SchwalbeMarathon Plus 700c Tire (HS 440)(Return to Product Page)

Cross country touring.

Ride on pavement and packed dirt or grass whenever I can find them. Very happy with these tires.

I currently ride a Specialized Sirrus Elite fitnesshybrid bicycle with 700x28c Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. I also own a recumbent with Schwalbe 1.5 inch Marathon tires. These tires are extremely dependable. I have experienced very few flats during or after riding approx. 2000 miles per year on paved roads and local rail trails with a crushed limestone surface. The Schwalbe Marathon is well known as a dependable and long lasting touring tire. Delivery was on time and the price was the best I could find anywhere. All , No -

Harold

I used this tire last year on a 4270 mile cross country tour with only one flat. The rolling and puncture resistance are excellent. Schwalbe's entire line of tires and tubes are first rate. They are a bit pricey but a bargain because they last so long.

I just ordered my second pair of these tires, 700x32, for my touring bike. The pair I ordered last year have taken me over 4000 miles without one single flat. And I rode across the Southern Tier where I encountered glass-filled shoulders, gravel roads, and goathead thorns. My husband had several flats with his Bontragers on the tour, but once he switched to these Schwalbes in Texas, he also had no more flats. I won't use any other tire for touring.

They are difficult to install initially due to their stiffness, I can't say if it's easier once they've been on the wheel for many miles since I have never had to change the tire! They are also heavier than other tires, but for me the extra weight and difficulty installing are worth it.

This is my second set of Schwalbe tires that I use mostly for recreational riding, 2,000 to 2,500 miles year, with some light touring. I got the plus designation this time and am finding them to be a very sluggish ride. Here in West Virginia I do not leave my driveway without crossing a short and steep hill, and those conditions persist wherever I ride in these hills. My ride times are slower and knees more stressed with the poor rolling qualities. No question this is a durable brand, but if you live in the mountains, particularly the steep-graded mountains of the East, I would give it a second thought before buying these.

I just purchased a pair of 700 x 32 Marathon Plus tires (2013 version) for my new Specialized Sirrus Sport, and they are really nice. Very quiet, and I don't have to run them at 85 pounds (60 works just fine, and helps the ride!) I have the 38mm version on my LHT tourer, and love them as well (over 2K miles in 1 year, and they still look new!) Thanks Western Bike Works!

I have installed these on my wife's road bike because we live in the desert near Palm Springs and thorns are a common problem for cyclists getting flats. These may be the most rugged tires I've seen. The good news is that I think she's had one flat in five years (friends have had multiple flats in a month). The bad news is that these are accordingly stiff and challenging to install, especially when new. Last time I used zip ties and this really helped. YMMV.

I have these tires on my touring/commuter bike. It's a very large steel bike, used by a very large very heavy rider. And I ride hard and fast. I have had the same pair on my bike for almost 7 years. There's still a lot of life left in them. All of my riding is done in the inner-city and highway touring. I weigh well over 250 pounds. My bike is a double extra large, steel monster that weighs a lot on its own. I have had it loaded up with for panniers, saddle and handlebar bags, and three large water bottles. The bike was carrying well over 300 pounds of weight and I took it on Northern California isingle track. Not only did I not get a flat, my wheels are bang-on true. They have been dead true for almost 7 years with these tires on them. I true my own wheels, but have not had to touch these.

I have gotten two flats over seven years caused by nails penetrating the tire, which is something that is inevitable if you are riding inner city. I ride 700 x 42. Are they heavy? Heck yeah they're heavy! Heavy and bombproof. Get off that 700/23 fanboy bandwagon. Skinny tires are way overrated. And actually not faster than fat tires. Read up. I average 23 miles an hour across the city on these things, and that is navigating people, dogs, and cars so I think that is reasonably fast. . And yes, I have had extremely light carbon fiber bikes with skinny tires on them. Were they faster? Yes. But also extremely uncomfortable to ride for any length of time. And any blemish on the roadway would give me a flat. I actually attribute the speed to the sub 15 pound bicycle more than a skinny tires.

I heart fat tires!!!

Get you some.

