User submitted reviews
Review by marc f.Reviewed 1/7/2023by marc f.Daily Commutertoronto, ON, CA3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.reliable tireGreat winter tire, I live in Toronto and my bicycle is how I get around all year every day. I use the Marathon Plus for the winter, from about December to end of April, every year. My first set lasted about 3 seasons (maybe four?) and I just bought a set to replace those for 2022/2023 season.
I ride a Fuji Feather fixed for winter, 700x25 (n the summer I ride 700x28 gatorskins). A Schwalbe 28 would not fit, so consider clearance when sizing your tire, there is a bit more height on the MP.
Pros
- Great puncture resistance for urban riding (especially in Toronto where most "bike lanes" are especially gutters). Very reliable in the winter for this reason (road salt, generally more debris)
- Great tread for channelling away water (you have a fender right?) and decent traction in rain, slush, and snow
- A reliable winter tire
- Good value for the money (especially with a BTD sale)
Cons
- heavy af, i look forward to taking these off in the spring (but thankful for what they do in the winter)
- A real PITA to wrap on the wheel for the first time. Be patient and use re-usable cable ties to make it easier as you go around
- The integrity of the bead is sus - that's how my last set went... the bead line ripped right off on my rear wheel and the front one was pretty close. thankfully it was end of season but what a way to blow a tire. Literally launch and the torque? was enough to tear apart the tire material which was less than 5 years old (and only ridden for 3-4 months of the year)
all that said, unless i find a better winter tire at this price point I'll keep buying these. Way too heavy to use all year though.
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Great winter tire, I live in Toronto and my bicycle is how I get around all year every day. I use the Marathon Plus for the winter, from about December to end of April, every year. My first set lasted about 3 seasons (maybe four?) and I just bought a set to replace those for 2022/2023 season.
I ride a Fuji Feather fixed for winter, 700x25 (n the summer I ride 700x28 gatorskins). A Schwalbe 28 would not fit, so consider clearance when sizing your tire, there is a bit more height on the MP.
Pros
- Great puncture resistance for urban riding (especially in Toronto where most "bike lanes" are especially gutters). Very reliable in the winter for this reason (road salt, generally more debris)
- Great tread for channelling away water (you have a fender right?) and decent traction in rain, slush, and snow
- A reliable winter tire
- Good value for the money (especially with a BTD sale)
Cons
- heavy af, i look forward to taking these off in the spring (but thankful for what they do in the winter)
- A real PITA to wrap on the wheel for the first time. Be patient and use re-usable cable ties to make it easier as you go around
- The integrity of the bead is sus - that's how my last set went... the bead line ripped right off on my rear wheel and the front one was pretty close. thankfully it was end of season but what a way to blow a tire. Literally launch and the torque? was enough to tear apart the tire material which was less than 5 years old (and only ridden for 3-4 months of the year)
all that said, unless i find a better winter tire at this price point I'll keep buying these. Way too heavy to use all year though.
Review by JawzReviewed 11/25/2022by JawzNorcal1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Amazing TiresI have these tires on my touring/commuter bike. It's a very large steel bike, used by a very large very heavy rider. And I ride hard and fast. I have had the same pair on my bike for almost 7 years. There's still a lot of life left in them. All of my riding is done in the inner-city and highway touring. I weigh well over 250 pounds. My bike is a double extra large, steel monster that weighs a lot on its own. I have had it loaded up with for panniers, saddle and handlebar bags, and three large water bottles. The bike was carrying well over 300 pounds of weight and I took it on Northern California isingle track. Not only did I not get a flat, my wheels are bang-on true. They have been dead true for almost 7 years with these tires on them. I true my own wheels, but have not had to touch these.
