Schwalbe Marathon Plus a lot worse than stock Kenda tires!

Everything is made in China nowadays, it just depends on quality control. Apple phones are made there and are considered the best by consumers in #s sold. If given an opportunity to buy USA vs China I'll choose USA every time all things being =. How many bicycle components are made in the USA? Not many I'd assume. I do see a lot of high end machined parts made in the USA. Usually those kinds of parts and prices are not for me though just being a casual/hobby type rider.
 
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2wheeler said:
Everything is made in China nowadays, it just depends on quality control. Apple phones are made there and are considered the best by consumers in #s sold. If given an opportunity to buy USA vs China I'll choose USA every time all things being =. How many bicycle components are made in the USA? Not many I'd assume. I do see a lot of high end machined parts made in the USA. Usually those kinds of parts and prices are not for me though just being a casual/hobby type rider.
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Yeah for sure. I dont know about you but I am old enough to remember when stuff from Japan was junk. Now of course Japanese goods are world class. How long will it be before all the best stuff comes from China?
 
Steve & 2Wheeler ...
When I was a kid growing up 'everyone knew' that Made in Japan spelled 'junk' and that the Japanese had renamed a place 'Usa' (it had been called that since time immemorial) in order to dupe the world with Made in USA stamped on products.

Paranoia.

Now, if you will excuse me, I must take my Trek Powerfly 5 (with its Made in China label and Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB tyres) for its Wednesday morning adventure somewhere farther east than the 'Far East'.
... David
 
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2wheeler said:
Everything is made in China nowadays, it just depends on quality control. Apple phones are made there and are considered the best by consumers in #s sold. If given an opportunity to buy USA vs China I'll choose USA every time all things being =. How many bicycle components are made in the USA? Not many I'd assume. I do see a lot of high end machined parts made in the USA. Usually those kinds of parts and prices are not for me though just being a casual/hobby type rider.
Click to expand...

I wasn't implying that made in China necessarily meant lower quality in fact everything I've read or heard about CC rims indicates they're a good product. I understand that when buying anything from anywhere you get what you pay for and the Chinese are capable of producing an awesome product when asked and paid to do so,
 
David Berry said:
Steve & 2Wheeler ...
When I was a kid growing up 'everyone knew' that Made in Japan spelled 'junk' and that the Japanese had renamed a place 'Usa' (it had been called that since time immemorial) in order to dupe the world with Made in USA stamped on products.

Paranoia: back then we lived where the wild things are (were?) in a determinedly dysfunctional relic of empire situated about as far away as one could get simultaneously from both the real USA and Usa!

Now, if you will excuse me, I must take my Trek Powerfly 5 (with its Made in China label and Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB tyres) for its Wednesday morning adventure somewhere farther east than the 'Far East'.
... David
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David what did you think of the original Bontrager XR3 tires that came with your Powerfly 5 ?
 
steve mercier said:
David what did you think of the original Bontrager XR3 tires that came with your Powerfly 5 ?
Click to expand...
Steve ...
There was one overwhelming problem with the Bontragers: the tyres simply would not separate from the rims. I had a puncture one day that required a tyre change. Nothing that I had with me could fit between the rim and the tyre to begin the fight to get the brute off. Taxi time.

Back home, I brought out my medieval torturer-certified instruments of persuasion. These included an enormous tyre plier gadget (Park Tool PTS-1 Tire Seater) and, two screwdriver-sized rubber-tipped levers from IceToolz and generous quantities of Schwalbe's Easy Fit (Ha!) mounting fluid.

I have no idea whether the tyres or the rims were to blame (both?), but I determined to swap over to 57 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTBs. They refused to go on properly and I was left riding an ebike with a pair of bumpy and lumpy tyres. One Marathon punctured itself - a DIY insider job involving a wire bead that had been split whilst being encouraged it to go on. The other tyre exploded at the Trek dealer whilst being coaxed into place with a bit more air pressure than is usually considered appropriate.