I bought 32 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus to replace the 28's (a Bontrager and a Continental) on my Trek Pilot. Before the purchase I read many reviews and knew the sobering advice that these were hard to mount, especially on tubeless-ready rims. My Trek has tubeless-ready Ultegra 6700 rims. Before mounting the Schwalbe's, I watched a few YouTube videos of the mounting procedure for that tire. Especially helpful was the strategy of working the second side of the tire halfway onto the rim and then securing it with zip ties at 3 and 9 o'clock. Installation was then easy without use of any other tools. I would not say that the tire is terribly tight. The difficulty is that the sidewalls are so stiff that getting the second side on the rim is like wrestling a live snake. When I worked one section on, the section I let go of hopped off. The zip ties were a terrific solution. There was no problem getting the tube tucked safely inside. I was almost disappointed that I didn't have to puff and strain to complete the installation. The trick is mental, not physical.

I am carrying the zip ties with my spare inner tube. I used to carry 2 spare tubes, so some weight saved there.

On the road, 32 miles, the Marathon Plus handled lighter than I expected, though obviously I am giving up something from the 28's. They didn't wobble at all after going up to full pressure, and rode well on asphalt at 70 PSI. For once I didn't bother to avoid the broken glass that I knew was there.

I probably should wait to review the tire, but I wanted to pass on the mounting information while it was fresh in my mind. I expect thousands of miles with no flats. No worries.

I won't buy any other tire for commuting. I have never flatted in these, period. I ride all year long in the Midwest. The tread also lasts a long time. Fantastic tire.

These tires have good tread that is solid traction in all conditions. Especially, stable on wet pavement. They also provide a more stable and smoother ride than other road tires. The reflective ring provides more visibility at night.

A pair of the 700x38mm came on my Salsa Marrakesh that I bought in 2016 as an incentive to get back on a bike after a hip replacement at age 75. Now, 3 years later, I just flipped past 13,000 miles and the tires still have some tread depth. I only had one flat, from a piece of wire that entered through the sidewall. I ride mostly in urban Seattle where broken glass sparkles on the streets along with scattered drywall screws, hose clamps and other debris. The Marathons take it all in stride.

I am a big fan of Schwalbe Tires. I recently completed a "unsupported" trans-America bike adventure using the Schwalbe tires. Covering over 4200 miles in daily riding, I was pleasantly surprised with the quietness and grip of the tires, the way they easily adjusted to well-paved, rough asphalt, and gravel roads without a single tire failure. Last, but not least, the tires had plenty of life (tread) remaining after covering that distance

I use these for commuting and rail trail riding. They are great tires. I have about 500 miles on them now and they show little if any wear. I ride about 80 or more miles a week and these are my tire of choice due to there durability and lower rolling resistance.

I recently did 151 miles in 3 days on the Sparta 400 series of trails and these did well, they are not quite as good as other tires in soft ground and really not made for sandy spots but I was actually pleasantly surprised how well they handled that rail trail over all.

These tires corner very well, very good grip on asphalt.

One thing I will mention, these are not the tires I will use for winter, I use the Schwalbe GT 365's for that. I will also use the GT 365's if I am going to ride mostly soft or a little more technical terrain.

As an over all commuter or hard pack tire these are absolutely awesome. Buy them and ride them with confidence.

Before buying the tire, I read some reviews to the effect that the tire was made out of baloney skins and wouldn't last 2 weeks, etc. I read some good reviews too. I bought the tire and put it on the rear of my Giant Escape 2. After having owned, and used, the tire for a year and a half; and after having put about 2,000 - 2,500 miles on it, I give it two thumbs up. Typically, I ride 30-50 miles a week (depending on the weather). During vacation, I ride considerably more. The tire rides great and shows very little wear! In my opinion, the tires are NOT made out of baloney skins. Rather, it's the "Nay Sayers" that are full of baloney.

I use these on my hybrid street bike that I ride 10-12 miles daily.

I've been using these for years. They ride smoothly, are durable, and resist punctures.

The reflective stripe is a bonus.

My last tire just like this one lasted 6000 miles. Never had a flat. We have sand spurs in Florida which cause frequent flat tires. These tires are worth every penny.

Bought as a spare for the original tire. I have had no issues with the original in about 4000 miles of riding. No flats.