Which 26 inch Touring Tires
 

A newbie question regarding regarding 26 inch touring tires. I'm looking to buy the Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour Tires. I would like your feedback on this choice, and other options to consider. Another question that comes to mind regarding these tires, which width to buy, you have an option for a width of 1.75 inches or 2 inches. Can someone give me feedback regarding which width would be most useful.

I have the 559-47 width [26x1.75"] , little to be gained by that last 0.25".

Used bike still had the OEM choice Continental Travel contact ..

its their ride the highways and keep on going when the pavement ends adventure touring tire .

Smooth center band with a row of knobs on the sides for when the surface softens

like gravel roads .. includes the mesh gatorskin sidewall re inforcement..

there were so many people telling me I'd worn my knobbys slick I put the Schwalbes on.

I'd opt for the 1.5 for loaded touring on good roads and opt for the bigger tire if touring on poor roads.

I though the same thing, they come in other sizes. The Plus Tour Tires don't come in any thing smaller than 1.75". The Marathon Plus (HS440) does.

As far as width is concerned, it depends what kind of riding you're doing. But the difference between 1.75 and 2.00 in the Marathon Plus is not especially significant in my view, you'd scarcely notice it.

Marathon Plus tyres are close to indestructible. They are as close to puncture-proof as it is possible for a pneumatic tyre to be, so if that is your priority they are a good choice. They are also extremely durable, they'll last many thpusands of miles.

They have significant disadvantages, though. Their robustness comes in part from their very stiff sidewalls. Ride quality is therefore poor, they are not supple and feel rather dead. They are also very heavy. And while their performance on-road is perfectly adequate, I'd be careful about pushing the limits when cornering in the wet. Of course, I'm a lot less likely to be cornering hard on a loaded tourer than on a road bike anyway, so this last point isn't a huge issue.

The Marathon Supreme is a much nicer-riding tyre. It isn't as bulletproof but it is fairly puncture-resistant and ypu'd certainly notice the difference in the ride.

I'm using the marathon plus 26 x 1.5 with full load (36kg bike + load) and I love it

The tire he is looking at is a slightly knobby version of the Marathon Plus for on/off road, not the regular plus. The "Marathon Plus Tour Tire" is different from the Marathon Plus. I have the regular Plus and it is a bulletproof tire but heavy. I have a Plus (1.5) on the rear and a Supreme (1.6) on the front.

It looks like they have some new tires listed.

Thanks for the suggestion, checking them out now.

My bad, I was talking about the Plus rather than the Plus tour. Looks as if it is similarly heavy, though - can't comment on the ride quality.

for my like the supremes are too slick if it rains or unpaved road

I'm not a fan of the Schwalbe tires. They're not as bullet-proof as some would have you believe, and they roll like they're made of solid rubber, which is kind of what they are. I tour a fair amount on a tandem with 26" wheels. I've done a lot of miles on the Compass Slumgullion Pass tires, 26X1.75. These are somewhat heavy with lots of rubber but with far more supple side walls than any Marathons. They have amazingly low rolling resistance, which was the plan behind their design. https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/co...mgullion-pass/

If you can fit it, Compass recently came out with a wider, lighter tire, the Rat Trap Pass. It's listed at 26X2.3, but it measures only 52mm wide on my wheels. We haven't had a chance to take these on a tour yet as my spouse has been ill, but the few rides we have had on them have shown them to be fantastic. There's no terrain they aren't able to conquer (we ride a lot of gravel), they are relatively light for such a wide foot print and the lower pressure and very supple nature of these tires means that they will not be likely to puncture. https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/co...rat-trap-pass/

Come out of the bone shaker era that the Marathons represent and enjoy the smooth ride of a supple tire. Even the sound is great; the Rat Traps are almost silent on chip-seal, as opposed to the horrid vibrating sound of the Marathons.

LOL. A tiny bit of hyperbole, there?

Out of interest, have you ridden the Supremes? They roll pretty well.

So, if any have experience with either or both, any advantage to the "Marathon Plus Tour Tire" compared to "Marathon Plus "?

I have never come across this name, looking at pictures though, seems more a pure road bike tire, I own a Marin Muirwood's MTB and I am looking to keep flexibility regarding road surfaces. So a happy medium between comfort and durability.

How about the Continental brand. Any suggestions?

The Schwalbe Marathon Plus is an excellent tire for touring. I would go with the 1.75 inch width myself.

Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback Tony

Dave

i've got continental town & country 1.9" for the past 400 miles, mostly gravel, and a little chip seal. They seem to work well for me, though I do not have enough experience with any others for comparisons sake. No flats, and no trouble keeping up with friends on skinny tires unloaded doing 16-17 mph average.

I use the continental tour guard in 26x 1.75. Work great. Most of my tours see dirt and gravel. I like pararacer pasela in 700x 35 for my commuter. Been eyeing a pair for my touring bike.

how much do you weigh?
how much gear do you carry?
what kind of terrain?

i be 80-85 kg, carry 10-12 kg of stuff.
75% road, 25% dirt/gravel/mud/worse.

i've been using the same series of kenda tires.
1.75 for mostly road near home.
1.95 for touring.
would not feel comfy touring on the smaller tires at that weight.
but perhaps might go with 1.95 rear/1.75 front.
have cut weight a bunch recently, may someday consider 1.75's....

Ditto, Sprocketss, feedback can be better when it's applicable to your use. Are you 225lbs crashing through rocks and potholes or are you cruising on smooth asphalt most of the time with a light load? Changing one tire might be all you need.

I'm over 200 lbs and I plan a road mix of asphalt, old train beds that are now bike trails, and in Nova Scotia where I live, off the main roads, there are byways that are gravel roads that can have potholes and treacherous conditions for rims. My ambition next summer is to cycle across Canada, where I suspect I can meet many different road conditions. I hope this helps.

Best

I haven't used the Plus Tour. Looking at the information on the Schwalbe site, though, it looks to be more suitable for off-road use than is the Marathon Plus. I wouldn't use the latter on loose surfaces, it doesn't really have either the tread or the flexibility to deal with rough stuff very well.

I had a sidewall issue with a 20" on my Trike, but I think it was because they got hot from newbie braking down a hill, and a BIG load on that rear tire. That said, I plan on riding Big Apples (2.15) for their nice comfortable roll and cushiness.

I would also consider the Marathon Mondial (folding version) which has a similar tread pattern that you were looking at. If you tour mostly on paved roads, I'd go with the Marathon Supreme as others have suggested.

Folding Tire is a good 3rd one to carry for those Occasions when one of the other 2 fail, in the Middle of Nowhere .

Canada Has a lot of Empty Spaces.

It is true that Canada has a lot of empty spaces, but most Canadians live within a couple hundred miles of the US border, and most cross country trips aren't deep into the wilderness. From my friends who have done the trip, who say the Northern Ontario portion, which is in wilderness, is the toughest. I haven't one it myself but I did do a trip from Toronto to Quebec City.