This comparison is a great service for people shopping for tires, thanks very much for making it. I have the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, I don't have much to compare them to, but I can say they are tough (I live in Utah and we have thorns everywhere). They are not the most agile I know that, but the way the conditions are around here, you really need puncture resistance unless you don't mind fixing flats. On edit: I would emphasize that I use my bike for commutes over varied surfaces and trips all around, so I find myself rolling over all sorts of surfaces.
Thank you! Maybe I don't do enough justice to the Marathon Plus. It's a very good tire and if one needs good puncture protection, the weight and the traction should not put them off. Also, the difference in many of these aspects is pretty small. Honestly, if I rode my bike with one of these tires mounted randomly and I was blindfolded, I'd crash my bike.... I mean, I'd have a hard time telling you which exactly it is.
i have on my road bike the marathon greenguard which i love and the marathon plus which i dont like the feel of,perhaps the puncture belt is just too thick.Both i havent had any punctures in few yrs use.
@@BikeCommuterHero thoughts on the marathon mondial in terms of weight, speed, comfort, grip, durability, puncture protection vs the continental ride tour vs the challenger gravel grinder?
Followed your recommendation and went for the Continental Contact Plus in size 42-622. Bought 2 pairs for my 2 commuter/trekking bikes. I am over the moon, the ride is so much better. The best tyres ever! Mounting them on my 19mm wide rims could not have been easier. It took me less than 3 minutes per wheel to get them on and inflated to the desired pressure. Absolutely incredible. So in contrast to your experience, no pinching of inner tube. Had this with the Marathon Plus, a real nightmare to mount. In addition, I was never really happy with the grip provided by the Schwalbes. I did however mount the tyres in my yard on a nice and sunny day. Left the tyres out in the sun for about 15 min. prior to installation. Could that have done the trick, i.e. by making the rubber more supple? Thank you so much for your excellent review.
The marathon plus is the tire I use. It's the best i ever use. I've had other brands but, NOT as good as the marathon plus. It can be a little harder to mount it on the rim but, that's normal for a tire as strong as this. It's also one of the most expensive tires. The marathon E-plus is even more expensive. For the modern bikes and E-bikes is the best. The most bikes I know use these tires. I used very cheap tires for a short time. That are the worst tires EVER. No procetion and these wear down extrremely fast. Then I used the RUMA Standard. Good but, not for longer than 7000km. Now I usethe marathon PLUS. Never had a flat for 7500km and still enough profile. They are the best I've ever used. Although I use thesecond set. After replacing it after 7600km. The protective layer (yellow) as showing.
Sam, this is an outstanding comparison - great job! Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this information. It is sincerely appreciated. I was trying to narrow down which tires I should choose and your video helped me with my decision. I ended up choosing the Continental Contact Plus and am very pleased with these tires so far. Thank you again and all the best.
can confirm the Marathon Plus is slippery up front, and bullet proof at 28mm. Testing out a 25mm at the moment. This tires works well in the back and paired with a suspension seat post like the Suntour NCX
Thanks to this video, i've decided to buy marathon over marathon plus. Puncture protection of simple version is good enough and have clear advantage in rolling and road/off Road grip. Thanks a lot!
Great video. Crazy how the prices specified are less than half of what they currently cost. You're telling me that in 2yrs the continental ride tour went from 15$ to 35$? Jeez!
I am 6’-4” tall and 255lbs Ride 20/day (RT) Average 16-20mph Las Vegas, NV-LV is booming in construction so there is a tons of build materials on the road (ie nails, wire, screws, plates, glass etc) 100% street riding (gravel) My Picks: Schwalbe Marathon (28x1.4) 60psi Continental Ride Tour (28x1.6) 60psi
Thanks for the great review !! Have you tried Vittoria Randonneur Double Shield Graphene. Have used them for approx. 10 years and has never punctured. Drives 2000-3000 km annually both for work in the summer and for cycling holidays with heavy packing. The tires weigh approx. 450 g and has good driving characteristics.
A good review, just one thing about RideTour - I have it for over three years now and one thing I really notice is the grip. It is always grips, even on loose gravel early in the spring, I think you can argue better why you don't give it more points in the durability round. The only person I know get a puncture with it was a 130 kg rider that use 28 mm narrow tiers at the time - on sharp gravel. Well, I am bias, I love these tiers. Also I really like that this clip isn't just marketing Schwalbe Marathon Plus!
I agree. I found the Schwalbe's unnerving in wet weather, felt as if they were going to wash out whilst cornering. They never did, but they never inspired confidence either. Been using Conti's for over a year, excellent mileage out of them and yes I've had the odd puncture but it can be counted on one hand. Handling/grip (for me) is okay on the road in all weathers. Great review 👍
Great video, thanks a lot! As a commuter i have used Specialized Espoirs with 30 mm width. I was very lucky with them over the last years. Unfortunately they are not offered anymore. Regarding your tips my next tire could be one of the recommended Contis. Never stop cycling! 😉
Thanks for this excellent video. I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus as the most puncture resistent, but I wanted to see what options there are with equal resistance but faster running. I'll give the contact plus a go.
This was very helpful. I think the only concern I have about Continental is a lot of reviews out there about super inconsistent sizing that's made me a bit cautious. I like the look of the WTB All Terrain, but wish it had some puncture resistance, and that's basically what the Ride Tour gets. But they sure seem like a good balance of features for the price, which is sweet.
Great video helpful and iformative. I try to find good tires for commuting, and I found your channel, and really got suprised when I realised your town is Budapest, so You know the conditions of the roads... I found your website too.