I have gotten two flats over seven years caused by nails penetrating the tire, which is something that is inevitable if you are riding inner city. I ride 700 x 42. Are they heavy? Heck yeah they're heavy! Heavy and bombproof. Get off that 700/23 fanboy bandwagon. Skinny tires are way overrated. And actually not faster than fat tires. Read up. I average 23 miles an hour across the city on these things, and that is navigating people, dogs, and cars so I think that is reasonably fast. . And yes, I have had extremely light carbon fiber bikes with skinny tires on them. Were they faster? Yes. But also extremely uncomfortable to ride for any length of time. And any blemish on the roadway would give me a flat. I actually attribute the speed to the sub 15 pound bicycle more than a skinny tires.
I heart fat tires!!!
Get you some.
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I have these tires on my touring/commuter bike. It's a very large steel bike, used by a very large very heavy rider. And I ride hard and fast. I have had the same pair on my bike for almost 7 years. There's still a lot of life left in them. All of my riding is done in the inner-city and highway touring. I weigh well over 250 pounds. My bike is a double extra large, steel monster that weighs a lot on its own. I have had it loaded up with for panniers, saddle and handlebar bags, and three large water bottles. The bike was carrying well over 300 pounds of weight and I took it on Northern California isingle track. Not only did I not get a flat, my wheels are bang-on true. They have been dead true for almost 7 years with these tires on them. I true my own wheels, but have not had to touch these.
I have gotten two flats over seven years caused by nails penetrating the tire, which is something that is inevitable if you are riding inner city. I ride 700 x 42. Are they heavy? Heck yeah they're heavy! Heavy and bombproof. Get off that 700/23 fanboy bandwagon. Skinny tires are way overrated. And actually not faster than fat tires. Read up. I average 23 miles an hour across the city on these things, and that is navigating people, dogs, and cars so I think that is reasonably fast. . And yes, I have had extremely light carbon fiber bikes with skinny tires on them. Were they faster? Yes. But also extremely uncomfortable to ride for any length of time. And any blemish on the roadway would give me a flat. I actually attribute the speed to the sub 15 pound bicycle more than a skinny tires.
I heart fat tires!!!
Get you some.
Review by Charles beckwithReviewed 12/21/2023by Charles beckwithEldorado Hills1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Very durableThese tires have good tread that is solid traction in all conditions. Especially, stable on wet pavement. They also provide a more stable and smoother ride than other road tires. The reflective ring provides more visibility at night.
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These tires have good tread that is solid traction in all conditions. Especially, stable on wet pavement. They also provide a more stable and smoother ride than other road tires. The reflective ring provides more visibility at night.
Review by JBReviewed 1/25/2024by JBDaily CommuterGalveston, TXGreat tires, Ive been rolling them for yearsI use these on my hybrid street bike that I ride 10-12 miles daily.
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I use these on my hybrid street bike that I ride 10-12 miles daily.
Review by Steve GReviewed 11/10/2023by Steve GCycling EnthusiastChesapeake, Va2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Rugged design, quiet, and minimizes the discomfort of uneven/broken road surfacesI am a big fan of Schwalbe Tires. I recently completed a "unsupported" trans-America bike adventure using the Schwalbe tires. Covering over 4200 miles in daily riding, I was pleasantly surprised with the quietness and grip of the tires, the way they easily adjusted to well-paved, rough asphalt, and gravel roads without a single tire failure. Last, but not least, the tires had plenty of life (tread) remaining after covering that distance
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I am a big fan of Schwalbe Tires. I recently completed a "unsupported" trans-America bike adventure using the Schwalbe tires. Covering over 4200 miles in daily riding, I was pleasantly surprised with the quietness and grip of the tires, the way they easily adjusted to well-paved, rough asphalt, and gravel roads without a single tire failure. Last, but not least, the tires had plenty of life (tread) remaining after covering that distance
Review by Curt the PilotReviewed 5/7/2020by Curt the PilotCycling EnthusiastSt. Louis &40IL side&4123 of 23 customers found this review helpful.Great after one rideI bought 32 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus to replace the 28's (a Bontrager and a Continental) on my Trek Pilot. Before the purchase I read many reviews and knew the sobering advice that these were hard to mount, especially on tubeless-ready rims. My Trek has tubeless-ready Ultegra 6700 rims. Before mounting the Schwalbe's, I watched a few YouTube videos of the mounting procedure for that tire. Especially helpful was the strategy of working the second side of the tire halfway onto the rim and then securing it with zip ties at 3 and 9 o'clock. Installation was then easy without use of any other tools. I would not say that the tire is terribly tight. The difficulty is that the sidewalls are so stiff that getting the second side on the rim is like wrestling a live snake. When I worked one section on, the section I let go of hopped off. The zip ties were a terrific solution. There was no problem getting the tube tucked safely inside. I was almost disappointed that I didn't have to puff and strain to complete the installation. The trick is mental, not physical.
