How "flatless" are Marathon plus?

[OneArmedBandit]

Peace of mind question.

I have a fractured wrist in a splint. I'm at the stage where I can get back on my bike - but if I had a puncture it would be a disaster as quite apart from getting the tyre off and on I would find it very difficult to use a pump or CO2.

I put Marathon+ on the bike because these seem to be as puncture resistant as you can get, albeit they come with the expected disclaimer they cannot prevent every puncture.

I was wondering if anyone can say how reliable they are if I start to go on longer rides mainly on road but sometimes on cycle paths? I know you can never say a puncture is impossible, but if it is very very unlikely that would give me a bit of confidence.

I can call for rescue if needed but it would be really annoying to do it for a puncture having never done it in 20 years of cycling (I carry a lot of tools and emergency repair stuff).

 

[marshmella]

Theres been many posts already about marathon/ marathon plus. There's pros and cons you either love 'em or hate 'em but i've got them on my commuter/ leisure bike and they fill me with confidence as regards avoiding punctures, i ride plenty of rough towpaths strewn with glass and hedge cuttings.

 

[OneArmedBandit]

Thanks. I read through several threads and there are some saying they are great and years without a puncture, and some saying they had a puncture right away.

I was most interested in cycle paths. The ones around here are covered in broken glass but it is the only sensible route for my commute. I was wondering if they hold up to that sort of abuse. I had about a half dozen punctures and a couple of ruined tyres on Gatorskins.

Otherwise I will go on road but it is longer and part of it is a straight road with traffic islands which people treat as a drag strip when I am commuting at 6am. But if it guarantees no punctures probably worth it.

 

[the snail]

But if it guarantees no punctures probably worth it.

Obviously can't guarantee no punctures, but I average <1 puncture a year with marathons/conti contacts, which are not as resistant as M+. You could always use a sealant as well - belt and braces, but if you've got someone to assist in an emergency you should be well covered I reckon, even on really crappy surfaces.

 

[marshmella]

Thanks. I read through several threads and there are some saying they are great and years without a puncture, and some saying they had a puncture right away.

I was most interested in cycle paths. The ones around here are covered in broken glass but it is the only sensible route for my commute. I was wondering if they hold up to that sort of abuse. I had about a half dozen punctures and a couple of ruined tyres on Gatorskins.

Otherwise I will go on road but it is longer and part of it is a straight road with traffic islands which people treat as a drag strip when I am commuting at 6am. But if it guarantees no punctures probably worth it.

Thanks. I read through several threads and there are some saying they are great and years without a puncture, and some saying they had a puncture right away.

I was most interested in cycle paths. The ones around here are covered in broken glass but it is the only sensible route for my commute. I was wondering if they hold up to that sort of abuse. I had about a half dozen punctures and a couple of ruined tyres on Gatorskins.

Otherwise I will go on road but it is longer and part of it is a straight road with traffic islands which people treat as a drag strip when I am commuting at 6am. But if it guarantees no punctures probably worth it.

As @the snail says you can't 100% guarantee puncture proof cycling unless you have solid tyres. No one is going to ride over broken glass deliberately if it can be avoided but it all depends on what kind of ride you want or in your case need.

 

[welsh dragon]

Maybe i can pick a few brains here. I am thinking of changing my tyres to the Marathon + tyres. I have 20 x 1.95 on my folder at the moment and have been told that i could fit the 20 x1.75 inch ones to my bike. My question is, what differance (if any) would the ride be if i fitted the narower tyres?

I have hub gears on my bike and changing inner tubes is such a pain especially if i wasn't at home. That is the reason i am thinking of changing them.

 

[OneArmedBandit]

Maybe i can pick a few brains here. I am thinking of changing my tyres to the Marathon + tyres. I have 20 x 1.95 on my folder at the moment and have been told that i could fit the 20 x1.75 inch ones to my bike. My question is, what differance (if any) would the ride be if i fitted the narower tyres?

I have hub gears on my bike and changing inner tubes is such a pain especially if i wasn't at home. That is the reason i am thinking of changing them.

I bought 700x25 and they are noticeably narrower than my Gatorskins 23s. I don't know if all sizes come up a bit smaller, or if Gatorskins come up big.

That said, the Marathons seem to have very stiff side walls so you may find they are a harsher ride even in a straight swap.

 

[marshmella]

Thanks. I read through several threads and there are some saying they are great and years without a puncture, and some saying they had a puncture right away.

I was most interested in cycle paths. The ones around here are covered in broken glass but it is the only sensible route for my commute. I was wondering if they hold up to that sort of abuse. I had about a half dozen punctures and a couple of ruined tyres on Gatorskins.

Otherwise I will go on road but it is longer and part of it is a straight road with traffic islands which people treat as a drag strip when I am commuting at 6am. But if it guarantees no punctures probably worth it.

I think you're gonna be pretty unlucky to get a puncture so soon after fitting M+ as some have. I think thats the exception rather than the rule, although i remember a post on here a couple of years ago showing a M+ defeated by a razor blade..incredibly unlucky.

 

[stuarttunstall]

I have Schwalbe Smart Sams on my Scott Sub Cross 10 which is a couple of months old now, but I am going down the Marathon Plus Tour route when I change tyres, current they are 700 x 42C but I thing the Marathon Plus Tour are 700 x 40C so not much difference in size..

The lanes I use are not maintained and as mentioned above can be covered in sharp stone, remains of trees and bumps and ruts, in fact I had a puncture the 3rd time I went out lucky I was just over the road from home....

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Been running Marathon Greenguards for over a couple of years,
and this includes lots of cycle track in my local urban area, with one puncture due to a drawing pin on a canal side in Glasgow..
THEN two in the last 11 days, a gyproc nail on a country road then yesterday, a piece of stiff wire..
**it happens and I'll take that...
the previous Land Cruisers were every 300/400 mile a puncture...

 

[vickster]

Maybe i can pick a few brains here. I am thinking of changing my tyres to the Marathon + tyres. I have 20 x 1.95 on my folder at the moment and have been told that i could fit the 20 x1.75 inch ones to my bike. My question is, what differance (if any) would the ride be if i fitted the narower tyres?

I have hub gears on my bike and changing inner tubes is such a pain especially if i wasn't at home. That is the reason i am thinking of changing them.

@jefmcg had problems with M+ on little wheels

 

[welsh dragon]

@jefmcg had problems with M+ on little wheels

Do you know how little?

 

[vickster]

Do you know how little?

Sorry no, but I'm sure she'll come along and regale her tale

 

[slowmotion]

I commuted on M Pluses for three years. The only puncture I had was due to a two inch nail going in high up on the side wall, parallel to the road. Lord knows how that got there. There was also a flat caused by a dodgy valve stem but you can't pin that on the tyre. The good news is that they are really quite easy to fit once they have had a bit of use.

 

[Cycleops]

If you want double indemnity why don't you get your LBS to fit some Slime tubes?