Clarification needed: In your review of the Marathon Plus in regards to grip: "The profile of this tire is pretty round and I thought the contact patch would be a bit too narrow with the road, but honestly, even on wet road, it offered plenty of grip." In this video, you said the continentals were a bit grippier than the Schwalbe tires. My understanding based on the measured rolling resistance of the aforementioned tires is that their grip is comparable to one another(Credit to BikeRollingResistance). Essentially, not significant enough to have an edge over the other. It would make for an interesting video to see a head to head, albeit with the newest contenders: Continental has put out a new Contact Urban tire that has better wet grip due to their new activated silica tire compound. Schwalbe has put out a new Marathon Almotion tire that has better grip utilizing their Addix compound. Anyhow... time for a new Video! As an anecdotal note: I've been using the Marathon Plus in Seattle going on 8 years now and have NEVER had the tire slip on corners. The one time I managed to make it slide, it was snowing and I was going down hill over 30 miles an hour on Seneca Street and noticed a red light a bit late. I still managed to stop and look like a professional stunt man with the bike skidding to a side stop... I.E. Lucky. Anyhow, I'd love to see an updated video!
Thank you Benjamin. Indeed, the new Continental CONTACT Urban fits between the CONTACT Plus and the CONTACT as a significantly lighter option than the PLUS model, but much better puncture resistance than the CONTACT. We give it a Safety (puncture protection) rating of 6. The CONTACT Plus has the top marks of 7, whilst the CONTACT has 4. As you mentioned, grip is also improved.
I love you, you are my hero! What a fantastic comparison. I was already sold on the Contact, but sadly I can't find my size at the price point you showed (I'm in France). I'm going to look for the Ride Tour, maybe I'll have better luck. Thanks again, I really appreciate your presence, tone, and delivery in your video 👍
I've been using Continental 4Season Grand Prix and I've been pretty happy with them. When I see a patch of broken glass in the road I don't swerve around it I ride right over as if to say "Go on I dare ya." and I never get flats.
This video was quite thorough. I was surprised that most of the tires were only rated for 25kph ( maybe just a rating for using ebikes). I try to hit 30 mph/50 kph every day on the ride home and faster on the weekends when I can.
This rating is specifically for e-bikes and not an absolute speed limit. I would need to dig deeper to know what this exactly means. Keep calm and hit new speed records!
Super vid'! I find that rolling resistance on the Marathon Plus is decreasing considerably with higher pressure. Sometimes when I get tired, I find it is just because the pressure has dropped a bit. It needs to be at least the 85 psi written on them in the rear on my 28x1,50 " on my touring bike. I might have to consider going even higher now when I load it up for my vacation. I found myself following one of those partial roadie commuters on a good bike path, tempted to try and overtake 🤦♂️😅😂 luckily I did'nt LOL 🤣
Awesome comparison! For the Continental Contact Plus, I agree with everything you said. I was running this tire 950 km on my bike, before I changed to the Continental GP 4-Season. Anyway, when I was removing the Contact Plus, I was surprised how much the rear tyre was already worn after nearly 1.000 km. I was not expecting that. Did you experience something similar with your Contact Plus tires? I still kept the tires and will maybe mount them later in autumn again.
I haven’t noticed it on the Contact Plus, but I noticed that the surface of the Marathon Plus showed signs of wear after some rough treatment (skidding). But then again, I’ve only put a few hundred km in them. I may have to make a follow up video in the future.
Superb video & info! Always researching these tires but never found an article or video with any type of review. Your efforts are much appreciated!!! I always buy Continental for my commuter & city bikes. Continental def better quality over Schwalbe.
I was asking myself if the Schwalbe Marathon (recommended by my bike shop) is a good choice, and so I found this video. My experience comfirms with your test results (although I never had the Ride Tour or the Marahon GT): On an older bike I changed (I think ) a Marathon to a Marathon+. The Marathon+ seemed superstrong (and stronger) but also more difficult to handle and also a bit heavier and like I feel more bumps. On my current (most used bike) I once had a big stone in the middle of it tearing it down. BUT I pulled out the stone and kept on riding (so the inner tube was not affected) and later I asked where was the hole? I could not find it (weird). To summarize: that's the benefit of the puncture protection, and I highly recommend it. I think it was a Continental Contact+ but not sure. After that I did several more rides, ignoring it all, but after say 200 kilometers I did change it to Schwalbe Marathon, and I still use them today. The Schwalbe Marathon feel protectective, I can do crazy things with it and it works and great grip. It seems a great choice. (The price to me is not that important and I would rate them all a 4, but thats my opinion.)
I used 32mm Conti GP 4 seasons for 5 years on rough roads with only 2 punctures. I replaced those 3 months ago with some 28mm Conti Gatorskins and I have had 2 punctures already; and so have lost confidence in them. I have some 28mm Schwalbe Marathons arriving in the post this week. They are exactly twice the weight, but I would rather have that than repairing flats with cold hands.
I appreciate this video. Thanks for doing so much good work. I am a heavy rider even in good condition. I was always plagued with punctures. Put my first set of Marathon Plus tires on the loaded touring bike about 18 years ago. I’ve had only a few flats in all that time. All my bikes wear them. I’m building a late nineties Cannondale racing frame with Dura Ace components. It will wear some sort of racing tire in 25c. It will not see use on rough roads. The touring bike, several commuters and a lightweight sport bike will always wear your least favorite tire. Meanwhile, I throw away patch kits because the glue gets old and hard.
Thank You so much for this Sam and Love the review for sure! I have looked at these and having a hard time finding available tires like the ones you’ve tested in the the correct size! I have heavy commuter step thru ebike which had Kendra 24 X 2.35 wire bead and rim bead width measures 25mm. Would be greatful to hear any other thoughts or comments if you can.