I am carrying the zip ties with my spare inner tube. I used to carry 2 spare tubes, so some weight saved there.
On the road, 32 miles, the Marathon Plus handled lighter than I expected, though obviously I am giving up something from the 28's. They didn't wobble at all after going up to full pressure, and rode well on asphalt at 70 PSI. For once I didn't bother to avoid the broken glass that I knew was there.
I probably should wait to review the tire, but I wanted to pass on the mounting information while it was fresh in my mind. I expect thousands of miles with no flats. No worries.
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I bought 32 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus to replace the 28's (a Bontrager and a Continental) on my Trek Pilot. Before the purchase I read many reviews and knew the sobering advice that these were hard to mount, especially on tubeless-ready rims. My Trek has tubeless-ready Ultegra 6700 rims. Before mounting the Schwalbe's, I watched a few YouTube videos of the mounting procedure for that tire. Especially helpful was the strategy of working the second side of the tire halfway onto the rim and then securing it with zip ties at 3 and 9 o'clock. Installation was then easy without use of any other tools. I would not say that the tire is terribly tight. The difficulty is that the sidewalls are so stiff that getting the second side on the rim is like wrestling a live snake. When I worked one section on, the section I let go of hopped off. The zip ties were a terrific solution. There was no problem getting the tube tucked safely inside. I was almost disappointed that I didn't have to puff and strain to complete the installation. The trick is mental, not physical.
I am carrying the zip ties with my spare inner tube. I used to carry 2 spare tubes, so some weight saved there.
On the road, 32 miles, the Marathon Plus handled lighter than I expected, though obviously I am giving up something from the 28's. They didn't wobble at all after going up to full pressure, and rode well on asphalt at 70 PSI. For once I didn't bother to avoid the broken glass that I knew was there.
I probably should wait to review the tire, but I wanted to pass on the mounting information while it was fresh in my mind. I expect thousands of miles with no flats. No worries.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 4/27/2020by AnonymousCycling Enthusiast14 of 14 customers found this review helpful.best puncture resistance availableI won't buy any other tire for commuting. I have never flatted in these, period. I ride all year long in the Midwest. The tread also lasts a long time. Fantastic tire.
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I won't buy any other tire for commuting. I have never flatted in these, period. I ride all year long in the Midwest. The tread also lasts a long time. Fantastic tire.
Review by MarkReviewed 1/8/2024by MarkFlorida1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Long lasting My last tire just like this one lasted 6000 miles. Never had a flat. We have sand spurs in Florida which cause frequent flat tires. These tires are worth every penny.
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My last tire just like this one lasted 6000 miles. Never had a flat. We have sand spurs in Florida which cause frequent flat tires. These tires are worth every penny.
Review by JaythreeReviewed 12/4/2019by JaythreeCycling EnthusiastSeattle, WA22 of 22 customers found this review helpful.Amazingly tough tireA pair of the 700x38mm came on my Salsa Marrakesh that I bought in 2016 as an incentive to get back on a bike after a hip replacement at age 75. Now, 3 years later, I just flipped past 13,000 miles and the tires still have some tread depth. I only had one flat, from a piece of wire that entered through the sidewall. I ride mostly in urban Seattle where broken glass sparkles on the streets along with scattered drywall screws, hose clamps and other debris. The Marathons take it all in stride.
