Anyone got anything bad to say about your Schwalbe Marathon with Green Guards?

[lungimsam]

Before I pull the trigger on a set?

I just can't get myself to pay for Panaracer Anythings after the bad run I have had with them. So looks like I'm goin' Schwalbe, unless I get a run of "beware"s from y'all.

[dougP]

I've used the Marathon Supreme since 2008. I get around 5,000 miles
on a rear on my Atlantis and more on fronts. Usually average about
1-2 flats per tire, and have never actually worn one out as in down-to-
the-cord. Recently I installed a Marathon Plus "with Smart Guard" on
the rear but only have a few hundred miles so too soon know anything.

dougP

[charlie]

I have a set of the older Marathons in 700x41 mm width (about 950 grams)and they are heavy feeling but inspire confidence over road debris and when off road riding. My 'go to' tire these days is the Marathon Supreme in 38mm actual width I think that is the 700x40 as advertised. This tire for me at (260 lbs) is great with 65 psi . It rides fast and comfy with no flats yet. I think the Green guard is probably a fine sturdy tire and good for trouble free all around riding. I own some Delta's in Creme and they are about the same as a Green guard but without the green latex layer and they ride nice at about 700+ grams each. Flats are no fun and unless you want maximum flat proofness with maximum performance you don't need the Supreme tire.....the Greenguard should be fine plus they cost less and wear well.

[lungimsam]

I am just worried that they will feel like they drag, being that they are heavy.

 

Do they roll well? 

[charlie]

My regular Marathons the 950 gram ones are slower feeling than my 500+ gram Supremes the Green guard tire at about 38 mm is around 850 grams (I think...look it up) I have found that my Supremes offer a flat proof, speedy ride for me. My standard Marathons feel heavier and slower but.......and its a definite but......they roll over gravel, dirt, glass and all manner of junk with a way softer ride and the heavy sidewalls inspire confidence. I didn't find the ride to be that much slower when riding alone. It all depends on where and how and who you ride with. I ride mostly alone and sometimes commute 25 miles one way on decent pavement to work so I waned a faster but reliable tire. If I were riding primarily on gravel and off road or on garbage strew streets I think I would go back to my wider Marathons. Having said that I have had no flats on my Supremes...they really are a high performance tough tire. The only tougher tire might be the Marathons with the super thick stuff that stops tacks.....I think the Greenguards are somewhere in between but cost considerably less. What type of riding do you do and where do you mostly ride?

[lungimsam]

I am looking for a good puncture protected 650b tire that won't feel slow and heavy.

 

I do commuting on glass-ridden streets. Even metal scraps on the streets.

 

I do recreational road riding with a friend (40-75 miles) in hilly areas. Lotsa hills where I live. So I am worried the heavy Marathons will just add to the climbing punishment.

 

I am really torn between the Marathon on the riv site and and Soma (Panaracer) Xpress. I am only interested in the Xpress because it weighs less, yet still has puncture protection.

 

But the Panaracer tires I have now (Swiftys) both got splits completely around the tires, on both sides,  in the gumwalls, for no apparent reason, and both were less than 3 months old.

 

So I feel a little afraid to spend the dough on the Somas since they are Panaracers.

 

Both tires are expensive, and I just don't want to get them only to be disappointed.

 

I don't know how the Marathons feel. If they roll fine, then great, I'll get 'em. I just don't want a tire that will feel draggy and add to the torture of hill climbing.

 

I have been searching high and low for a puncture resistant 650b tire that won't be slow. Not many 650b choices  to be had with puncture protection. I am not a racer, it is just that ot hurts when you ride your bike and it feels like the brakes are dragging. Riding should be fun, not painful.

 

Thanks for any info. I appreciate you all taking the time to help me on this.

 

[ascpgh]

I've been happily riding a set of 700 x 32 Marathon Plus with Smartguard since February on my commuter. I needed a set of tires ASAP and these were on the hook at an LBS.

They were a bit stiff going on my Mavic rims which I attribute to the buttressed side walls and the pocket of Smartguard stiffening the treadcap. These are narrower than I would buy again, but I was happy to overcome the perceived heaviness of such a reinforced tire with a narrower width before I rode them. 

They do not have the full range of ride characteristics typical on other tires along the spectrum between max and min inflation. One night I feared a broken axle or dropout because the rear end literally wagged in response to pedal stokes. It was my low rear tire and the ride feel never gave me what I normally sense from that state, I was literally low enough that the sidewalls flexed left and right with each pedal stroke. Pump them to max pressure and the Smartguard under the tread feels softer than the inflated tire both to your thumb and while riding. One flat so far from a strand of cable, I don't know anything that can eliminate those, at least nothing I have tried yet has.