Great info! Soon I will buy an older Trek xo1 which is more like today's gravels. I will use it for commute so I want something fast since the bike is pretty fast so to speak. A vittoria terreno zero looks interesting to me
I would like to see a comparison with the Continental Double Fighter. They are affordable and after a year of heavy riding they are good with no punctures.
Iv been using the 35mm marathon plus for 2 1/2 years now and the rear tyre is starting to get pretty worn so I switched over to the normal marathon and 32mm this time to see what its like!
Although it's marketed as a gravel tire, the WTB Byway tire looks like it would make a good commuter option. It has tan sidewalls with no reflectors. So it could be a nice option for people seeking a more retro look.
I’ve tried all of them apart from the GT…. Weirdly enough I prefer gravel king SK on a 35c…700 pumped to 40 psi… It’s still fast on a road bike, but you can still go off road easy as they are gravel tyre, I can still hit 27 mph . But I’ve done 100km straight on and off road no punctures Out of the Ines you’ve listed… I like marathon plus for puncture protection The continentals, I though we’re a bit stiff (for my off road road) , nice tyres though, you cant go wrong would also to be handy to know, versatility when wet… as on a muddy path… muddy hill. For me… most of them get a 0… But depends on the hill in your area… gravel tyres obviously get a higher score. The gravel kings could border on mtb .. but performance of a road tyre Awsome review… weirdly enough, out of that specific list… marathon plus my faves… but I’m going just in puncture protection real live experience… I’ve had them on my old mtb for 15 years+. No punctures, very very durable. Heavy though, however….. I’d use a gravel tyre these days, I think for that extra comfort and ability to go off road, it is far better.
I missed this comment somehow... These tires are the cream of the crop when it comes to commuting, so any of them is a great choice for most commuters. I think sometimes we're just too spoiled when it comes to tire choices... But it's still better to have an abundance than no tires for a specific scenario.
I'm not a messenger but I have Pirelli Cinturata Vélo and never got a puncture in 2 years. Use them on city roads and packed gravel trails. Sometimes heavily loaded on weekend excursions.
I have just bought contact plus 42-622. Before them i got marathon plus 37-622. Much much more comfort ride. Speed and rolling same. Grip for now better... For my riding style (mixed terrain) contact plus are much better.
Thanks very much for your hard work, I'll certainly consider your top tires for my next tire change. One thing I did notice, the Ride Tour tyre looks very similar to the Schwalbe Land Cruiser tire, have you tried that one? In the UK, that tyre is slightly cheaper than the Continental and it's the one I'm currently using. I look forward to watching some more of your videos :-)
Marathon Plus is a bit spongy but it has the best puncture resistance and that is all I care about on a commuter. Nothing else matters when it comes to a day to day ride.
I have the Marathon 47-622 (15.000km no puncture) , the Marathon GT 47-622 (over 5000km without a puncture) and the Marathon MTB Plus 54-622 (over 7000km most off road withou a puncture) mounted on my bikes and I would say, that the GT is better in off road situations than the classic Marathon. I never had any traktion problems with each of the tyres and I never had a puncture with one them. The GT feels heavier while riding then the classic Marathon. The Marathon MTB Plus is just something for e-bikes. This tyre feels so damn heavy even comapred to real MTB tyres. The ultra high puncture protection kills the agility and the ride quality over all, but this thing can go thru everything. It's really unbelivable. But in the end, I think the classic Marathon is still the way to go for the all in on at a budget price. I never tested Contis, but it's really nice to see this comparsion. Thx a lot for your effort.
In your experience, is the classic Marathon suitable for the kind of single track trails a gravel bike would tackle? I have a touring bike for the first time after years of MTB only and I'm trying to figure out if the Marathon's tread would be up for light trail duty. Thank you!
@@1312_PV I tested my e-trekkingbike with the classic Marathon and I wasn't really happy. If it's just a lot of gravel roads it works, but here in and around Berlin, we have a lot of sand especally in the summer and the classic Marathon can't compete with this. What I did was I put the Marathon MTB in the front and the classic in the back, a really good combination. Not super fast but with a good amount of grip. For my new normal trekkingbike I will try the Energizer Plus Tour wich is marketed by Schwalbe as a more allround tyre, while having a better rolling characteristic. If you want to be save, I would have a look on the Marathon Plus Tour. It's very close to a gravel tyre but with a better puncture protection. I put these on my mothers bike and even the narrower version has so much more grip than the classic Marathon on loose sand. There are again a new and an old version but I wanted the old version as it had a better middle section for asphalt. There are just to many options ^^.
This is great! In the market for puncture resistant tires after getting yet another flat this week. But where are you sourcing your tires? I'm not finding any of these prices online.
Hi there. I was wondering if you've heard of or tried the tannus airless tires. Ive recently gotten the fat tire armor and road airless 700c x 23. They both have been bomb proof. A bit heavier but now i dont have to carry patch kit+tube+pump(for airless) or have quick release. what do you think? If you are looking for a never stress commuter it be perfect. It's an absolute fight to get the airless ones on tho. But no punctures ever on the way to work
Nice vid, although I'm in doubt a little if contqct plus is suitable for trails or just commuting, dunno if i should change to some wider tyres like lt expert on trek dual sport.
The contact plus is pretty good for trails in my experience. It's definitely not a dedicated trail tire, but it gets the job done and it's quite versatile, I feel.