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A pair of the 700x38mm came on my Salsa Marrakesh that I bought in 2016 as an incentive to get back on a bike after a hip replacement at age 75. Now, 3 years later, I just flipped past 13,000 miles and the tires still have some tread depth. I only had one flat, from a piece of wire that entered through the sidewall. I ride mostly in urban Seattle where broken glass sparkles on the streets along with scattered drywall screws, hose clamps and other debris. The Marathons take it all in stride.
Review by VeloscottoReviewed 1/12/2024by VeloscottoCycling EnthusiastSarasota FLQuality replacement for original equiptmentBought as a spare for the original tire. I have had no issues with the original in about 4000 miles of riding. No flats.
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Bought as a spare for the original tire. I have had no issues with the original in about 4000 miles of riding. No flats.
Review by PR_ManReviewed 12/1/2022by PR_ManCycling EnthusiastMontgomery, AL1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.A Year and a Half and 2,500 Miles Later, Looks and Rides like New Before buying the tire, I read some reviews to the effect that the tire was made out of baloney skins and wouldn't last 2 weeks, etc. I read some good reviews too. I bought the tire and put it on the rear of my Giant Escape 2. After having owned, and used, the tire for a year and a half; and after having put about 2,000 - 2,500 miles on it, I give it two thumbs up. Typically, I ride 30-50 miles a week (depending on the weather). During vacation, I ride considerably more. The tire rides great and shows very little wear! In my opinion, the tires are NOT made out of baloney skins. Rather, it's the "Nay Sayers" that are full of baloney.
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Before buying the tire, I read some reviews to the effect that the tire was made out of baloney skins and wouldn't last 2 weeks, etc. I read some good reviews too. I bought the tire and put it on the rear of my Giant Escape 2. After having owned, and used, the tire for a year and a half; and after having put about 2,000 - 2,500 miles on it, I give it two thumbs up. Typically, I ride 30-50 miles a week (depending on the weather). During vacation, I ride considerably more. The tire rides great and shows very little wear! In my opinion, the tires are NOT made out of baloney skins. Rather, it's the "Nay Sayers" that are full of baloney.
Review by NathanReviewed 7/13/2018by NathanDaily CommuterWisconsin30 of 30 customers found this review helpful.Great TiresI use these for commuting and rail trail riding. They are great tires. I have about 500 miles on them now and they show little if any wear. I ride about 80 or more miles a week and these are my tire of choice due to there durability and lower rolling resistance.
I recently did 151 miles in 3 days on the Sparta 400 series of trails and these did well, they are not quite as good as other tires in soft ground and really not made for sandy spots but I was actually pleasantly surprised how well they handled that rail trail over all.
These tires corner very well, very good grip on asphalt.
One thing I will mention, these are not the tires I will use for winter, I use the Schwalbe GT 365's for that. I will also use the GT 365's if I am going to ride mostly soft or a little more technical terrain.
As an over all commuter or hard pack tire these are absolutely awesome. Buy them and ride them with confidence.
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I use these for commuting and rail trail riding. They are great tires. I have about 500 miles on them now and they show little if any wear. I ride about 80 or more miles a week and these are my tire of choice due to there durability and lower rolling resistance.
I recently did 151 miles in 3 days on the Sparta 400 series of trails and these did well, they are not quite as good as other tires in soft ground and really not made for sandy spots but I was actually pleasantly surprised how well they handled that rail trail over all.
These tires corner very well, very good grip on asphalt.
One thing I will mention, these are not the tires I will use for winter, I use the Schwalbe GT 365's for that. I will also use the GT 365's if I am going to ride mostly soft or a little more technical terrain.
As an over all commuter or hard pack tire these are absolutely awesome. Buy them and ride them with confidence.
