Schwalbe

These tires are a game changer for me. I am a daily rider and had to deal with flats on a pretty regular basis. While that is not a big deal, it can be a problem when you are trying to get in a ride before work, and taking time to fix a flat can be a problem when you don't plan for the additional time. The other problem with getting a flat is that in that short time you might ride before realizing you have a flat, you can break spokes and/or slightly bend a rim, which happened to me. I bought my first set of these Marathon Pluses two years ago and have not had a single flat since.

When I got a new bike, I was afraid of getting a flat and damaging the pristine new rims. I put another set of these on right away to avoid any chance of damage. Its been a few months on the new bike and still no flats!

I bought these in 40mm to use on my gravel bike for winter/spring road riding. There is lots of gravel in the shoulders where I live, both in the city and out on long country rides. Also, lots of expansion joints, chip seal and generally rough pavement.

These measure just under 40mm when installed on a hookless 25mm internal rim. They are supple at lower pressures and make the roads a lot less punishing. Are they as fast as the GP5000 AS that I run on my road bike for the summer? No. But I haven't flatted in 200-300 miles so far so a good tradeoff.

I've been using the Marathon for years for bike touring. I've gone cross country with them and have ridden both the East and the West coast. I don't know if this is typical, but I've never flatted with them. That's amazing to me. If I'd been better about rotating them, they would last longer. The rear wore more quickly than the front but that's on me for not switching them regularly. Will stick with the marathons.

Despite not being a fat tire, this tire makes it possible to navigate Ice and snow at least up to a few inches. Beyond that it takes too much energy to keep peddling. If you live in a location with icy or snowy road conditions and you still want to ride a bike for whatever reason, this is a good choice. I also don't have to worry about punctures from anything hidden in the snow because this tire series is known for it's puncture resistance.

A fat tire bike is still going to handle better in snow, but this tire is surprisingly competent at it. The 2026 winter storm that hit most of the US just happened at the time of writing this, and I'll be out on my bike in the coming days.