I valued flat-free service more than acceleration or superior road feel since my commute is in the dark both ways for nine months of the year on pothole-patched asphalt streets overdue for repaving. Pinch flat resistance has been a nice surprise I didn't expect. Will happily repurchase and can count myself a Schwalbe fan now (can't wait for winter as I have a set of 700 x 40 studded Schwalbes hanging ready).

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[charlie]

I just read up on the Somas on the Riv page and these are the same basically as the older Panaracer Urban express tires. I rode these in 32mm for years and they never flatted on me. Tread wear was less than a Marathon however. The Soma is described as a road tire by Grant. You can't beat a Marathon for all around use though. Puncture protection goes only so far......keep that in mind. On a commute when going to a job you want reliability, going out goofing off you can ride whatever tire performs as a flat is just a diversion from your fun. You really don't want to be fixing a flat on your way to work.

[Ron Mc]

Not trying to drag this off topic, but has anybody tried the Panaracer Ribmos? - they look fast.  I get high miles on plain old Paselas, but ride them only on pavement and have a second matching wheel set with cross tires for when I plan to leave the road.  

[Toshi Takeuchi]

I think the Xpress is like the Panaracer Pasela tourguard, and the B-line is like the Pasela. I got a thorn flat after riding the Xpress for 3 miles. On the other hand I got no flats on the Pari-Moto in over 600 miles, so a lot of it is luck. I would hate to flat to work, so my commute tires would be the Marathons. They might weigh a pound more per pair than the Xpress, but they shouldn't detract from a leisurely ride in the hills. If you want to go faster in the hills, then you can always swap out your tires before your big ride. I usually ride with the beefy stuff on normal occasions (view it as extra training weight) and lighten up on the ride day.

Toshi

[lungimsam]

I am thinking I will try the Marathons. If they are too heavy I can always just use it for commuting. They should be great for that.

 

I just hesitate to buy the Panaracers, because if I get splits around the skinwalls like I have with the Swiftys, I am going to tear my hair out. 

[MikeC]

Not to hijack this thread, but i want to put a plug in for a cheap alternative, which is the Michelin City that come with their version of Smart Guard. I have over 10k mi. on two sets, one 700x35 and the other 26x1.85, with zero flats. Prior to using them I had some standard Performance Slicks in 26x1.50 and had 6 flats in the time. They seem to role well, but not as well as Paselas or other unguarded tire. I bought mine on sale at Performance for $17 each.

 

-Mike

Dayton, Ohio

 

 
On Tuesday, October 2, 2012 5:52:15 PM UTC-4, lungimsam wrote:

[lungimsam]

All suggestions are welcome.

 

That's a pretty tire. And great price. Looks like a Fox face on the tread. Looks like available in 700, or 26". But no 650b.

[charlie]

I have used the Ribmos also (700x32mm) and for me they are a tough tire but seem slower although I will say that I had to pump them to 90 psi because of my weight. For a lighter rider dropping the pressure may help the comfort and speed.....but for me they were buzzy due to the pressure but that was me, YMMV. My current Marathon Supreme at 38mm wide and 65 psi is perfect (for me) on the road. With 650B its harder to find as much variety but to the o.p. the Marathon Green guard aught to be a fine tire. The Soma/Panaracer would probably be "faster" due to weight and the reinforced sidewall is similar to the Marathon Supreme being both tough and light so it may be a good compromise especially if you ride primarily on pavement. I know what you mean about the Panaracer Paselas I had one blow out the sidewall due to a cut from a walnut sized rock whereas a sturdier tire might not have failed but the Soma tire seems different and as I said, much like the older Urbanmax which (was) a tough tire and one I rode quite a bit.... two sets of tires, one worn out, another half way worn and no flats. After thinking about it I would not hesitate buying the Soma tire if I had a 650B bicycle and rode on pavement primarily or multi-surface if I weighed under 225.

[pam]

I have the Marathon Supremes and I love them.  Never have had a problem with them.  I've been about 4800 miles and they're good.  I've had slow tires on a different bike, but these aren't slow.  You'll love them.  I'll buy another set when these wear out.

On Tuesday, October 2, 2012 5:52:15 PM UTC-4, lungimsam wrote:

[Ron Mc]

thanks Charlie, I weigh 220 myself.  Just last year finally went up to 32mm on road tires, and my cross tires are 35s.  

[Joe McCabe]

2013 version of Greengards didn't last very long. I do like the Schwalbe Marathons.

Joe Mc.