Review by Average JonReviewed 10/20/2022by Average JonDaily CommuterVancouver, WA1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.My favorite tiresI've been using these for years. They ride smoothly, are durable, and resist punctures.
The reflective stripe is a bonus.
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I've been using these for years. They ride smoothly, are durable, and resist punctures.
The reflective stripe is a bonus.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 12/11/2023by AnonymousCasual CyclistMiami, FLGreat rideTires a little heavy but roll very nice. 500 miles so far with no flats. Tires went on with no problems and run true. Very happy.
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Tires a little heavy but roll very nice. 500 miles so far with no flats. Tires went on with no problems and run true. Very happy.
Review by Poop ShoeReviewed 7/31/2023by Poop ShoeDes Moines, IowaSchwalbe Reflective Marathon TireJust about Bulletproof... We ride lots of Miles heavily loaded. They roll nice and the Last time I had a Flat was when we were forced to ride loose gravel. It's the only tires I use for Touring.
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Just about Bulletproof... We ride lots of Miles heavily loaded. They roll nice and the Last time I had a Flat was when we were forced to ride loose gravel. It's the only tires I use for Touring.
Review by RichardReviewed 7/17/2022by RichardCycling EnthusiastMassachusetts2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Excellent tireI ride a Performer JC70 74-100 miles a week. The original tires wore out in less than 800 miles. I replaced all three tires with the Marathon Plus. The rear bears a lot of weight, but It still lasted just under 4000 miles (replaced it with another Marathon). The fronts still have a lot of tread left and they are at 5100 miles.Never had a flat on any wheel! Another feature of the tire is that when I run them hard I get almost 2mph better average spee, but there is still excellent grip. Overall an excellent tire and I�ll keep using it when replacements are needed.
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I ride a Performer JC70 74-100 miles a week. The original tires wore out in less than 800 miles. I replaced all three tires with the Marathon Plus. The rear bears a lot of weight, but It still lasted just under 4000 miles (replaced it with another Marathon). The fronts still have a lot of tread left and they are at 5100 miles.Never had a flat on any wheel! Another feature of the tire is that when I run them hard I get almost 2mph better average spee, but there is still excellent grip. Overall an excellent tire and I�ll keep using it when replacements are needed.
Review by D W MillerReviewed 1/9/2017by D W MillerCasual CyclistJacksonville, FL27 of 27 customers found this review helpful.Excellent TireI ride a Specialized Crosstrail hybrid. I got the bike in 2011 and by now have logged over 20,000 miles on it using these tires. I have not had one flat. I ride almost exclusively on pavement, some trails and bike lanes on main roads. These tires have performed flawlessly. I highly recommend these tires (I also use only Michelin A3 Protek Max tubes). I am 73 years old and hate getting flats (which, in years previous, have had many).
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I ride a Specialized Crosstrail hybrid. I got the bike in 2011 and by now have logged over 20,000 miles on it using these tires. I have not had one flat. I ride almost exclusively on pavement, some trails and bike lanes on main roads. These tires have performed flawlessly. I highly recommend these tires (I also use only Michelin A3 Protek Max tubes). I am 73 years old and hate getting flats (which, in years previous, have had many).
Review by pmartyReviewed 2/2/2017by pmartyDaily CommuterAtlanta, GA10 of 10 customers found this review helpful.Great commuter tireI have rode about 200 miles with these tires so far. They are a great fit to my commuting rides. Most of my commute is on roadhighway shoulder, with a lot of debris (gravel, metallic parts, broken glass from wreck etc), typical from the Atlanta suburb roads, sometimes I need to ride on sidewalks or grass as well. I was riding 700x23 before and struggled to avoid flat tires, so I needed an extra strong tire that would fit on my road bike. Those tires are exactly this. The combination of thick resistance and low pressure (I put 5 bars), makes them very robust. This is a faster alternative to riding my moutain bike for this commute.
The downside is performance of course the grip and low pressure are not comparable to 700x23, and they are a bit rough to install (due to the thickness). But again I needed puncture resistance and the flexibility to ride on anything when safety dictates it, so all in all I give it 5 stars as it does the job suberbly.