Szuper videó! Ami különösen tetszett, hogy a végén ki volt mondva ami miatt valaki végig nézni ezt a videót. A legtöbb hasonló videóban próbálnak függetlenek maradni és sosincs kimondva a végén, hogy akkor melyiket?!?! Nekem a ContiCPius lett a választásom (defekt&ebike50) annyi hogy már 37$/darab. Egy következő videónak, amit én esetleg érdekesnek találnék, hogy mikor van már értelme a külső cserének mi az a pont (akár ezeknél a típusoknál) amikor cserélni kell. Eltelt évek?, kilométer?, stb. vagy megy ameddig megy? :-)
Köszönöm a hozzászólást! Ezek közül nehéz lehúzni bármelyiket is, mert tényleg jó gumik, csak kisebb különbségek vannak köztük. Köszönöm a videó ötletet is...
We have 2 city bikes with antipuncture generic tires and 1 mtb and I never had a flat for years! Then I bought a road bike and just on its 3rd month had a flat because of small sharp pebble 🤣🤣. Hence the search for this video. Thanks.
Why exclude the Contact Travel? It beats all of these tyres for all purpose riding with emphasis on asphalt with genuine all weather off road capability. The perfect balance of weight (especially the lighter folding version) ,capability, puncture resistance and comfort.
Hi!! excelent video!!! Im trying to decide my next tire. Im looking for somethig with low rolling resistance and smooth (because of back pain) in the city or hard surfaces, with grip even wet or rainy days (specially while cornering). I don't care that much about weight or extreme puncture protection as it is for commute or trips mostly in tarmac or asphalt with some dirt path in good conditions. Which would you recomend? would it be better if it is wider? Thanks a lot!!
for me Marathon is best i ever tasted. it worht mentioning that conti and schwalbe tyre rubber is different while conti tends to make them soft schwalbe is more rigid so choose wisely. in cold weahters soft ones are safer and in hot conditions schwalbe will behave better.
I was fully expecting you to slate the marathon, it did ok. I'm more than happy with my set. They don't wear out too quickly either The marathon is fine at 30 mph plus ive cycled this speed a few times under my own steam. Not bad for someone who is disabled. My disability is more comprehension and other, thinking type problems like piss poor spelling and grammar for example ill take it, this way around id rather have my physical health personally. A fate eirst than death for me not being able to cycle unfortunately i can no longer run my old landscaping business. Digression, that happens a lot too.
Continental Contact Travel Plus is my favorite. More than 20'000 km, one can see the orange puncture protection and still running. No flats with it. Schwalbe Marathon Plus have good puncture protection, yes, but they wear out too fast. After 2'000 to 3'000 k to profile is mostly gone. Very disappointing! I wouldn't buy it again. Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour is way better. You might test it too.:-)
I am mostly happy with my Schwalbe Energizer Active Plus on my Gazelle eBike. But will I fell a big upgrade with Schwalbe Marathon Plus Smart Guard in durability?
I have a very hilly all road 14 mile commute I’m currently using kenda Happy medium pro 700x40 these tires have been great no flats but I’m getting some thin tread on the back tire can’t complain these tires are two years old. I was wondering what you would recommend with these choices? I’m using a hybrid bike. I seem to average around 11 mph so I’m comfortable with that speed.
I consider to buy a marathon racer. I cant choose between the 35 and 40. Im more an asphalt rider but i often go on gravel rides. Should i take the wider one or the 35 mm? Will i feel a difference actually? Thx.
This comparison is a great service for people shopping for tires, thanks very much for making it. I have the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, I don't have much to compare them to, but I can say they are tough (I live in Utah and we have thorns everywhere). They are not the most agile I know that, but the way the conditions are around here, you really need puncture resistance unless you don't mind fixing flats. On edit: I would emphasize that I use my bike for commutes over varied surfaces and trips all around, so I find myself rolling over all sorts of surfaces.
Thank you! Maybe I don't do enough justice to the Marathon Plus. It's a very good tire and if one needs good puncture protection, the weight and the traction should not put them off.
Also, the difference in many of these aspects is pretty small.
Honestly, if I rode my bike with one of these tires mounted randomly and I was blindfolded, I'd crash my bike.... I mean, I'd have a hard time telling you which exactly it is.
i have on my road bike the marathon greenguard which i love and the marathon plus which i dont like the feel of,perhaps the puncture belt is just too thick.Both i havent had any punctures in few yrs use.
@@BikeCommuterHero thoughts on the marathon mondial in terms of weight, speed, comfort, grip, durability, puncture protection vs the continental ride tour vs the challenger gravel grinder?
Followed your recommendation and went for the Continental Contact Plus in size 42-622. Bought 2 pairs for my 2 commuter/trekking bikes. I am over the moon, the ride is so much better. The best tyres ever! Mounting them on my 19mm wide rims could not have been easier. It took me less than 3 minutes per wheel to get them on and inflated to the desired pressure. Absolutely incredible. So in contrast to your experience, no pinching of inner tube. Had this with the Marathon Plus, a real nightmare to mount. In addition, I was never really happy with the grip provided by the Schwalbes. I did however mount the tyres in my yard on a nice and sunny day. Left the tyres out in the sun for about 15 min. prior to installation. Could that have done the trick, i.e. by making the rubber more supple? Thank you so much for your excellent review.
The cold stiffens the rubber and the heat makes it pliable, which helps with fitting the tyres
The marathon plus is the tire I use. It's the best i ever use.
I've had other brands but, NOT as good as the marathon plus.
It can be a little harder to mount it on the rim but, that's normal for a tire as strong as this.
It's also one of the most expensive tires. The marathon E-plus is even more expensive.
For the modern bikes and E-bikes is the best. The most bikes I know use these tires.
I used very cheap tires for a short time. That are the worst tires EVER. No procetion and these wear down extrremely fast.
Then I used the RUMA Standard. Good but, not for longer than 7000km.
Now I usethe marathon PLUS. Never had a flat for 7500km and still enough profile.
