Tyres for the Turbo

[Tonqin]

Hi everyone, just about down to the canvas on my original tyres and there are so many cuts that it's time for new tyres.
Has anyone ridden on Schwalbe Marathon (Plus), G-One speed or Energizer Plus?
Looking for a fast tyre but heard the puncture resistance on Marathons is amazing. Anyone comment on fast cornering grip and wet performance on the Schwalbe range?
Of course recommendations from all brands is welcome.
Appreciate input good or bad on these - cheers.

 

[bazzapage]

I have Energizer Plus with 5000km on them. No signs of wear, no punctures, nice ride feel. I ride 50-55 psi. Only negative is that they are not as good in the wet as the Specialized tyres that came on the bike. A minor compromise.

 

[Tonqin]

Thats encouraging Bazzapage, I see you live in Auckland as well so your conditions will be the same. So the Energizers not as good as the Specialized slick tread tyres? or did yours come with the treaded tyres? Also did you buy locally as I wasn't sure local bike shops would stock these.

 

[bazzapage]

Compared to the slicks. I bought mine from Bike24 in Germany. Hard to find here in the right sizes.

 

[eagamer80]

I just recently bought the Schwalbe Marathon Plus 47-662 and frankly are the best tyres I have had so far for this bike. They look amazing, make the bike really fast (with the proper inflation) and feels like you have a good grip all the time due to the width. I just did around 250 km with these already, but no regrets. I attach you some picture from after installing it in the rear part of the wheel. They fit properly with the fenders, but I had to make some fender adjusting because the tyres were really close to the fenders, but not big deal, they are the proper size for the Turbo version.

 

[jwb]

I put Marathon Supreme 42-622 on mine and I run them at 75PSI. They are noticeably more efficient than the Specialized Electrak tires. They are also more expensive than wheels :-/

 

[jwb]

I just recently bought the Schwalbe Marathon Plus 47-662 and frankly are the best tyres I have had so far for this bike. They look amazing, make the bike really fast (with the proper inflation) and feels like you have a good grip all the time due to the width. I just did around 250 km with these already, but no regrets. I attach you some picture from after installing it in the rear part of the wheel. They fit properly with the fenders, but I had to make some fender adjusting because the tyres were really close to the fenders, but not big deal, they are the proper size for the Turbo version.

What's proper inflation for you? I was really amazed how much faster I was riding with these tires. Normally I keep around 32 km/h but after I put these on I noticed I was doing about 40 km/h everywhere, at ECO70. I thought maybe I had an exceptional tailwind, but I turned around and went the other way and ruled that out. Like you, I have only a few hundred km on mine, but so far I am impressed.

 

[bazzapage]

I was really amazed how much faster I was riding with these tires. Normally I keep around 32 km/h but after I put these on I noticed I was doing about 40 km/h everywhere, at ECO70. I thought maybe I had an exceptional tailwind, but I turned around and went the other way and ruled that out. Like you, I have only a few hundred km on mine, but so far I am impressed.

I don't think the difference could be in the tyres. There will be at most 10-20W difference between one tyre and the next. Perhaps the difference is that you have gone to a smaller overall diameter and so your speedo is reading more. But I'd expect that difference to be 1-2km/h.
I have 47c Energizers (similar to Marathon) and run less than 60psi. Any more and I think I am putting the spokes and my bum at risk. Since I have a motor I prioritise comfort over maximum efficiency.
I'll be interested in your long-term experience with Marathon Supreme - they are harder to find, more expensive, lighter and possibly more 'compliant', but less puncture-proof than the others in the Marathon/Energizer family.

 

[jwb]

Ha yeah there's no way that on the balance of forces a set of tires can make you go 25% faster! They just feel good on the road and make me want to ride harder. I always hated those Electraks.

 

[jwb]

Speaking of the cyclocomputer, is it possible to program the wheel circumference? I don't see anything about it in the manual.

 

[Tonqin]

Will there be much difference in speed error between 38 or 40 to 45mm?
Seems like most tyre sizes go from 38 or 40 straight to 47.

 

[Richard Spensley]

I bought a pair of Marathon Plus HS 440 700cX38 tyres to replace my worn out Specialised 700cX45 slicks (after approx 4000kms) that came with the base Turbo as they were getting punctured once a month and it was costing me so I decided to replace them with something more puncture resistant.