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I have rode about 200 miles with these tires so far. They are a great fit to my commuting rides. Most of my commute is on roadhighway shoulder, with a lot of debris (gravel, metallic parts, broken glass from wreck etc), typical from the Atlanta suburb roads, sometimes I need to ride on sidewalks or grass as well. I was riding 700x23 before and struggled to avoid flat tires, so I needed an extra strong tire that would fit on my road bike. Those tires are exactly this. The combination of thick resistance and low pressure (I put 5 bars), makes them very robust. This is a faster alternative to riding my moutain bike for this commute.
The downside is performance of course the grip and low pressure are not comparable to 700x23, and they are a bit rough to install (due to the thickness). But again I needed puncture resistance and the flexibility to ride on anything when safety dictates it, so all in all I give it 5 stars as it does the job suberbly.
Review by DanReview for Schwalbe 2013 Marathon Plus 700cReviewed 3/24/2009by Dan (BikeTiresDirect.com Staff)Cycling EnthusiastPortland OR161 of 169 customers found this review helpful.The best wet weather commuting tire ever.I've been using this tire on my fixed gear rain bike for the last 4 years. I'm on my second set and have had one flat. Yeah the tire is heavy and hard to mount the first time but the puncture resistance and traction is worth it. I even put a set on my cargo bike because I definitively don't want a flat while carrying a load. Do yourself a favor and get a set of these tires if you ride where road debris is killing your current tires.
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I've been using this tire on my fixed gear rain bike for the last 4 years. I'm on my second set and have had one flat. Yeah the tire is heavy and hard to mount the first time but the puncture resistance and traction is worth it. I even put a set on my cargo bike because I definitively don't want a flat while carrying a load. Do yourself a favor and get a set of these tires if you ride where road debris is killing your current tires.
Review by DanReviewed 5/2/2022by DanCycling EnthusiastSt. Joseph, Missouri2 of 4 customers found this review helpful.DisappointedI mounted these on my gravel bike for general touring, riding around town, and for riding on rails-to-trails type surfaces. After mounting and properly inflating them, I went for a ride around town. While going down a gentle hill at maybe 17 mph, my back tire hit a rock maybe the size of a walnut, and I immediately got a flat. When I examined the inside of the tire, the rubber was split diagonally for about an inch and a half inside the tire. I replaced the tube (the tube I was riding on had a 1-cm long rip) and re-inflated the tire to about 50 psi. The spot where the tire hit a the rock had a bulge and a gap between the treads where I could see the blue fabric beneath the rubber. I was able to continue my ride around town, but I do not feel comfortable going outside of town on a longer ride with that kind of damage.
I had previously been riding on some stock Bontraeger tires identical to those that came with my bike and rode them for maybe 900 miles without a flat. Then I bought these and - bam!!! - flat tire.
Call it an act of God or bad luck, but I just don't see the correlation between price and reliability.
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I mounted these on my gravel bike for general touring, riding around town, and for riding on rails-to-trails type surfaces. After mounting and properly inflating them, I went for a ride around town. While going down a gentle hill at maybe 17 mph, my back tire hit a rock maybe the size of a walnut, and I immediately got a flat. When I examined the inside of the tire, the rubber was split diagonally for about an inch and a half inside the tire. I replaced the tube (the tube I was riding on had a 1-cm long rip) and re-inflated the tire to about 50 psi. The spot where the tire hit a the rock had a bulge and a gap between the treads where I could see the blue fabric beneath the rubber. I was able to continue my ride around town, but I do not feel comfortable going outside of town on a longer ride with that kind of damage.
I had previously been riding on some stock Bontraeger tires identical to those that came with my bike and rode them for maybe 900 miles without a flat. Then I bought these and - bam!!! - flat tire.
Call it an act of God or bad luck, but I just don't see the correlation between price and reliability.