They are the best I've ever used. Although I use thesecond set. After replacing it after 7600km. The protective layer (yellow) as showing.
Sam, this is an outstanding comparison - great job! Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this information. It is sincerely appreciated. I was trying to narrow down which tires I should choose and your video helped me with my decision. I ended up choosing the Continental Contact Plus and am very pleased with these tires so far. Thank you again and all the best.
Thank you for your feedback. I wish you many happy miles on the new tires.
can confirm the Marathon Plus is slippery up front, and bullet proof at 28mm. Testing out a 25mm at the moment. This tires works well in the back and paired with a suspension seat post like the Suntour NCX
Thanks to this video, i've decided to buy marathon over marathon plus. Puncture protection of simple version is good enough and have clear advantage in rolling and road/off Road grip.
Thanks a lot!
Great video. Crazy how the prices specified are less than half of what they currently cost. You're telling me that in 2yrs the continental ride tour went from 15$ to 35$? Jeez!
I am 6’-4” tall and 255lbs
Ride 20/day (RT)
Average 16-20mph
Las Vegas, NV-LV is booming in construction so there is a tons of build materials on the road (ie nails, wire, screws, plates, glass etc)
100% street riding (gravel)
My Picks:
Schwalbe Marathon (28x1.4) 60psi
Continental Ride Tour (28x1.6) 60psi
I sure miss commuting by bike to work; good review of the best of the best👍🏼. I’ve always been a conti fan.
Thanks for the great review !! Have you tried Vittoria Randonneur Double Shield Graphene. Have used them for approx. 10 years and has never punctured. Drives 2000-3000 km annually both for work in the summer and for cycling holidays with heavy packing. The tires weigh approx. 450 g and has good driving characteristics.
Vittoria's are worth the extra dollars
In North America Vittoria tires are way cheaper than Shwalbe or Conti. I've wondered if they're good or if they're a discount brand.
A good review, just one thing about RideTour - I have it for over three years now and one thing I really notice is the grip. It is always grips, even on loose gravel early in the spring, I think you can argue better why you don't give it more points in the durability round. The only person I know get a puncture with it was a 130 kg rider that use 28 mm narrow tiers at the time - on sharp gravel.
Well, I am bias, I love these tiers.
Also I really like that this clip isn't just marketing Schwalbe Marathon Plus!
I agree. I found the Schwalbe's unnerving in wet weather, felt as if they were going to wash out whilst cornering. They never did, but they never inspired confidence either. Been using Conti's for over a year, excellent mileage out of them and yes I've had the odd puncture but it can be counted on one hand. Handling/grip (for me) is okay on the road in all weathers. Great review 👍
i own contact plus. i bought them before i seen this video. and i must admit they are really great tires and no punctures in 2000+km
Great job on this comparo. I know that was a lot of work.
Spectacular clip, precise, full of info and tech advices. Thanks a lot!
Great video, thanks a lot! As a commuter i have used Specialized Espoirs with 30 mm width. I was very lucky with them over the last years. Unfortunately they are not offered anymore. Regarding your tips my next tire could be one of the recommended Contis.
Never stop cycling! 😉
Boy, prices have certainly changed...Thank you for this great video! BTW, ever try the Conti Top Contact II?
Thanks for this excellent video. I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus as the most puncture resistent, but I wanted to see what options there are with equal resistance but faster running. I'll give the contact plus a go.
This was very helpful. I think the only concern I have about Continental is a lot of reviews out there about super inconsistent sizing that's made me a bit cautious. I like the look of the WTB All Terrain, but wish it had some puncture resistance, and that's basically what the Ride Tour gets. But they sure seem like a good balance of features for the price, which is sweet.
Great video helpful and iformative. I try to find good tires for commuting, and I found your channel, and really got suprised when I realised your town is Budapest, so You know the conditions of the roads... I found your website too.
Thank you! We may bump into each other one day riding down the street.
Clarification needed: In your review of the Marathon Plus in regards to grip: "The profile of this tire is pretty round and I thought the contact patch would be a bit too narrow with the road, but honestly, even on wet road, it offered plenty of grip." In this video, you said the continentals were a bit grippier than the Schwalbe tires. My understanding based on the measured rolling resistance of the aforementioned tires is that their grip is comparable to one another(Credit to BikeRollingResistance). Essentially, not significant enough to have an edge over the other. It would make for an interesting video to see a head to head, albeit with the newest contenders: Continental has put out a new Contact Urban tire that has better wet grip due to their new activated silica tire compound. Schwalbe has put out a new Marathon Almotion tire that has better grip utilizing their Addix compound. Anyhow... time for a new Video!
As an anecdotal note: I've been using the Marathon Plus in Seattle going on 8 years now and have NEVER had the tire slip on corners. The one time I managed to make it slide, it was snowing and I was going down hill over 30 miles an hour on Seneca Street and noticed a red light a bit late. I still managed to stop and look like a professional stunt man with the bike skidding to a side stop... I.E. Lucky.
Anyhow, I'd love to see an updated video!
Thank you Benjamin. Indeed, the new Continental CONTACT Urban fits between the CONTACT Plus and the CONTACT as a significantly lighter option than the PLUS model, but much better puncture resistance than the CONTACT. We give it a Safety (puncture protection) rating of 6. The CONTACT Plus has the top marks of 7, whilst the CONTACT has 4. As you mentioned, grip is also improved.
I love you, you are my hero! What a fantastic comparison. I was already sold on the Contact, but sadly I can't find my size at the price point you showed (I'm in France). I'm going to look for the Ride Tour, maybe I'll have better luck. Thanks again, I really appreciate your presence, tone, and delivery in your video 👍
thanks for the research man
My pleasure. Pedal on!
