Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Anyone have fit problems with Schwalbe Marathon?

Search
Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Anyone have fit problems with Schwalbe Marathon?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-12-08, 10:45 PM
  #1  
stedanrac
Back to Biking
Thread Starter
 
stedanrac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Carlisle, MA
Posts: 87

Bikes: Surley LHT, Salsa Casseroll, Vintage Trek 830 MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Anyone have fit problems with Schwalbe Marathon?

This weekend I put a pair of 700x32 Marathons on Velocity Synergy rims.

One tire went on just fine, but the other seemed mishapen and took 3 or 4 tries to get the bead to seat. Later, about 8 miles into a ride it blew out badly.

I may have just gotten a bad tire, but I am curious if anyone else has had a problem like this. I don't think it was badly installed.. I've changed my share of tires, and haven't ever had this problem before.

Thx
Steve
stedanrac is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 12:27 AM
  #2  
Shimagnolo
Senior Member
 
Shimagnolo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Zang's Spur, CO
Posts: 9,083
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3375 Post(s)
Liked 5,514 Times in 2,857 Posts
Originally Posted by stedanrac
This weekend I put a pair of 700x32 Marathons on Velocity Synergy rims.

One tire went on just fine, but the other seemed mishapen and took 3 or 4 tries to get the bead to seat. Later, about 8 miles into a ride it blew out badly.

I may have just gotten a bad tire, but I am curious if anyone else has had a problem like this. I don't think it was badly installed.. I've changed my share of tires, and haven't ever had this problem before.

Thx
Steve
Just what I want to hear, one day after ordering the parts to build a new bike, including a pair of 700x32 Marathons, and a pair of Velocity Synergy rims.
Shimagnolo is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 12:46 AM
  #3  
BCRider
Senior Member
 
BCRider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: The 'Wack, BC, Canada
Posts: 5,556

Bikes: Norco (2), Miyata, Canondale, Soma, Redline

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 35 Posts
On my european tour this past Spring I cut one of my tires badly and had to replace it. Got a Marathon. It was listed as a 700c but it fit so loosely that I could have stood back 10 feet and tossed it onto the rim like a carni game. I had to put the old tire back on complete with 10 pound note tire boot. With no way or desire to pack the Marathon it got left in the train station at Dundee Scotland. Hopefully it fit the next guy's rim better than mine.

Now I KNOW from all the enthusiastic owners that this can't be common but it would appear that they may have gotten a bad batch.
BCRider is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 01:38 AM
  #4  
ascend
free mallocs
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: melbourne, australia
Posts: 520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've had them in 20" and 27" now. Both pairs have been stiff and difficult to mount but have worked fine once mounted. I dread the day I have to pull them off to fix a flat though...
ascend is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 02:01 AM
  #5  
Audax67
Newbie
 
Audax67's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Alsace, France
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ascend
I've had them in 20" and 27" now. Both pairs have been stiff and difficult to mount but have worked fine once mounted. I dread the day I have to pull them off to fix a flat though...
Yeah. I'm not exactly puny but some tyres seem destined for shop-mounting only, and then only after half an hour's effing and blinding. In wet black cold blasted-heath conditions you can forget it.
Audax67 is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 04:18 AM
  #6  
sonatageek
Senior Member
 
sonatageek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cleveland,Ohio
Posts: 2,766
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Funny, I have a set on my daily rider that has 26" wheels and I found them no harder to mount than any other tire.
sonatageek is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 07:36 AM
  #7  
operator
cab horn
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 26 Times in 19 Posts
It's probably the synergy rim/rim tape combo. We carry and install many schwalbe marathon tires for our customers. They aren't particularly difficult to mount. The marathon plus on the other hand is signficantly more challenging to put on than a run of the mill tire.
operator is offline  
Old 10-13-08, 11:10 PM
  #8  
stedanrac
Back to Biking
Thread Starter
 
stedanrac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Carlisle, MA
Posts: 87

Bikes: Surley LHT, Salsa Casseroll, Vintage Trek 830 MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks for the help folks,

To clarify the problem, this tire is too loose/big. Mounting it was easy.

Rim tape is standard Velox
stedanrac is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 12:05 AM
  #9  
BCRider
Senior Member
 
BCRider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: The 'Wack, BC, Canada
Posts: 5,556

Bikes: Norco (2), Miyata, Canondale, Soma, Redline

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 35 Posts
Originally Posted by stedanrac
Thanks for the help folks,

To clarify the problem, this tire is too loose/big. Mounting it was easy.

