime something sharp will go
through the rubber so if you spend 50% (of your outlay) on the tire and another 50% on the inner
tube and Slime strip for flat protection you probably get a better performing combination than a
very expensive tire and standard inner tube.

Bon voyage

Thanks for the info on the Phred site. Currently I'm running Nimbus EX tires which I've had for many
years. Very durable, almost bulletproof, but very dead-feeling. Brooks saddle, Baggins Adam
saddlebag, and Nitto stem, bars, and seatpost. I think the Big Apple tires would be very cool, but
I'd have to remove my fenders, so I'll go with one of the 1.75 varieties. Stan

I recently switched over from Continental Town & Country tires to Schwalbe Marathon XRs. I love
them! I only have a hundred miles or so on them but they're everything I hoped for. One of my LBS's
has started carrying the Schwalbe line, although most are still special order for them. (American
River Bike Shop on Folsom Blvd in Sacramento)

Anyway, great tire. Yes, they're a little heavier than most, but then so am I at 300+ lbs. They
carry me and my loaded touring bike just fine.

<sforeman8@comcast.net> wrote in message news:-Kadnd7h6pXI-BujXTWcpw@comcast.com...
> Has anyone had experience with the Schwalbe Touring tires? I am very tempted to try either the
> Matathon Slick or the Marathon Plus for mostly city commuting with lots of goat-head stickers
> lying around. So the flat-resistant properties of the Marathon Plus is appealing, but they are
> HEAVY. Any thoughts?
>
> SF

I've noticed the Michelins, and I had 26 inch wheels like you, I would have switched years ago.

"TJ Sackville-West" <rayxt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5372a77d.0303301245.7fc5162b@posting.google.com...

> I have the Michelin Wildgripper City 26x1.5 running at 55psi on the front and 70psi on he back.
> They're cheap, tough thick rubber and run great in the city dry or wet. Ok on hard dirt track or
> grass fields.

So its basically $40 for another Nimbus or $80 for the Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

Nimbus has a dead feeling?

<sforeman8@comcast.net> wrote in message news:NpmdncqWCaYE5RqjXTWcoQ@comcast.com...
> Thanks for the info on the Phred site. Currently I'm running Nimbus EX tires which I've had for
> many years. Very durable, almost bulletproof,
but
> very dead-feeling. Brooks saddle, Baggins Adam saddlebag, and Nitto stem, bars, and seatpost. I
> think the Big Apple tires would be very cool, but
I'd
> have to remove my fenders, so I'll go with one of the 1.75 varieties.
Stan

"TJ Sackville-West" <rayxt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5372a77d.0303301245.7fc5162b@posting.google.com... <snip>

> I think no matter whatever you spend on the tires it's almost more important to fit
> puncture-resistant inner tubes and Slime strips because somewhere sometime something sharp will go
> through the rubber so if you spend 50% (of your outlay) on the tire and another 50% on the inner
> tube and Slime strip for flat protection you probably get a better performing combination than a
> very expensive tire and standard inner tube.

I've been running Kenda tires for about 6 years now. I bought a bunch of an older design, but they
are similar to the Kwest: http://www.kendausa.com/bicycle/road.cfm?p=0301

I can say that I've _never_ had a flat with these tires. They are pretty good for general riding and
commuting. Before I switched to these tires, I used a different tire with a more triangular profile
(I can't remember the brand). I finally switched them out when I could see the cords and ended up
flatting. I switched to the Kendas and tried a puncture resistant tube with slime in it just to keep
myself from walking. I ditched that combination for a standard tube because of the weight it added
and the "dead" feeling from the rear end. I felt like I was riding on one of those airless tire
inserts. To me, it is better to carry a spare tube and a pump instead of riding on that heavy tube.