I've been using Continental 4Season Grand Prix and I've been pretty happy with them. When I see a patch of broken glass in the road I don't swerve around it I ride right over as if to say "Go on I dare ya." and I never get flats.
Thank you for the great comparison!
I’m glad you found that was worth the effort. Thanks for taking the time to leave a feedback!
Truly a great work :-) .
Wow..best video about tires i've ever seen. Thank you for your time to do this.. Maybe you try some Vittoria also.
Thank you for the feedback! I’ve received several comments about the Vittoria tires, so I guess I need to try them out now.
Great comparison! Thank you for doing the research 👍
Thanks! It took some time, but it’s been fun.
This video was quite thorough. I was surprised that most of the tires were only rated for 25kph ( maybe just a rating for using ebikes). I try to hit 30 mph/50 kph every day on the ride home and faster on the weekends when I can.
This rating is specifically for e-bikes and not an absolute speed limit. I would need to dig deeper to know what this exactly means. Keep calm and hit new speed records!
Great video! For me the most important is bullet proof so i go for the marathon plus
Exactly what I was looking for, thank you from the south of France Sir !
I want puncture resistance as my primary concern. I think most of the commenters recommend the Schwalbe Marathon Plus for this feature.
merci pour ces comparaisons, toujours d'actualité au moment où j'écris.😊
Super vid'! I find that rolling resistance on the Marathon Plus is decreasing considerably with higher pressure. Sometimes when I get tired, I find it is just because the pressure has dropped a bit. It needs to be at least the 85 psi written on them in the rear on my 28x1,50 " on my touring bike. I might have to consider going even higher now when I load it up for my vacation. I found myself following one of those partial roadie commuters on a good bike path, tempted to try and overtake 🤦♂️😅😂 luckily I did'nt LOL 🤣
Cheers! Safe riding!
Awesome comparison!
For the Continental Contact Plus, I agree with everything you said.
I was running this tire 950 km on my bike, before I changed to the Continental GP 4-Season.
Anyway, when I was removing the Contact Plus, I was surprised how much the rear tyre was already worn after nearly 1.000 km. I was not expecting that. Did you experience something similar with your Contact Plus tires?
I still kept the tires and will maybe mount them later in autumn again.
I haven’t noticed it on the Contact Plus, but I noticed that the surface of the Marathon Plus showed signs of wear after some rough treatment (skidding).
But then again, I’ve only put a few hundred km in them. I may have to make a follow up video in the future.
I have been using the continental contact plus for 2 year and had 0 flat yet. Heavy tires but other than that very recommend.
Superb video & info!
Always researching these tires but never found an article or video with any type of review.
Your efforts are much appreciated!!!
I always buy Continental for my commuter & city bikes. Continental def better quality over Schwalbe.
Thank you so much for this video! I am very happy with my newly installed Continental Ride Tour tires!
I was asking myself if the Schwalbe Marathon (recommended by my bike shop) is a good choice, and so I found this video.
My experience comfirms with your test results (although I never had the Ride Tour or the Marahon GT):
On an older bike I changed (I think ) a Marathon to a Marathon+. The Marathon+ seemed superstrong (and stronger) but also more difficult to handle and also a bit heavier and like I feel more bumps.
On my current (most used bike) I once had a big stone in the middle of it tearing it down. BUT I pulled out the stone and kept on riding (so the inner tube was not affected) and later I asked where was the hole? I could not find it (weird). To summarize: that's the benefit of the puncture protection, and I highly recommend it. I think it was a Continental Contact+ but not sure. After that I did several more rides, ignoring it all, but after say 200 kilometers I did change it to Schwalbe Marathon, and I still use them today. The Schwalbe Marathon feel protectective, I can do crazy things with it and it works and great grip. It seems a great choice.
(The price to me is not that important and I would rate them all a 4, but thats my opinion.)
I used 32mm Conti GP 4 seasons for 5 years on rough roads with only 2 punctures. I replaced those 3 months ago with some 28mm Conti Gatorskins and I have had 2 punctures already; and so have lost confidence in them. I have some 28mm Schwalbe Marathons arriving in the post this week. They are exactly twice the weight, but I would rather have that than repairing flats with cold hands.
I don't have an e- bike, and really had no issues mounting ride tours on my rims. so Ride Tour for me.
A great review!!! 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Thanks a lot! I was searching for something like this, perfect video!
Glad it helped!
i love your videos. im building a bike with an engine and i wanted to know everything you just tought me. u justvgot a new sub.
Cheers!
I appreciate this video. Thanks for doing so much good work. I am a heavy rider even in good condition. I was always plagued with punctures. Put my first set of Marathon Plus tires on the loaded touring bike about 18 years ago. I’ve had only a few flats in all that time. All my bikes wear them. I’m building a late nineties Cannondale racing frame with Dura Ace components. It will wear some sort of racing tire in 25c. It will not see use on rough roads. The touring bike, several commuters and a lightweight sport bike will always wear your least favorite tire. Meanwhile, I throw away patch kits because the glue gets old and hard.
Thank You so much for this Sam and Love the review for sure! I have looked at these and having a hard time finding available tires like the ones you’ve tested in the the correct size!
I have heavy commuter step thru ebike which had Kendra 24 X 2.35 wire bead and rim bead width measures 25mm. Would be greatful to hear any other thoughts or comments if you can.
Really appreciate your effort man, thanks!
Thank you! I'm glad I could help.
Well done. This is the sort of video I was looking for.
Thank you for such a great content.
My pleasure
Great info! Soon I will buy an older Trek xo1 which is more like today's gravels. I will use it for commute so I want something fast since the bike is pretty fast so to speak. A vittoria terreno zero looks interesting to me
Enjoy your new old bike. It looks pretty good. Safe riding!
