Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Pro 700c Tire

Size 42-622 was easy to mount - no tools, no blisters, beads popped into place at 20 psi. After a day the case measured 44 mm wide and 40 mm high on 30 mm (inside) rims at the recommended minimum 50 psi. Width should be right at 42 mm on 25 mm rims. On narrower rims the tread might be wider than the case.

The tread resembles the Marathon Almotion but is deeper, about 2.5 mm. Handling on pavement is fine, the blocks are wide enough to avoid squirm. The profile is more flat than round so it might feel different at large lean angles (which I didn't try). Grip is good, I experienced no slipping while climbing on wet pavement or hard dirt. With a 200 lb load the tires dug into deep gravel and deep, soft dirt rather than floating on top. A bigger size or lower pressure might have helped. On very smooth pavement the tread pattern is quiet at low speeds but produces an audible howl as you speed up. That peaks around 12 to 15 mph then diminishes at higher speeds and gets buried in wind and other noises.

The sidewalls are thicker and stiffer than the Marathon Almotion or Michelin Power Adventure but ride comfort is better than I expected. At 50 psi the feeling is firm but not harsh. I can't measure rolling resistance accurately but the tires maintained speed as well as most on a section where I coast. My road tires (40 mm Pirelli P-Zero inflated to 40 psi) are of course more supple and faster but the difference isn't dramatic.

Overall I'd say the Mondial Pro is probably more durable and better off road than lighter tires like the Marathon Almotion or Michelin Power Adventure. It's lighter, more supple, and uses newer technology than the classic Marathon (which I haven't ridden) or the Continental Top Contact II (which I have). For pure pavement the Marathon Efficiency might be better.

These things are bulletproof, easy to slip on and got dat grip for days, at the cost of a lil' bit of heft. If you've got a 30 lb commuter (that's 13.6kg for you non-freedom units folks) that needs adequate rubber to traverse both urban gnar and some light single track on the weekends then these suckers are for you. Buy them, slap em on your 30mm external width+ rims and you'll be golden.