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When Schwalbe pulled the Marathon XR tyre off the market, bike tourers worldwide were up in arms that the best tyre around was no longer available. When Schwalbe came back a year later with the Mondial, long distance travellers around the world were relieved to say the least…
Why?
The Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tyres have a HUGE wear life. Lots of cyclists have achieved over 20,000km on these with very few punctures.
I recommend using the folding Schwalbe Mondial tyres for long distance, mixed-terrain touring – despite the higher price. The folding version uses Double Defence protection which works out tougher than the Performance protection of the wire bead model. Not only do you get superior puncture protection, but there’s always the risk that wire can blow out the side of your wire bead tyre on demanding tours. Folding tyres all the way!
Why?
– The longest lasting touring tyre I’ve ever used (25,000km+ on a loaded tandem).
– 9/10 long distance bicycle tourers agree that this is the best all-round touring tyre out there.
– I’ve only had 2-3 slow leaks (from thorns) in 25000km+.
– Fast enough on bitumen roads that you don’t feel like you’d be better off with a slicker tyre.
– A decent amount of grip on the rougher roads considering the hard-wearing properties of the tyre.
– Great grip in the wet.
Why Not?
– Only available in wider sizes.
– The folding models are twice the price of the wire bead (US $90 vs US $45).
– Slippery in muddy conditions.
Price
US $90 (Folding bead)
Similar Products
Schwalbe Marathon Dureme
Schwalbe Marathon Plus