I would like to see a comparison with the Continental Double Fighter. They are affordable and after a year of heavy riding they are good with no punctures.
Iv been using the 35mm marathon plus for 2 1/2 years now and the rear tyre is starting to get pretty worn so I switched over to the normal marathon and 32mm this time to see what its like!
How has your experience been so far?
Although it's marketed as a gravel tire, the WTB Byway tire looks like it would make a good commuter option. It has tan sidewalls with no reflectors. So it could be a nice option for people seeking a more retro look.
Sad to see how prices have changed since this video was made!
I’ve tried all of them apart from the GT…. Weirdly enough I prefer gravel king SK on a 35c…700 pumped to 40 psi…
It’s still fast on a road bike, but you can still go off road easy as they are gravel tyre, I can still hit 27 mph . But I’ve done 100km straight on and off road no punctures
Out of the Ines you’ve listed… I like marathon plus for puncture protection
The continentals, I though we’re a bit stiff (for my off road road) , nice tyres though, you cant go wrong
would also to be handy to know, versatility when wet… as on a muddy path… muddy hill. For me… most of them get a 0… But depends on the hill in your area… gravel tyres obviously get a higher score. The gravel kings could border on mtb .. but performance of a road tyre
Awsome review… weirdly enough, out of that specific list… marathon plus my faves… but I’m going just in puncture protection real live experience… I’ve had them on my old mtb for 15 years+. No punctures, very very durable. Heavy though, however…..
I’d use a gravel tyre these days, I think for that extra comfort and ability to go off road, it is far better.
I missed this comment somehow...
These tires are the cream of the crop when it comes to commuting, so any of them is a great choice for most commuters. I think sometimes we're just too spoiled when it comes to tire choices... But it's still better to have an abundance than no tires for a specific scenario.
bien, une bonne analyse pour ces pneus
Thanks for this video and all your work, very informative,
Anyone seen the continental contact urban and wondered if they are the new commuter king?
Well made video. Which is in your opinion the best tire for bike couriers dealing with punctures weekly? Speed + puncture proof would be optimal.
I'm not a messenger but I have Pirelli Cinturata Vélo and never got a puncture in 2 years. Use them on city roads and packed gravel trails. Sometimes heavily loaded on weekend excursions.
Excellent job my man, thank you.
Большое спасибо за подробный и аргументированный обзор.
I have just bought contact plus 42-622. Before them i got marathon plus 37-622. Much much more comfort ride. Speed and rolling same. Grip for now better... For my riding style (mixed terrain) contact plus are much better.
Thanks very much for your hard work, I'll certainly consider your top tires for my next tire change. One thing I did notice, the Ride Tour tyre looks very similar to the Schwalbe Land Cruiser tire, have you tried that one? In the UK, that tyre is slightly cheaper than the Continental and it's the one I'm currently using.
I look forward to watching some more of your videos :-)
I have no experience with the Land Cruiser unfortunately. I can’t imagine it being bad.
Marathon Plus is a bit spongy but it has the best puncture resistance and that is all I care about on a commuter. Nothing else matters when it comes to a day to day ride.
I have the Marathon 47-622 (15.000km no puncture) , the Marathon GT 47-622 (over 5000km without a puncture) and the Marathon MTB Plus 54-622 (over 7000km most off road withou a puncture) mounted on my bikes and I would say, that the GT is better in off road situations than the classic Marathon. I never had any traktion problems with each of the tyres and I never had a puncture with one them. The GT feels heavier while riding then the classic Marathon. The Marathon MTB Plus is just something for e-bikes. This tyre feels so damn heavy even comapred to real MTB tyres. The ultra high puncture protection kills the agility and the ride quality over all, but this thing can go thru everything. It's really unbelivable.
But in the end, I think the classic Marathon is still the way to go for the all in on at a budget price. I never tested Contis, but it's really nice to see this comparsion. Thx a lot for your effort.
In your experience, is the classic Marathon suitable for the kind of single track trails a gravel bike would tackle? I have a touring bike for the first time after years of MTB only and I'm trying to figure out if the Marathon's tread would be up for light trail duty. Thank you!
@@1312_PV I tested my e-trekkingbike with the classic Marathon and I wasn't really happy. If it's just a lot of gravel roads it works, but here in and around Berlin, we have a lot of sand especally in the summer and the classic Marathon can't compete with this. What I did was I put the Marathon MTB in the front and the classic in the back, a really good combination. Not super fast but with a good amount of grip. For my new normal trekkingbike I will try the Energizer Plus Tour wich is marketed by Schwalbe as a more allround tyre, while having a better rolling characteristic.
If you want to be save, I would have a look on the Marathon Plus Tour. It's very close to a gravel tyre but with a better puncture protection. I put these on my mothers bike and even the narrower version has so much more grip than the classic Marathon on loose sand. There are again a new and an old version but I wanted the old version as it had a better middle section for asphalt.
There are just to many options ^^.
Marathon plus is the bomb proof. Reliable
This is great! In the market for puncture resistant tires after getting yet another flat this week. But where are you sourcing your tires? I'm not finding any of these prices online.
I picked up mine online at bikeinn as they were on sale when I got them. I’ve seen the prices up and down on Amazon too.
Hi there. I was wondering if you've heard of or tried the tannus airless tires. Ive recently gotten the fat tire armor and road airless 700c x 23. They both have been bomb proof. A bit heavier but now i dont have to carry patch kit+tube+pump(for airless) or have quick release. what do you think? If you are looking for a never stress commuter it be perfect.
