Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre: 700c x 38mm Reflex Wired. HS 348, 40-622, Performance Line, SmartGuard

Product Information

The Marathon Plus 28c tire uses a wire bead with the ADDIX rubber compound being used in the tread. Underneath the tread, the SmartGuard anti puncture strip uses a proportion of recycled C50 rubber from old latex products.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres are essentially heavy duty, ultra reliable commu-touring tyres that inspire unprecedented confidence without feeling sluggish or barge-like, as the 970g weight for a pair would imply. Delivery times may be extended during the event as we, and our carriers will be processing a higher work load. Tyres will generally enlist a variety of compounds for different performance enhancements. Along the centre of the tyre, a harder compound tends to be used, being longer lasting and more resistant to punctures.The Schwalbe Marathon Plus is Schwalbe's most puncture resistant tour/e-bike tire. It also happens to be their best-selling tire, which tells us that people looking for these kind of tires value puncture resistance over a lower rolling resistance and weight. Ending up somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire isn't fun, but how much speed are you giving up with the Marathon Plus when compared to the regular Marathon? They are also e-bike ready with this model being E-25 (up to 25kph - UK assisted maximum), whilst others in the lineup are E-50 (up to 50 kph) compliant. Cycling is today considered a progressive form of personal transport that offers nothing but advantages – with one unfortunate exception: the tire puncture. Schwalbe identified this problem at an early stage and has continually set new milestones in matters of puncture protection. For example, Schwalbe offers touring and city tires that can call themselves “flat-less”. For high-performance cycling, our Tubeless Easy Technology combined with tire sealant also sets new benchmarks in preventing punctures. And almost all other Schwalbe tires have an integrated puncture protection belt. Schwalbe tires for the future.

Performance Line: Excellent quality for intensive use. They are the very best value for money tyres. Once out cycling, I was pleased how comfortable they were to ride with. I was surprised how well they hid their 750g weight too. The Laterite test bike came shod with Schwalbe Lugano II wired bead 25c tires, which are less than half the weight of the Marathons at 365g - and yet the Marathons felt more comfortable. Weight: 700x25c 595g / 700x28c 750g / 700x32c 810g / 700x35c 900g / 700x38c 960g, 26: 26x2.35 775g / 26x1.50 870g / 26x1.75 995g / 26x2.00 1100g, 27.5x1.50 920g

More From Bicycle Rolling Resistance

Wider tyres can be run at lower pressures than narrower tyres without increasing the risk of punctures. This can make them more comfortable and gives you more grip, useful if you are an all-weather cyclist. So, a few rides later I tried the same bend again. Conditions were broadly similar (9°C / 48°F this time) and I found the same thing. I had to straighten the bike up mid-corner as I didn't feel 100% secure. Note that with the Lugano tires there was no issue when ridden two days later. There is always a trade-off between puncture protection against speed, comfort and grip. If you want truly puncture-proof tyres, solid tyres are the choice for you. But for most people, the sacrifices are just too great.

Rolling resistance of the Marathon Plus is 20% higher. In an ideal world, puncture resistance should be 20% higher as well. Unfortunately, this isn't true, in the raw puncture test, which measures the force required to puncture the tire. Less force is needed to puncture the Marathon Plus (13 points) than the plain Marathon (14 points). The low raw puncture score indicates the material used in the Plus version is even softer and easier to puncture than the material utilized in the plain Marathon. The 28c tires weigh 750g each (which I confirmed with my scales). They also require an inner tube, rather than being tubeless compatible - but considering the puncture-proof credentials, sealant really would be overkill. The tires feature a reflective sidewall, which is good safety feature, particularly for night or winter commutes. RECYCLING. Also in the SmartGuard, we use a proportion of recycled C50rubber from old latex products. RECYCLING. Also in the SmartGuard, we use a proportion of recycled C50rubber from old latex products. There are pneumatic tyres that are effectively puncture-proof, significantly faster, and comfier. For the overwhelming majority of people these represent a far better compromise.NOTE: As of 2021, we've improved the puncture resistance tests and now provide 'Total Puncture Score' as the main puncture resistance indicator.