Rolling resistance - Schwalbe Marathon Plus

[Deleted member 35268]

I'm running some 700 / 25c Schwalbe Marathon Plus while I wait for delivery on some slicks, they are on some heavy CX wheels and I just cannot get any speed up!

They are heavy tyres, 595 g a wheel, so over a kilo in tyre, as opposed to most other tyres being about 500g a set.

Aside from the weight they have a tred pattern.

So would the heavier setup and the tred account for about a -2 to -3 mile per hour defecit on my rides.

I'm certainly getting a good work out, and they are great at going over potholes.

 

[MikeG]

Yep, they're renowned for it, and there is some testing somewhere which shows the comparison. They're bomb-proof tyres for touring, mainly, rather than for people interested in speed. If you were riding across Africa, they'd probably be one of your top choices. If you are riding a TT, probably not.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

[QUOTE 5459025, member: 9609"]2 to 3 mph seems excessive but what is that as a percentage of a normal ride ?[/QUOTE]

I usually amble around at 16.7 - 17.5 mph (with lumpy bits)

With these tyres its usually 15 mph!

It's liking riding with a handbrake on.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I'm running some 700 / 25c Schwalbe Marathon Plus while I wait for delivery on some slicks, they are on some heavy CX wheels and I just cannot get any speed up!

They are heavy tyres, 595 g a wheel, so over a kilo in tyre, as opposed to most other tyres being about 500g a set.

Aside from the weight they have a tred pattern.

So would the heavier setup and the tred account for about a -2 to -3 mile per hour defecit on my rides.

I'm certainly getting a good work out, and they are great at going over potholes.

That's par for the course. It isn't the weight that's doing the dirty, it is the rubber. You can confirm this for yourself by inflating a standard set of tyres with water and going for a ride You. won't notice the difference, even though the water tyres will weigh more than the marathons. (a 25mm tyre on 700c can take just under 1l of water, thus 1kg).

It is all in the rubber thickness, the tread and the high-hysteresis intermediate layers.

 

[Racing roadkill]

They are known as ‘Wattsaps’ because they suck so much power out of you to even get them to move. On the plus side, they are very puncture resistant.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I usually amble around at 16.7 - 17.5 mph (with lumpy bits)

With these tyres its usually 15 mph!

It's liking riding with a handbrake on.

It’s not much different with the road focussed Durano+. They are hard work, but again don’t puncture easily.

 

[Cycleops]

If you want the low down on a variety of tyres check out this site;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews

Here's the report on the marathon plus;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews/schwalbe-marathon-plus-2015

 

[Specialeyes]

I've had a pair of M+ on my commuter bike for 18 months and... [aaargh - I can't bring myself to say it and tempt the P-Fairy!]... suffice to say my time spent at the side of the road with a wheel off has been zero. The calculus is always (time saved by not having P-Fairy Visits) - (time lost in slower rolling on a daily basis) and in reality they probably balance out. Of course, the slower commute is predictably slower whereas an unscheduled stop is, pun intended, a spike

They're patched up with Superglue in a bunch of nicks but still going strong, which is good as I dread the day where I'll have to refit one at the roadside, as they were buggers to get on the rims in the first place!

 

[Boon 51]

If you want the low down on a variety of tyres check out this site;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews

Here's the report on the marathon plus;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews/schwalbe-marathon-plus-2015

Good info from this site..

 

[Boon 51]

A heavy set of CX wheels at least 2.2 Kg + 1.2 Kg for tyres + 150 g for QR's and 200 to 250 gs for inner tubes that a lot of weight to lug about? Have you thought about some lighter wheels perhaps?

 

[rogerzilla]

I find they roll fine but they are slow to wind up to speed because of the colossal weight.

 

[MichaelW2]

With M+ it is not only the weight but the stiffness of the sidewall which adds to rolling resistance. Best use is for pootling around town on a hub gear/chainguard bike by someone who doesn't like to fix their own, or if your route is particularly full of tyre hazards. M+ is a bit too stodgy for most touring, I have used plain Marathon. Specialist touring tyres have the protection and tread but more flexible sidewalls.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

A heavy set of CX wheels at least 2.2 Kg + 1.2 Kg for tyres + 150 g for QR's and 200 to 250 gs for inner tubes that a lot of weight to lug about? Have you thought about some lighter wheels perhaps?

Rear wheel being mended!

 

[Deleted member 35268]

If you want the low down on a variety of tyres check out this site;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews

Here's the report on the marathon plus;
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews/schwalbe-marathon-plus-2015

Ahh, this is the site I remember seeing before on rolling resistance tests.

OK, so its about 20% slower which is also my avg speed difference. At least I know I am not slacking.

 

[GuyBoden]

After a few punctures in winter's; dark, cold, frost and rain. Then you'll know why riders like Marathon+