The Marathon Plus tyres are great, I have tried them at full psi of 85 and they made the ride very hard so I dropped them down to about 60. They do feel a little different to the slicks and I'm not sure that I trust them as much for their grip. Somehow they feel a little "wobbly" or at least they are sensitive to little tracks in the road which they seem to follow more than the stock slicks did. However, 1000kms and no punctures makes me happy. We'll see how they hold up in the Auckland winter over the next few months!

PS, I bought them from Chain Reaction Cycles in the UK for only £45 for the pair, £60 incl shipping to NZ! About the same price as one tyre here in NZ!

 

[Tonqin]

I bought a pair of Marathon Plus HS 440 700cX38 tyres to replace my worn out Specialised 700cX45 slicks (after approx 4000kms) that came with the base Turbo as they were getting punctured once a month and it was costing me so I decided to replace them with something more puncture resistant.

The Marathon Plus tyres are great, I have tried them at full psi of 85 and they made the ride very hard so I dropped them down to about 60. They do feel a little different to the slicks and I'm not sure that I trust them as much for their grip. Somehow they feel a little "wobbly" or at least they are sensitive to little tracks in the road which they seem to follow more than the stock slicks did. However, 1000kms and no punctures makes me happy. We'll see how they hold up in the Auckland winter over the next few months!

PS, I bought them from Chain Reaction Cycles in the UK for only £45 for the pair, £60 incl shipping to NZ! About the same price as one tyre here in NZ!

Richard, I'm almost sold on the Marathon Plus but in the 47 size, do you think the change in grip and stability is the narrower size or the rubber? I'm probably one of the few that like the slicks and I'd buy them again except that they are prone to glass punctures. I do value grip very highly. Also were the Marathons hard to mount? Cheers.

 

[Richard Spensley]

Richard, I'm almost sold on the Marathon Plus but in the 47 size, do you think the change in grip and stability is the narrower size or the rubber? I'm probably one of the few that like the slicks and I'd buy them again except that they are prone to glass punctures. I do value grip very highly. Also were the Marathons hard to mount? Cheers.

To be honest, I really don't know if it is due to a thinner tyre or the hardness of the rubber compound/tyre pattern. I too really liked the stock slick tyres but the tiny glass pieces just kept worming their way through, as well as small pins/pieces of metal etc. I didn't really fancy having to take the slicks off every week to pick the bits out of them.

The Marathons were not hard to put on at all, very similar to Continental Ultra Gatorskins really, quite a stiff inner rim but fine with the right tools.

The main reason I didn't buy Marathon HS440 tyres in the 47 size is that I found the stock slicks were already at the width limit of the Specialized fender kit and I thought that wider tyres might start spraying me outside of the mudguards. I was also used to riding on a 700x28 tyre from my previous road bike so the wide tyres felt very strange at first, soft and wide and almost like they were sticky, like F1 tyres. The Marathons feel like they have less rolling resistance (less grip?). Like I said, I'll find out how they hold up in the wet conditions over the next few months.

If grip is the main factor for you then stick with the stock slicks, or maybe look at the other Specialized armadillo tyres which may have more armour than the ones that came with the base Turbos? I think the new Turbo S and the new Vado come with different tyres that might be possible to source as replacements?

 

[eagamer80]

What's proper inflation for you? I was really amazed how much faster I was riding with these tires. Normally I keep around 32 km/h but after I put these on I noticed I was doing about 40 km/h everywhere, at ECO70. I thought maybe I had an exceptional tailwind, but I turned around and went the other way and ruled that out. Like you, I have only a few hundred km on mine, but so far I am impressed.

Hi, well, there's no specific measure for inflation as it depends on the road and weather conditions, your weight, etc. The best you can do is not get over or below the limits specified on the wheel (PSI) and then, depending on the previous factors I mentioned, do your adjustments. I think is very personal. You need to find the proper preassure where you feel more comfortable without surpassing the limits specified by the manufacturer. With the Marathon plus wheels, as they have round borders, there is less surface contact with the road, so the resistance is also much less making the riding on asphalt smoother. I guess they wouldnt be the best wheels to ride on mud or slippery surfaces, but this bike is not made for off-road cycling anyway, so...

 

[eagamer80]

Ready for the harsh winter. These new 2.0 Schwalbe Marathon Winter tyres (622-50) makes a whole lot of difference compared to my previous 622-42 which I tried before (very unstable for this heavy bike). Now I can climb a glacier. The only down-side was that I had to remove the mudguards, they were for max 622-47 size. I have to use a mudguard fixed to the seat post for the rear wheel.