The supplied Bontragers are hanging up somewhere in the workshop... unloved and lonely.
... David
 
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For what its worth probably not much - I think the OP mentioned the Marathon's performance didn't change after a break-in period: My Spot (urban commuter not electric) came with Kendas (700x35c). They didn't have a model name on them so I guess they were an OEM exclusive but the closest I could find when looking for them on-line cost about $10 per tire. I switched them out for Bontrager Hard Case Ultimates at about $40 per tire. I was looking for puncture protection and performance.

It definitely required an adjustment on my part to get used to the difference. The Bontragers had much stiffer side walls. The first time I took a turn with the Bontragers on wet pavement the bike almost went out from under me. I realized the that the Kendas were so soft they were probably flattening out in the turns whereas the Bontragers were not. I don't think the softness is necessarily a good thing (pinch flats, sidewalls cracking over time...). I gave the Bontragers a break-in period and it was worth it. Now after 4-500 miles they are riding really nice. I know the Hard Case Ultimates also have a lot more puncture protection than the stock Kendas. They look great too. I just had to allow for that break-in period during which I had to make the adjustment in riding style (mostly in turns) where I knew there wasn't much flex in the sidewalls.
 
David Berry said:
Steve ...
There was one overwhelming problem with the Bontragers: the tyres simply would not separate from the rims. I had a puncture one day that required a tyre change. Nothing that I had with me could fit between the rim and the tyre to begin the fight to get the brute off. Taxi time.

Back home, I brought out my medieval torturer-certified instruments of persuasion. These included an enormous tyre plier gadget from Park Tools, two screwdriver-sized rubber-tipped levers from IceToolz and generous quantities of Schwalbe's Easy Fit (Ha!) mounting fluid.

I have no idea whether the tyres or the rims were to blame (both?), but I determined to swap over to 57 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTBs. They refused to go on properly and I was left riding an ebike with a pair of bumpy and lumpy tyres. One Marathon punctured itself - a DIY insider job involving a wire bead that had been split whilst being encouraged it to go on. The other tyre exploded at the Trek dealer whilst being coaxed into place with a bit more air pressure than is usually considered appropriate.

The supplied Bontragers are hanging up somewhere in the workshop... unloved and lonely.
... David[/QUOToh boy....it sounds like it is pointless for my wife to be carrrying a spare tube on her Powerfly.
Click to expand...
 
Over50 said:
For what its worth probably not much - I think the OP mentioned the Marathon's performance didn't change after a break-in period: My Spot (urban commuter not electric) came with Kendas (700x35c). They didn't have a model name on them so I guess they were an OEM exclusive but the closest I could find when looking for them on-line cost about $10 per tire. I switched them out for Bontrager Hard Case Ultimates at about $40 per tire. I was looking for puncture protection and performance.

It definitely required an adjustment on my part to get used to the difference. The Bontragers had much stiffer side walls. The first time I took a turn with the Bontragers on wet pavement the bike almost went out from under me. I realized the that the Kendas were so soft they were probably flattening out in the turns whereas the Bontragers were not. I don't think the softness is necessarily a good thing (pinch flats, sidewalls cracking over time...). I gave the Bontragers a break-in period and it was worth it. Now after 4-500 miles they are riding really nice. I know the Hard Case Ultimates also have a lot more puncture protection than the stock Kendas. They look great too. I just had to allow for that break-in period during which I had to make the adjustment in riding style (mostly in turns) where I knew there wasn't much flex in the sidewalls.
Click to expand...
Yes well said! I have put 500 miles on the Schwalbe Moto x which at first I was not impressed with. Now I am becoming warmer to them. I am not sure how much of the change is the tires breaking in or my adjusting my riding style to their characteristics
 
My Riese & Muller Homage came with a pair of Schwalbe 50-622 (28x2) Big Bens that I promptly replaced with Schwalbe Marathon Supreme HS 469s at the beginning of August. The Supremes were a great road tire in the dry summer weather, not good at all on trails. They were quite and gave me an exta 5 miles on a charge with their low rolling resistance.

