Tag: Schwalbe

Bike tires for touring including Marathon.

Categories
Touring Bike Tires

More About the Best Touring Tire

Schwalbe Marathon Dureme
The Schwalbe Marathon Dureme

I enjoy reading the posts and looking at the pictures on the Pondero blog. The latest post happens to be a review of the Schwalbe Marathon Dureme tire. Check it out and look at some of his other articles while you’re at it. Good stuff.

I copied the following from the Road Bike Rider website. While not normally a great source of information for the touring bicycler I think the question and the reply at least provide a starting point for a reasoned decision about tire selection.

Are 25mm Tires Better than 23mm Tires?
Question:

I found out yesterday from my LBS owner that I’m apparently late to the party moving up to 25mm tire width. I’m told all the pros have switched. Is this why I’ve been able to buy 700X23 tires on-line so reasonably? – Seth S.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies:

Yes, there has definitely been a move toward wider road tires, and I suspect that’s why shops and websites are putting 23s on sale.

A number of studies, most notably by Jan Heine in Bicycle Quarterly (www.bicyclequarterly.com), have shown that wider tires roll faster on all but the smoothest pavement if the tires have supple casings.

Wider tires also tend to be more comfortable because of the increased air volume and because they don’t have to be inflated as much to avoid pinch flats. They corner on bumpy pavement better because they don’t bounce around on the rough asphalt like narrow tires tend to do if they are inflated hard.

The weight difference between the same tire in a 23 and a 25 — or even 28 — is minimal. The extra few grams are more than compensated for by increased comfort and performance.

The only drawback is that many race-oriented frames won’t accept anything larger than a 25, or in some cases a 23. Manufacturers are remedying this, in large part because pro racers in events like Paris-Roubaix that features rough pavement and cobblestones are going to wider rubber. A good example of a carbon race-oriented bike that can handle a 28 is the Specialized Roubaix.

I’m a convert. I’m running Michelin Pro Race 25s (which are more like 28s) and Conti 4Season Grand Prix 28s on all my bikes except my old Litespeed Vortex, which will only handle 25s. I made the switch some years ago due to the extremely rough pavement here in western Colorado. We have a variety of chip seal, potholes, convex patches and grass-filled cracks, but while narrow tires beat me up, 28s smooth things out considerably.

I haven’t noticed any difference in speed — maybe a slight increase — but the added comfort is what sold me. I used the Conti 28s on the Pacific Crest Tour this summer and even on the relatively smooth pavement of Washington and Oregon, they made a significant difference in efficiency over the two-week event.

And while we’re at it the Schwalbe tire company has a page about tire size and rolling resistance. It’s interesting to note that, at a given pressure, a wider tire has less rolling resistance than a skinny tire. Obviously a skinny tire can be inflated to a higher pressure but the trade off is a less comfortable ride.
a rolling resistanc graph

So don’t just assume that replacing the tires on your mountain bike or touring bike with some skinny, punishing race tires will make your commute better. Might want to consider the construction and tread pattern too. Maybe a little wider tire will still allow you to punk the other commuters on your route and yet not beat you up before you even get to work!

Categories
Drivetrain Touring Bike Components

Schwalbe Marathon Mondial

(Update 2/20/2012 – The Bike Touring News store now has the Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires in stock in 700 x 35c and 700 x 40c sizes in the folding version. The 26 x 2″ folding tire is due to hit North America in March,2012.)

Marathon Mondial 622
The new (2012) Schwalbe Marathon Mondial touring tire

The Schwalbe Marathon XR is frequently hailed as the best expedition/long lasting touring tire out there. The ‘XR’ was synonymous with ‘Schwalbe’, in fact, along with the regular Marathon, some think the XR helped build Schwalbe a good name and customer base. Unfortunately, in 2009 Schwalbe decided to discontinue the model. Other tires stepped in to fill the void, namely the Dureme and Extreme and the Plus Tour, but none of those had all the features that made the XR so popular.

