Schwalbe

I ride in the Pacific NW, and on both fast flow trails and steep rooty/rocky tech trails, this tire is a clear step up on cornering traction and resulting confidence. I can lean into these when initiating a turn and they just stick. So far this evaluation is on dry terrain, but where I ride, that's when things are the sketchiest. i notice no downsides including not noticing the weight or supposedly increased rolling resistance. Tires are extra soft trail in front and soft gravity in back, mounted on a big travel trail/enduro bike.

I bought these for my ICE VTX. My VTX came with 35mm tires (won through a raffle). I did a couple of rides on those and was not happy. So I decided to put these tires on and I am happy that I did. After getting the tire pressure set I can send the VTX around corners at high speeds without any fears. As for the endurance of these tires I cannot speak to that at this time. But, since I go through the corners at high speed I understand that the life span of the tires may be shortened. But that is on me.

Switched from Conti's to these, even though they are heavier. Love the reduced environmental impact of the company. Probably the hardest tire I've had to mount (even more than my old sew-ups). The additional material that provides the puncture resistances causes the profile to be "flat" rather then "c" shaped. When mounting on Mavic OpenPro 622's it was very hard keeping the outer bead in contact with the rim while trying to hook the top bead. Ended up using heavy looped strips of tape to hold each section in place and moving to the next.

Also, a few mm "taller" than my comparable sized Conti's... nearly doesn't clear the brake bridge when fully inflated (to max PSI).

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.