FireShot Pro Screen Capture #062 - 'Big Ben HS 439 I Schwalbe Tires North America' - www_schwa...jpg FireShot Pro Screen Capture #061 - 'Marathon Supreme HS 469 I Schwalbe Tires North America' - ...jpg

When the weather turned, the road started getting wet and the leaves started falling the Marathon Supremes started feeling more than a bit in adequate. After doing the research I settled on a pair of Marathon Mondial HS 428s They definitely sing a little tune as opposed to the whisper quiet Supremes. They are a spot slower and don't get the same distance out of a charge but they are so much more sure footed in less than ideal conditions.

FireShot Pro Screen Capture #060 - 'Marathon Mondial - Schwalbe Professional Bike Tires' - www...jpg

I will definitely put the Supremes back on in the spring. but for now the Mondials are just what the doctor ordered.
 
Timpo said:
yeah when I'm done with Schwalbe, I'm thinking about switching back to Kenda or something more high grip.
Honestly I feel this is a bit of safety hazard especially in the rain.
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I did and won't look back. But it's more of a model issue than brand name. Please indicate the MODEL of tire, rather than just "KENDA".

Braindead here will look at mine to get the model name...
 
David Berry said:
Steve ...
There was one overwhelming problem with the Bontragers: the tyres simply would not separate from the rims. I had a puncture one day that required a tyre change. Nothing that I had with me could fit between the rim and the tyre to begin the fight to get the brute off. Taxi time.

Back home, I brought out my medieval torturer-certified instruments of persuasion. These included an enormous tyre plier gadget from Park Tools, two screwdriver-sized rubber-tipped levers from IceToolz and generous quantities of Schwalbe's Easy Fit (Ha!) mounting fluid.

I have no idea whether the tyres or the rims were to blame (both?), but I determined to swap over to 57 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTBs. They refused to go on properly and I was left riding an ebike with a pair of bumpy and lumpy tyres. One Marathon punctured itself - a DIY insider job involving a wire bead that had been split whilst being encouraged it to go on. The other tyre exploded at the Trek dealer whilst being coaxed into place with a bit more air pressure than is usually considered appropriate.

The supplied Bontragers are hanging up somewhere in the workshop... unloved and lonely.
... David
Click to expand...
sounds like my wife won,t be fixing her own flats on her Powerfly (-:
 
Commuter said:
On my road bike, I can swap out a tube from a flat in under 5 minutes. On an ebike, forget about it.
Click to expand...
My experience exactly. Perhaps, change the five minutes to ten, but the point is the same.
 
Just did my 1st e-bike tire change today. Warrantied Schawalbe marathon arrived so I took off the Kenda and installed the marathon.( Wife wanted the tires to match, the kenda didn't have a reflective stripe. )... This was just the front tire and it's a quick release but it took me a good 45 minutes. I haven't changed a bike tire in 50 years. Getting both beads on the rim was of course the hardest part, I tried in vain to do it with just my hands but ended up needing to use plastic tire irons. I think I could do it in half the time now, the rear? forgetaboutit.
 
Commuter said:
On my road bike, I can swap out a tube from a flat in under 5 minutes, mid commute. On an ebike, forget about it. I'll call someone to pick me up and swap it out at home where I have the proper setup. Due to this, I value flat resistance over grip. It just requires an added amount of anticipation when wet.
Click to expand...


I could not agree more.. Flat 'protection' is absolutely primary for me. That's why I chose theSchwalbes below for my commuter and mountain e-bikes...
The Schwalbe Marathon Plus has 'saved' me once already. I picked up a large chunk of metal that went through the tread and into the
5mm layer between the tread and the tube...No problem. Still riding the same tire/tube combo.. : )

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/road_tires/Marathon_Plus_HS440

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/off-road_tires/marathon_plus_mtb
 
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