god there heavy! Marathon plus with slime inner tubes!

jjojjas

Got so hacked off with punctures that I splashed out on marathon plus tyres and slime puncture proof innerstubes over Christmas, today was my first ride in (Illness) and my god there heavy :shock:
Just so you know if your thinking about it
Jas

redjedi

I am just about to buy a set of Marathon Pluses myself.

Apart from being heavy, what are they like to ride on?

(How heavy are we talking btw?)

ChrisLS

...they are heavy, but they do the job. Ideal for commuting...

jjojjas

they handle well, for a brand new tyre. I have a few bikes and I usually find my first 30 mile or so are a little steady, but not these, they really feel planted to the ground. I heard horror stories about fitting them, but they were a doddle (700x35c, so thinner ones may be harder). They do seem a little "hard" on the ride though, well compared to the old knackered ones I took off.
I put the normal Marathons on my wifes and they seem well protected also, admittedly then Plus have a thicker tread wall with the puncture protection in, so they will be heavier.
Weight wise, well I did notice it, but to be fair, I fitted the puncture proof inner tubes with the goo in them at the same time. The inner tubes are very heavy with that liquid in them:shock: So I think if your phased by the weight, try them with normal tubes in, they'll be lighter obviously.
So far I like them. I'm hoping to avoid changing the rear tube in the dark /rain on the way home at nights
Jas

PrettyBoyTim

Surely with the Marathon Plusses you should be able to dump the slime tubes? No wonder they're heavy!

t4tomo

Agree with PBT, Plus's and slime tubes is a bit belt and braces.

cntl

>>and slime puncture proof innerstubes

Completely unnecessary from MY experience.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

Thats it, I have had enough. No punctures in 5 years with the continental sports contacts and now I have had 7 in 6 weeks. Just ordered some marathon plus's 700 x 25.

jjojjas

t4tomo wrote:

Agree with PBT, Plus's and slime tubes is a bit belt and braces.

yeah, your probably quite right, but after 23......yes twenty bloody three punctures in november I was getting a tad pissed off

jjojjas

Just readFatBlokeFromFelixstowe post......how come so few punctures? you jammy git
I had 13 on my bike and 10 on my wifes just in November. Loads of bushes where I live...pyrocanthus I think there called - big thorned - then the council come and cut them all back and it spread all over the road.

Jas

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

jjojjas wrote:

Just readFatBlokeFromFelixstowe post......how come so few punctures? you jammy git
I had 13 on my bike and 10 on my wifes just in November. Loads of bushes where I live...pyrocanthus I think there called - big thorned - then the council come and cut them all back and it spread all over the road.

Jas

I must have just been very lucky as I do 120 miles a week. However things seem to be trying to catch up with me know but thankfully not as many as you . Up to now my continental sports contact have been excellent but I have been getting loads of flints recently and also on my rear the beading had come away from the sidewall.

redjedi

I ordered a set yesterday. Hopefully they will arrive before I get any more p******s.

If anyone is interested, they are on sale at All Terrain Cycles.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/108869.html

They are only £17.99 each plus £3.99 p+p. They have them all in stock, except for the 700x25 (the ones I want), but they are getting more this week.

Belv

Got my second marathon plus puncture in 2 months on Friday, so i wouldn't question this set up.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

Belv wrote:

Got my second marathon plus puncture in 2 months on Friday, so i wouldn't question this set up.

How do you find getting the tyre on and off ? I read they can be a bit of a swine.

Anonymous

Does using extra tubes, sliced and stems removed not enter anyone's mind? I know for 26 x 2.3 tires it's better than slime or anything else you can buy.

Useless for roadies.

Belv

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe wrote:

Belv wrote:

Got my second marathon plus puncture in 2 months on Friday, so i wouldn't question this set up.

How do you find getting the tyre on and off ? I read they can be a bit of a swine.

Getting the tyres on the first time was an absolute b*****d taking me over an hour and a half to fit 2 tyres! Second time was only slightly more awkward than normal. Haven't fixed Fridays puncture yet, but not anticipating any problems this time.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

Thanks, looking forward to that although in the fitment of my current tyre I have had to use a few choice words.

jjojjas

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe wrote:

Belv wrote:

Got my second marathon plus puncture in 2 months on Friday, so i wouldn't question this set up.

How do you find getting the tyre on and off ? I read they can be a bit of a swine.