Rim tape is standard Velox
That was the same thing I had with mine. 700c if it matters.
BCRider is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 12:16 AM
  #10  
cman
Senior Member
 
cman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Boise,ID
Posts: 516
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Inflate slowly 10psi at a time. In between use your hands to work the bead all the way around. Keep going until the bead and tire looks good, then inflate all the way.
cman is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 02:31 AM
  #11  
tmac100
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Coimbra, Portugal
Posts: 969

Bikes: More bicycles than I can ride at one time: 2 custom made tourers, a Brompton 6-speed, and an Indian-made roadster.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 132 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 12 Posts
I have replaced/removed this particular tire quite a number of times while in outback australia. I just had 3 plastic tire levers and there were no problems changing tires or just fixing a flat. My wheels on my touring bike are 26" with 48 spokes.
tmac100 is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 08:53 AM
  #12  
sknhgy 
Dirt Bomb
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,865
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5471 Post(s)
Liked 288 Times in 239 Posts
Originally Posted by sonatageek
Funny, I have a set on my daily rider that has 26" wheels and I found them no harder to mount than any other tire.
Same here. I do need tire levers with them, though. Some tires can be changed without them.
sknhgy is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 10:31 AM
  #13  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
I have used three Schwalbe Marathons on my folding bike with 16" wheels. One was defective; wouldn't stay on the rim. The second one wore out surprisingly quickly -- I don't have records on this, but I think it lasted only 500 - 800 miles or so. The third one is holding up really well; I bought a replacement for it several months ago, thinking it was on its last legs, but it continues to hold up.

I should mention that 500-800 miles is a short life for a tire, but not outlandishly so; small wheels get a lot more abuse than big ones. Also, I should add, the tire didn't exactly wear out; it got a bad gash in it, and when booted it developed a bulge, so I tossed it.
rhm is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 10:54 AM
  #14  
smurf hunter
Senior Member
 
smurf hunter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 622

Bikes: 2006 LeMond Croix de Fer, 2005 Kona Dew Deluxe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I had a heck of a time getting the same sized marathons on my Velocity Deep Vs. Thankfully they've stayed on (no flats - knock on wood) in over 10 months. Best commuting/touring tire I've ever used.
smurf hunter is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 11:50 AM
  #15  
kk4df
Senior Member
 
kk4df's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 639

Bikes: Bottecchia CF frame and fork, Ultegra 6603 crank and FD, DuraAce RD, Easton Vista wheels, Brooks B-17 saddle, Shimano 105 brakes, Michelin Pro2 Race tires

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ascend
I've had them in 20" and 27" now. Both pairs have been stiff and difficult to mount but have worked fine once mounted. I dread the day I have to pull them off to fix a flat though...
The 700x28 Marathon Plus tires were a little tough to mount the first time, but it's getting easier as I learn how to mount a tire with stiff sidewalls. I have regular Marathons on 26" wheels on my touring bike, and they were less trouble to mount.

But no problems with fit, after you wrestle them onto the rim.

Originally Posted by smurf hunter
I had a heck of a time getting the same sized marathons on my Velocity Deep Vs. Thankfully they've stayed on (no flats - knock on wood) in over 10 months. Best commuting/touring tire I've ever used.
+1. They are great for commuting and/or touring.
kk4df is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 12:14 PM
  #16  
rfutscher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 53
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by kk4df
The 700x28 Marathon Plus tires were a little tough to mount the first time, but it's getting easier as I learn how to mount a tire with stiff sidewalls. I have regular Marathons on 26" wheels on my touring bike, and they were less trouble to mount.

But no problems with fit, after you wrestle them onto the rim.


+1. They are great for commuting and/or touring.
My Marathon Plus tires are easy to get on and off. No tools needed.

My rims are extra wide to handle the wide tires. I also noticed that they have an extra deep side. It is very easy to offset one side of the tire in the rim and the other side just slips on. You just have to double check that the tire is centered and the bead is seated.
rfutscher is offline  
Old 10-14-08, 12:30 PM
  #17  
dcrowell
Fat Guy Rolling
 
dcrowell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 2,434

Bikes: Bacchetta Agio, 80s Raleigh Record single-speed, Surly Big Dummy

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I put Marathons (not Plus) on my recumbent. 26x1.5 and 20x1.5 It was a little more difficult to mount than the standard Kenda Kwest x1.25 tires that were on there before.

Inflate slowly 10psi at a time. In between use your hands to work the bead all the way around. Keep going until the bead and tire looks good, then inflate all the way.
Yeah, that. The tires did seem a bit "out of shape", but carefully checking everything along the way (and deflating and adjusting if necessary) seems to do the trick. I doubt they'll be that hard to re-mount on the side of the road. Being mounted to a rim should help them keep their shape.
dcrowell is offline  
Old 10-19-08, 11:37 AM
  #18  
fcormier
Senior Member
 
fcormier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Montréal, QC, Canada
Posts: 101

Bikes: 2013 Norco Indie IGH Alfine 8, 2008½ Kona Jake, 2003 Giant Iguana, 1994 Rocky Moutain Équipe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
My Marathon Plus 700x28 were really hard to install. They kept coming off the rim and I even blew out a tube because the tire was not properly seated. I have been riding them since (850 km) with no issues.
fcormier is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.