Change Of Tyres? (Poll)

[Richard A Thackeray]

Received 2 new Schwalbe Marathon ('28' as the 'reflex') today, the box was in kitchen when l got home at 16:00

They'll be going on my CGR

Should l...
1. Wear out the presently fitted Schwalbe Durano's ('28') & save the Marathons for autumn

2. As l spend a reasonable amount of time on bridleways/etc...
Should l fit them anyway, & set the Durano's aside in the shed?



NB; However, l've very rarely felt at a disadvantage on the Durano's, unless it's very muddy
(or lateral grip is an issue)

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I would put the Marathon on the rear, as it's better protected and rear wheel punctures are more common than fronts, and wear out both the Duranos on the front wheel.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I would put the Marathon on the rear, as it's better protected and rear wheel punctures are more common than fronts, and wear out both the Duranos on the front wheel.

I tend to go for matched tyres, so it'd be both

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I tend to go for matched tyres, so it'd be both

Each to their own. If I want optimum reliability for longer rides, I fit a pair of new Schwalbes without any hesitation. To try to use up all my part-worn take-offs locally I put the most robust, most puncture resistant of a pair of tyres on the back and wear out the less good tyre on the front. I know a lot of riders will put the newer ones on the front but I work on the basis the rear carries more load, so needs to be the better tyre. I don't go fast enough to worry about grip or handling.

 

[davidphilips]

After reading
very rarely felt at a disadvantage on the Durano's, unless it's very muddy
(or lateral grip is an issue)

Might be best to just use the Durano tyres until worn or you start to have a few punctures with them?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'd be like a kid at Christmas and itching to get the shiney tyres on. I'm ridiculously excitable about stuff like this.

My middle aged Dad head says wear out the Durano first. The perpetually excited teen in me says life's too short and why did you buy the damn things now if you weren't going to use them for flips sake!

Go with whichever character you're closest to.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Received 2 new Schwalbe Marathon ('28' as the 'reflex') today, the box was in kitchen when l got home at 16:00

They'll be going on my CGR

Should l...
1. Wear out the presently fitted Schwalbe Durano's ('28') & save the Marathons for autumn

2. As l spend a reasoable amount of time on bridleways/etc...
Should l fit them anyway, & set the Durano's aside in the shed?



NB; However, l've very rarely felt at a disadvantage on the Durano's, unless it's very muddy
(or lateral grip is an issue)

As you say about Durano 28c, they are surprisingly good at rough stuff. I regularly rode on cobbled parts of the shropshire union canal in the wet, no problems if taken gingerly.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

As you say about Durano 28c, they are surprisingly good at rough stuff. I regularly rode on cobbled parts of the shropshire union canal in the wet, no problems if taken gingerly.

They're quite reasonable on muddy inclines too, & and can cope with lateral slopes, if not too bad

I'd be like a kid at Christmas and itching to get the shiney tyres on. I'm ridiculously excitable about stuff like this.

My middle aged Dad head says wear out the Durano first. The perpetually excited teen in me says life's too short and why did you buy the damn things now if you weren't going to use them for flips sake!

Go with whichever character you're closest to.

I like the Durano's; great tyres (& can almost scrape pedals on r/bouts with them), 3 p*nctures in 3 years (1 from having to hit a pothole, the 2nd, from a thorn that I could only feel, not see!)

But given some recent explorations, the Marathons maybe be better?

 

[BrumJim]

I never change my tyres until I can see the canvas. Probably best not to take my advice....

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I never change my tyres until I can see the canvas. Probably best not to take my advice....

Been there before, many-many years ago
Someone asked me if I'd been riding through paint
Schwalbe too, as far as memory serves? ('Blizzard'??)


Still it certainly shows how puncture resistant they were!!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Fitted the Marathons slightly earlier this evening
Went on fairly easily (getting the Duranos off was harder)
The rear actually went on without tyre-levers

 

[davidphilips]

Good to see some one else using plenty of rear lights. Notice any difference when cycling with the Marathons?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Good to see some one else using plenty of rear lights.

As well as the four in each direction, there's another 4 small ones on the helmet (all set at'strobe'), so I can look directly at drivers at junctions/roundabouts

Notice any difference when cycling with the Marathons?

Sorry, not had the chance to try it yet, hoping to go out soon
Aesthetically there's 2 main differences
1. Looking down, when stationary, gives the look of a staid tourer - not the slick speedster that the Durano's implied


2. Whilst shooting for any of the photographic threads (eg; Your Bike In Front Of......), the reflective banding might cause problems?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Notice any difference when cycling with the Marathons?

Had a short 'allowed exercise' ride this afternoon, circa 20 miles, as I wanted to look at an 'abandoned' railway platform (in what is now woodland) & a milepost

The ride seems rather harsh, & don't appear to conform to small road surface deficiencies
Then again, that could be due to air-pressure?, I probably had them at close to 100psi

Slower to get to speed, but they're probably 5 ounce (per tyre) heavier than the Durano's, however, they seem to hold the speed better (on the flat)

I can't comment on grip, on such a short ride, but I think it'll be a while before I lean the CGR to as great an angle as I do on the Durano's
There's a roundabout at the bottom of a 1-in-15, on my route home, & I take the last exit, and have scraped a pedal through it in the dry


Overall, I'd reckon on 5% difference
So far

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The ride seems rather harsh, & don't appear to conform to small road surface deficiencies
Then again, that could be due to air-pressure?, I probably had them at close to 100psi

Slower to get to speed, but they're probably 5 ounce (per tyre) heavier than the Durano's, however, they seem to hold the speed better (on the flat)

Unless you are really heavy, I reckon you are running them at too high a pressure. I run 28 mm or 1 1/8" wide tyres at 70 PSI front and 90 PSI rear, for a combined body & bike weight of around 16 stone. In my experience Marathons are quite sensitive to over-inflation, and become harsher than a more lightweight supple tyre. The ride is fine so long as you lose the mentality that inflating them as hard as possible makes them faster.