It's an absolute fight to get the airless ones on tho. But no punctures ever on the way to work
Nice vid, although I'm in doubt a little if contqct plus is suitable for trails or just commuting, dunno if i should change to some wider tyres like lt expert on trek dual sport.
The contact plus is pretty good for trails in my experience. It's definitely not a dedicated trail tire, but it gets the job done and it's quite versatile, I feel.
@@BikeCommuterHero thanks, wil you maybe do comparison on bontrager tyres in future?
Hello! What can you say about the GREEN MARATHON tire (Schwalbe) and the Continental Double Fighter III? Is there information on them?
You need rolling resistance testing.
You did good . Appreciate it .
Thank you too
Great work! Much appreciated! I wonder about Marathon Plus TOUR... Did you have any chance to try or observe? Thanks
In my experience if you want to get multiple punctures every month, go for Continental.
Szuper videó! Ami különösen tetszett, hogy a végén ki volt mondva ami miatt valaki végig nézni ezt a videót. A legtöbb hasonló videóban próbálnak függetlenek maradni és sosincs kimondva a végén, hogy akkor melyiket?!?!
Nekem a ContiCPius lett a választásom (defekt&ebike50) annyi hogy már 37$/darab.
Egy következő videónak, amit én esetleg érdekesnek találnék, hogy mikor van már értelme a külső cserének mi az a pont (akár ezeknél a típusoknál) amikor cserélni kell. Eltelt évek?, kilométer?, stb. vagy megy ameddig megy? :-)
Köszönöm a hozzászólást! Ezek közül nehéz lehúzni bármelyiket is, mert tényleg jó gumik, csak kisebb különbségek vannak köztük.
Köszönöm a videó ötletet is...
great great great - many thanks again
My pleasure. I learned so much in the process! I'm glad you liked it too.
do you have a review for the continental contact urban?
Missing category on rolling resistance, this is important for e-bike battery range.
Get a proper bike lazy tw@t
We have 2 city bikes with antipuncture generic tires and 1 mtb and I never had a flat for years! Then I bought a road bike and just on its 3rd month had a flat because of small sharp pebble 🤣🤣. Hence the search for this video. Thanks.
Great video - thanks
Why exclude the Contact Travel? It beats all of these tyres for all purpose riding with emphasis on asphalt with genuine all weather off road capability. The perfect balance of weight (especially the lighter folding version) ,capability, puncture resistance and comfort.
Hi!! excelent video!!! Im trying to decide my next tire. Im looking for somethig with low rolling resistance and smooth (because of back pain) in the city or hard surfaces, with grip even wet or rainy days (specially while cornering). I don't care that much about weight or extreme puncture protection as it is for commute or trips mostly in tarmac or asphalt with some dirt path in good conditions. Which would you recomend? would it be better if it is wider? Thanks a lot!!
Ever heard about halo twin rail tyres ? Better than all of them here.
for me Marathon is best i ever tasted.
it worht mentioning that conti and schwalbe tyre rubber is different while conti tends to make them soft schwalbe is more rigid so choose wisely. in cold weahters soft ones are safer and in hot conditions schwalbe will behave better.
I was fully expecting you to slate the marathon, it did ok. I'm more than happy with my set. They don't wear out too quickly either
The marathon is fine at 30 mph plus ive cycled this speed a few times under my own steam. Not bad for someone who is disabled. My disability is more comprehension and other, thinking type problems like piss poor spelling and grammar for example ill take it, this way around id rather have my physical health personally. A fate eirst than death for me not being able to cycle unfortunately i can no longer run my old landscaping business. Digression, that happens a lot too.
Great job!
Cheers mexicansombrero!
Where are you finding those tires at those prices???
Nowhere anymore. They were cheaper when I got them. BikeInn is a good place to look at. Otherwise Amazon.
I have the same bike as you do, what mudguards are you using? Thank you
Continental Contact Travel Plus is my favorite. More than 20'000 km, one can see the orange puncture protection and still running. No flats with it.
Schwalbe Marathon Plus have good puncture protection, yes, but they wear out too fast. After 2'000 to 3'000 k to profile is mostly gone. Very disappointing!
I wouldn't buy it again. Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour is way better. You might test it too.:-)
So I know nobody will probably answer but anyway.
I need something that can handle a lot of weight and has decent puncture protection only street.
Hey, here’s nobody. For weight all of these are good. I’d pick the Contact Plus or the Marathon Plus for puncture protection.
@@BikeCommuterHero old video didn't expect the answer thanks 👍
have you any experience with Michelin Protek tires? how would they compare with Continental Ride Tours?
hi with of this tyres ar tubles ready ? thanks for greate reviue
Hi Adam, no, they aren't. All of them need tubes.
Thank you very much
I am mostly happy with my Schwalbe Energizer Active Plus on my Gazelle eBike. But will I fell a big upgrade with Schwalbe
Marathon Plus Smart Guard in durability?
I don’t have any experience with the Energizer Active Plus. Don’t change it if you’re happy with it, I’d say.
dude your awesome❤!
I have a very hilly all road 14 mile commute I’m currently using kenda Happy medium pro 700x40 these tires have been great no flats but I’m getting some thin tread on the back tire can’t complain these tires are two years old. I was wondering what you would recommend with these choices? I’m using a hybrid bike. I seem to average around 11 mph so I’m comfortable with that speed.
Thank you
where are you getting them so cheap??
Any of them have Kevlar bead Folding tires or are they all with steel wire bead ?
This is central Budapest
I consider to buy a marathon racer. I cant choose between the 35 and 40. Im more an asphalt rider but i often go on gravel rides. Should i take the wider one or the 35 mm? Will i feel a difference actually? Thx.
try the wider one, they are thin
amazing