semaler

After 2 years I am a quite happy Curve D3 owner but I think I'm getting flat tires too often (and replacing the rear tube is so annoying...). I'm still using the original Big Apple tires and the rear one is already a bit wored so I'm thinking on replacing them with Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I know those tires would not be as comfortable as the Big Apples but I wondered if anyone did this before and how it went. Other comments regarding Marathon Plus will be appreciated as well. Thanks in advance!

ChiapasFixed

used them on all my town bikes, never had a flat EVER
not the fastest, not the comfyest, but you near never get flats...
the reflective side is nice too

BB49

I have Marathon Plus on one bike. They are more comfy than the Marathon Racer. They seem very tough.
They are heavy, I noticed the gain in weight.

4cmd3

Ditto... heavier compared to most tires, though the different between Big Apples is not as great as with other lighter tires. Never never had a flat with them, and I have put way more miles on these that I have with Marathon Slick or Stelvio - which flatted on semi-regular basis. Once you hold them in your hands, you realize that they are virtually bombproof... you can practically leave your pump/patches at home.

owenfinn

I'm surprised you've been getting flats with your Big Apples. I was going to start a thread singing their praises - almost two years, over 1500 miles on original tires, not one flat. They roll so well without pressure I probably wouldn't notice anyway.

Nightdiver

+1 -- My Big Apples have been going strong for the past five months of commuting without a single flat. I have Marathon Plus tires on a different bike, and the Big Apples seem like a much more comfy ride. Although, the Big Apples are on a 20" wheel and the Marathons are on a 700c wheel, so it's far from a direct comparison.

semaler

Thanks for your replies.

My commuting is to downtown Barcelona from a nearby town and back (it also involves train) and most of my flats are caused by small fragments of glass. I've had about 12 flats in the last 2 years. Once I had 3 in a row from my home to the train station until I found out I was riding too close to a glass recycling bin! I usually pump my Big Apples to 3.5 bar (I think that's the equivalent to 50 psi).

I think my next tires will definitely be Marathon Plus!

staehpj1

I never ran them on my folder, but had them on my touring bike for a while. I took them off with only a few hundred miles on them. The Pluses weigh a ton and the ride is lousy. I don't recommend them for anything except maybe commuting on very hostile road conditions.

maranen

How about fitting tyre liners? Big Apples are much more comfortable than M Plus - I guess you can't get M Plus 47mm wide in 16" size. My 20" Jetstream XP has M Plus 47mm in the rear and M Racer+tyre liner in the front. 47mm M Plus feels quite comfortable compared to the Racer which was in the rear before.

semaler

Maranen, thanks for the tip, I might try that before changing to MP!

operator

Tyre liners are a waste of time and labour. Don't bother with them. If you need flat protection either go all out with a crappy riding marathon plus or you don't.

jur

I use liners with reasonable success after I learned to sand the ends smooth. But they have to be installed perfectly centered and that can be difficult.

maranen

I glued the tyre liner to the tyre (recommended by LBS) and applied Hansaplast Classic plaster (fabric) on where the liner ends meet. Length of tyre liner for 20" tyre weighs about 40g + Marathon Racer about 300g - Marathon Plus 20" weighs about 700g.

jur

How did you do the gluing - what glue? I tried this once with double sided glue but it didn't stick. I didn't clean the tyre inside, I think that's why it didn't work.

maranen

First I tried with two sided tape, but it didn't stick. My LBS recommended Continental Tubular Tire Glue, which seems to be ok. By the way, this https://www.spinskins.com/tire-liner-technology.html liner looks very interesting - lightweight and this high-tech material is claimed to be highly puncture resistant.

Andreasaway

On the tire liner thing, I hate most of them (from working as a mechanic), but the Panaracer Flat Away is a very nice option. It has adhesive on one side to hold it in place, while the strip is made up of a felted kevlar, so no blunt edges to chafe your tube. They are also very light, the only drawback is their price, at least in the non digital world

Ekdog

Semaler,

Did you ever get those Schwalbe Marathon Pluses? I'm looking for some for my Dahon Speed, but I haven't been able to find any in the Seville area or at Bike 24, a German shop I sometimes order from. Any idea where I might find some 20 inchers in Spain (or in Catalonia )?

Regards,

Ekdog

pibach

+1

Marathon Plus isn't my recommendation either. Heavy. Uncomfty. Slow.

joose

I can recommend tyre liners. Been using mine for a year on all sorts of terrain with no problems. I got my local LBS to fit them. Also, I upgraded the tape that stops the spokes poking through as the original was thin and useless. The tape was the cause of my only flat.

semaler

Hey Ekdog,

No, I've not bought them yet. You could contact the guys at Plegabike (online shop). They are very helpful and have many Schwalbe tires available.

https://www.plegabike.com

Good luck!

coloneltigh

I have a Curve D3 that I've been riding the past two seasons and I've replaced the original Big Apples with Marathons. They have more thread than the Big Apples but can be pumped to higher pressure. The ride is harsher but it's faster due to the high pressure. I prefer the Marathon's ride because it's faster but I can understand why people prefer the softer ride of the Big Apples.

Ekdog

Thanks!

Sixty Fiver

I use the basic Marathon HS 368 on a good number of high mileage bikes and the basic Marathons on my folder are 410 grams vs the 710 grams for the Marathon Plus.

They offer a nice blend of speed, handling, and ride (even at 100 psi) and if they are like my other Marathons they too will run without flats.

I can't see why anyone would pay more for the M Plus when it is almost twice as heavy as a basic Mararhon unless they ride in some really nasty environments.

Mind you... I never got flats on my cheaper Kendas either.

Come to think of it... I have only had two or three flats in the last 40,000 km and the things that caused those would have taken out most, if not any tyre.

PDR

Can I suggest Schwalbe Kojaks, I ran with them for a year on my Dahon MU SL without any punctures. Rode through glass, countryside thorns, snow & ice with no problems at all.
I like them so much that I have just fitted a pair to my Brompton.

pibach

+1 for the Kojaks. Very good tire (I run them on my regular size bike in 2,0", unfortunately there is no 2,0" version for small wheels).