Love the balance between road & gravel with the tread pattern, and the volume is a dream in terms of cushioning. However, the suppleness comes at a cost when you consider the sidewalls. In my experience they are pretty thin and if you run your pressure too low they are quite prone to punctures, so just consider your pressure carefully.
I have used these tires for annual fully-loaded bike tours of from 2 to 5 months duration for the last 6 years. They wear like steel. I have had no more than 2 puncture flats the whole time and months of flat-free cycling. Last summer, I toured Europe for 5 months with a new set of these tires. They are still on my bike and working well for the daily rides I take around town.
I will ride through any weather condition, but ice always sketched me out. No more, I got studded tires! It was pretty funny when the last ice-storm shut down Portland. I was the only one in my office to make it in and I rode my bike!
Nothing will take you out faster than ice. The SCHWALBE MARATHON WINTER offers the puncture protection you expect from a Marathon tire plus a constellation of tiny studs to give you confidence on those frosty morinings. I wouldn't say this is a snow tire, because snow can take a lot of forms. But if theres ice in the mix this is the tire for you.
