8 of 9 customers found this review helpful.
Install with care. You won't be disappointed
I had the same problem as the reviewer who hated the tire. After installing and inflating the tire, it looked warped and bulged out at one point, and I could feel the bulge as I rode. Sadly, I made the mistake of blaming the tire and tossed a perfectly good and very expensive tire. I discovered that it was not the tire, but installation error on my part that caused the problem, because I had the same issue with a totally different model of Schwalbe tire.
Maybe the tires are slightly oversized, so that on slightly undersized rims there is a problem, but I did note that they slipped on without needed levers, which struck me as odd. Incidentally, both were on 27 inch rims, though they were totally different bikes. I discovered the issue because you can see that more of the tire is exposed where the bulge occurs, clearly indicating that the bead was not fully seated. I was incredulous at first because I assumed that the tire would blow of the rim or something, but it didn't. Fortunately, a mechanic at the LBS cued me into the trick, and I have since been able to correct it.
Go slowly, and make sure that you have the tube pushed fully up into the tire (can be hard to tell- you may have to pull the tire away from the rim all the way around and make sure you can see the rim tape.) Put a little air in, then go around again pushing the tire down onto the rim. As you inflate, repeat this step, stopping to deflate and push the tire back down if the bead tries to pop up. It took me a little patience and time, but the good news is that the tire will eventually conform to the rim shape with riding, so you don't have to deal with it if you later have to remove and re-install.
This was a minor inconvenience that was well worth the general high quality and durability of Schwalbe tires. They are comfortable, handle well, and are generally very durable. One thing I really like is that they don't have the super thin rubber coating on the sidewalls that has been a problem for me with other brands like Conti, Panaracer, and Michelin, which expose the thin sidewall fibers and lead to sidewall blow-outs before the tread is even half worn. It doesn't matter how great or technologically advanced your flat protection is if it doesn't actually protect the vulnerable sidewalls.
The problem for me is the value. Great tires, but it isn't just a trade-off on weight for durability. They cost the same or more than the tires that have both great sidewalls, long wearing rubber, and lower weight. If you are touring across the country, or have a really long, rough commute, the schwalbe is a great tire, but EVERY tire can get flats, no matter what the anecdotal praise of the reviewers says. (I rode them for 3 million miles over razor blades and glass without a si
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