-Buck

> I've been running Kenda tires for about 6 years now. I bought a bunch of an older design, but they
> are similar to the Kwest: http://www.kendausa.com/bicycle/road.cfm?p=0301
>
> I can say that I've _never_ had a flat with these tires. They are pretty good for general riding
> and commuting. Before I switched to these tires, I used a different tire with a more triangular
> profile (I can't remember the brand). I finally switched them out when I could see the cords and
> ended up flatting. I switched to the Kendas and tried a puncture resistant tube with slime in it
> just to keep myself from walking. I ditched that combination for a standard tube because of the
> weight it added and the "dead" feeling from the rear end. I felt like I was riding on one of those
> airless tire inserts. To me, it is better to carry a spare tube and a pump instead of riding on
> that heavy tube.
>
>
> -Buck

I only have the Slime 'strip' inserts, not the self-sealing Slime tubes. The plastic strips are
light and add an extra layer between the road and the tube. After that if whatever you hit goes
through the plastic strip and the Slime inside it doesn't block the hole Slime will replace the tube
and the stirp. This is all very well for those on a leisurely corss country ride. However commuters
don't have time for flats so stopping them at all costs is vital. The Slime strip inserts seem to.
One guy I talked to is on city ropads everyday and never had a flat in a year, and believe me city
roads are a glittering carpet of broken glass and nails. TJ

TJ Sackville-West <rayxt@hotmail.com> wrote:
: I think no matter whatever you spend on the tires it's almost more important to fit
: puncture-resistant inner tubes and Slime strips

What are slime strips? Where do they go? They are not in Sheldonbronw's.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote in news:b76tbc$ngo$1 @oravannahka.helsinki.fi:
> What are slime strips? Where do they go? They are not in Sheldonbronw's.

I assume he's talking about some kind of tire liners that site between your tubes and your tires.
Another brand is Mr. Tuffy. If you live in thorn country, these are probably useful. Otherwise, they
do negatively affect your acceleration and cornering.

"Ken" <nospam@no.spam> wrote in message news:Xns935A7CCFE7826fubar123@66.134.198.18...
> risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote in news:b76tbc$ngo$1 @oravannahka.helsinki.fi:
> > What are slime strips? Where do they go? They are not in Sheldonbronw's.
>
> I assume he's talking about some kind of tire liners that site between
your
> tubes and your tires. Another brand is Mr. Tuffy. If you live in thorn country, these are probably
> useful. Otherwise, they do negatively affect your acceleration and cornering.
>

In Arizona, I used to run both Mr. Tuffies and slime tubes. But there you had to throw away your
tires, once the tube finally couldn't keep up with the holes, because there were so many cactus
needles in them.

--
Bob ctviggen at rcn dot com

"Bob" <ctviggen@x.rcn.com> wrote in message
news:<7MEla.629$O37.201841771@newssvr10.news.prodigy.com>...
> "Ken" <nospam@no.spam> wrote in message news:Xns935A7CCFE7826fubar123@66.134.198.18...
> > risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote in news:b76tbc$ngo$1 @oravannahka.helsinki.fi:
> > > What are slime strips? Where do they go? They are not in Sheldonbronw's.
> >
> > I assume he's talking about some kind of tire liners that site between
> your
> > tubes and your tires. Another brand is Mr. Tuffy. If you live in thorn country, these are
> > probably useful. Otherwise, they do negatively affect your acceleration and cornering.
> >
>
> In Arizona, I used to run both Mr. Tuffies and slime tubes. But there you had to throw away your
> tires, once the tube finally couldn't keep up with the holes, because there were so many cactus
> needles in them.

Glad somebody came to the rescue on the SLIME strips and Mr Tuffies. Cactus needles aside for desert
riders, my problem as with most other urban communters is riding over miles of glistening broken
glass on the roads. Sidewall damage is not the problem but more likely slow leaks from pinprick
punctures.

Providing you keep you tires properly inflated at the high end of the range (to reduce the chance of
the tape moving around between the tire and the inner tube,) Slime seems to radically reduce the
flat frequency on roads. Mr Tuffy tapes too. But when it comes to forking out almost double for
Panaracer 'Flataway' tapes are they twice as good as the other brands??

What's the verdict?

TJ