Recently I read about a new tire- the Marathon Mondial. According to Sean at Schwalbe North America:
“……the Mondial is not a direct replacement to the Marathon XR, more of the next step in the evolution of the tire. Compared to the XR the Mondial will have the SnakeSkin sidewall which is an additional rubber coated aramid layer which helping to prevent sidewall cuts and abrasions. The Mondial also gets a modified triple rubber compound which we call TravelStar, the compound will increase road performance while also increasing the durability.”
For more information I went to the global Schwalbe website and found this about the TravelStar compound:
The Marathon Mondial has “State of the Art” TravelStar Triple Compound. Under the tread centre lies an elastic mixture for easy rolling, while there is a grippy rubber compound, for cornering traction on the tyre´s shoulder. In the middle of the tread an abrasion-resistant, harder compound offers low rolling resistance for thousands of miles.
Unpredictable gravel roads and potholes, acacia thorns: these are the treacherous tyre killers. Protection may come down to the smallest of margins such as the durability of the rubber mixture. The lightweight extremely densely woven High Density puncture protection belt reliably protects against punctures and ruptures. The light but sturdy “Snakeskin” protection provides maximum reinforcement against sharp objects that would otherwise cut the sidewall.

According to the catalog cuts I have seen, the folding version of this tire will have the TravelStar compound and the Snakeskin casing while the wire bead versions will have Schwalbe’s “Endurance” compound and their RaceGuard casing which is a double layer of nylon fabric.

Look for the folding tire in sizes 26×2, 26×2.15, 700×35 and 700×40. The wire bead tires will come in 26×2, 700×35 and 700×40 sizes. Availability in the US will be October 2011 for  limited sizes and 2012 for the complete lineup. Prices will range from $48.00 to $90.00 depending on size and version.

This thread at crazyguyonabike gets a little out of hand, but in a good, funny way.

 

Categories
Drivetrain Touring Bike Components

Tire Sizes – Actual vs. Nominal

I had a question from a customer about actual widths for some models of the Schwalbe Marathon tires we carry. He is concerned about getting tires that will fit without rubbing on his fenders. I figure others probably have the same questions, so I have compiled a chart showing the actual measurements of some of the tires we carry. I will be updating and adding to the list. If there is a tire you want to know about, and it is not shown, just post it on the comments and I will try to provide actual dimensions for you.

I was going to go into some detail about tire sizing nomenclature but, as usual, the late great Sheldon Brown does a better job than anybody else could. So if you are unsure about what the size markings on your tires mean, check out Sheldon’s page.

All tires will be marked or stamped with the size. 700c and 28″ are two different nomenclatures for the same diameter.

As can be seen a 700c or 28" tire is actually neither. The numbers refer to the diameter of the tire when mounted on a rim and inflated.
The ISO/ERTRO measurement is the first pair of numbers

The ISO/ERTRO number is the most important in determining if a tire will fit on a particular rim. The second number in the pair is the diameter of the rim measured where the tire bead will seat.

This tire has a 622 ERTRO diameter and will fit on any rim with the same diameter measured to the points where the tire bead seats.

So called 29’r tires fit on rims with an ERTRO diameter of 622, but generally have a more voluminous casing so the overall diameter and widths will be greater.

So on to the Tire Width Chart. I measured the width of the inflated tire with a pair of calipers. The “height” is measured from the outer edge of the rim to the road contact surface of the inflated tire.

Measuring width
The "height" measurement
Chart shows nominal vs actual tire sizes.
Schwalbe Tire Width Chart
Categories
Austin to New Orleans Tour Planning Resources

Tour Preparation, Day Two – Bike Maintenance

Back when I used to race (and I use that term loosely) my road bike I made it a rule to never do any maintenance on the bike the day before or the day of the race more involved than putting air in the tires. The reason being I always wanted time to do a shakeout ride before race day to make sure everything was working properly. The same rule applies when I go touring.