This is one reason I was inclined to go for the slimed tubes, I heard they were a nightmare to put on/off. But the 35c I have were a doddle, seriously easy

jjojjas

bikers46 wrote:

Does using extra tubes, sliced and stems removed not enter anyone's mind? I know for 26 x 2.3 tires it's better than slime or anything else you can buy.

Useless for roadies.

funny you mention this, I used it on my rear on the D/H bike and got no more punctures. Never thought about it for the commuter/tourer though.
Jas

Anonymous

jjojjas wrote:

bikers46 wrote:

Does using extra tubes, sliced and stems removed not enter anyone's mind? I know for 26 x 2.3 tires it's better than slime or anything else you can buy.

Useless for roadies.

funny you mention this, I used it on my rear on the D/H bike and got no more punctures. Never thought about it for the commuter/tourer though.
Jas

'Been doing it since I was little kid. Always made sense to use an old tube rather than toss it.

Mayhemwmb

bikers46 wrote:

Does using extra tubes, sliced and stems removed not enter anyone's mind? I know for 26 x 2.3 tires it's better than slime or anything else you can buy.

Useless for roadies.

Please explain in simple speak what you mean, I assume you are on about cutting the valve stalk off old tubes, then cutting then round their circumference (sp)? and then fitting them over your new tube inside your tyre!!!!

Anonymous

Mayhemwmb wrote:

bikers46 wrote:

Does using extra tubes, sliced and stems removed not enter anyone's mind? I know for 26 x 2.3 tires it's better than slime or anything else you can buy.

Useless for roadies.

Please explain in simple speak what you mean, I assume you are on about cutting the valve stalk off old tubes, then cutting then round their circumference (sp)? and then fitting them over your new tube inside your tyre!!!!

Exactly. In almost all cases, the deflated tube sticks to the inside of the tire, making it very easy to just install a new tube into it. I've done this since I was just a 12 year old, close to 40 years.

HarveyP23

Hi

I've just got on a (mountain) bike again after 10 years (that makes me feel so old !) and did a very gentle road/bridleway trip over the weekend which was great but unfortunately I managed to pick up 2 punctures. The first was only 200yds from the end of our route and the second must have been a slow(ish) one as it was only flat by the time I'd washed the bikes down (some would say this was actually very fortunate in the respect it didn't happen halfway round our 10 mile route !).

I discussed with my mate what to do about preventing punctures in the future and I remember buying pink inner tubes that were virtually indestructible as I rode them very regularly (as I didn't have a car !) for 3-4 years without a single puncture and only lost them when the bike got pinched (I wonder if the thief ever got a flat ?!!!). I can't remember for the life of me what they were called though.

Can anyone remember what they were called and are they still manufacturing them ?

If not what would people recommend as an alternative ? It seems that repacing the tyres seems to be the preferred method and I've already been warned off slime......

BentMikey

How to avoid punctures? Don't ride in the gutter, and don't ride in cycle lanes/paths. Ride on the normal roads and stick mostly to the left hand wheel track of cars. Do a quick check of your tyres after each trip, using a pocket knife to remove any flints or bits of glass. Keep the tyres at a good pressure, somewhere around the max recommended by the manufacturer.

This works very well for me, I'm using pretty light and fast racing tyres on both my bikes since I'd rather have good handling and grip.

an rothar mor

BUMP

I just bought two 700x25 marathon plus last week from cycle basket cyclebasket.com for 15.20 each plus postage which seems to be pretty good value – tyres arrived in good order.
My current tyres are ok’ish so I will not fit them until end of summer (tempts fate) but I have read that they are absolute buggers to fit and so I found this tip on the web for reference http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/Mara ... VIEWth.jpg
which hopefully works.

regards

redvee

I've got std Marathons with slime in the rear, not got round to doing the front yet but the rear has gone down slightly in the last few days. Been OK today but if it happens again then an hour away from TV/PC investigating. I have had no probs getting the Marathons off my rims.

Stuww

I love my 26" SMP tyres, I've commuted 80 miles a week for over 6 months on them with zero punctures.

I don't use slime either.

Being 19 stone my tyres take quite a battering, I'll definately be specking SMP's on my next bike.

There great.

Stu

bear_bearson

I took my marathons off as I found them quite slow and cumbersome.

I then fitted Conti Top Touring which were a joy to ride on after the marathons.

I've ridden over 3000 miles with no problems.