The chain on my bike was worn, so I replaced it. How do I know it was worn? Because a new chain has a pitch,or distance between links, of exactly 1/2 inch. A quick measurement showed how much my chain had “stretched”

One end of the old chain...still about 1/2" between pins and the wear is not readily apparent, but.....
25 inches away the chain has "stretched" about 1/16"

Of course the chain doesn’t actually stretch, the material on the pins and on the links wears away resulting in a new pitch. Over time the teeth on the rear wheel cogs and on the front chainrings will wear to mesh with the new pitch. Then when a new chain is put on, one with a 1/2 inch pitch, it will not lay evenly on the teeth of those other drivetrain components and those will need to be replaced as well or the chain will jump and skip when pedaling. New chains are relatively cheap so I say when in doubt, whip it out.

I will carry a small chain tool with me as well. Chains seldom break, but if they do it could leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere. I will carry the cut off section of a few links from the new chain along with a spare quick link. I’m sure an internet search will reveal a number of videos on how to repair and replace a chain so I will not duplicate that here.

I decided to replace my rear tire as well and take the old one as a spare. The Panaracer T-Serv tire had over 2000 miles of multi surface riding on it and it still has some life in it. I just would rather start out with a fresh tire on this trip. I will be using the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme, my first experience with Schwalbe tires. I will report on that later.

Panaracer T-Serv with over 2000 hard miles
Relatively pristine Panaracer T-Serv with only around 1000 miles on it.

I was a little surprised to see that the Schwalbe tire was a millimeter or so narrower than the Panaracer tires even though both tires are nominally 700 x 32.

Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700 x 32
Panaracer T-Serv 700 x 32

I still need to change my front rack and install the headlights but that’s enough for today.

Categories
Drivetrain Touring Bike Components

Bicycle Touring Tires

This is literally where the rubber meets the road. It’s sort of a boring topic but tire problems could end a bicycle tour quicker than almost anything I can think of. And a flat tire is probably the most likely mechanical repair a traveling bicycler will need to master. Luckily, there are many very good options when it comes to bicycle touring tires.
There is a wealth of information stamped on the side of a bicycle tire.  Here you will see the size of the tire. For example 700 X 32 for a 700c diameter tire or 26 X 1.75 for a 26 inch diameter tire.   The second number, after the “X”,  is an indication of the width of the inflated tire. Depending on your bike, you may either have 26 inch wheels or 700c wheels ( there are other sizes of wheels, such as 650b or 27 inch, but those are not as common)
You will want to carry one or two extra tires with you depending on how far it is between bike shops on your route. So make sure you know what size your bike takes. Most tires come in a “folding” version, which means the bead, or the part of the tire that hooks on the rim, is made of flexible material and the tire can be folded or rolled into a small package.

The width of your tires will affect rolling resistance, comfort and durability.
It may be counter-intuitive but for a given inflation pressure a wider tire will have lower rolling resistance than a narrower tire. And lower inflation pressure, to a point, means a silkier ride because of the greater air volume acting as a cushion.
A wider tire with more air volume will also help protect against pinch flats- the pinching of the inner tube between the tire and the wheel rim when hitting a sharp bump.

Tires with a smooth tread, even no tread, will work best for rides which will be mostly on paved surfaces. Bike tires behave differently than automobile tires and grooves in the tread of a bike tire do nothing to increase grip. In fact, the more rubber actually touching the road, the better. The tire maker Schwalbe explains this better than I can. If you’re riding off-road or on un-paved roads a knobby tread pattern is more important.

zion bike trip
note the 650B makes a great touring tire

Look for tires made specifically for touring or urban riding. These tires will have layers of  puncture resistant materials such as Kevlar or Aramid under the tread. Usually the casing of these tires will be strong enough to handle the extra weight and loads of a touring bicycle. Sometimes the rubber tread itself will be significantly thicker than the tread on a racing or training tire.

I have used the Panaracer brand T-Serv tire for my tours the last two years and I have been very happy with the performance. These are not super burly tires but I am not heavy and I travel relatively light. The tread wears very well on these tires and the Aramid belt works well to prevent punctures. The cord used in the casing is strong, but the tire is still supple and feels smooth to ride.

Schwalbe Marathon is a line of tires which includes tires made for bike touring.  Everything from tires for light touring to tires made for the extreme expedition adventure.

Don’t scrimp when it comes to buying tires. You will have enough things to worry about and enough challenges to keep you busy on your tour.