Marathon Pressures

[lemmy]

I've just fitted a pair of Marathon Plus tyres to my Kalkhoff Tasman. I note that these will take pressures up to 6 bar rather than the 4.5 of the Continentals fitted as standard. I've pumped them up to 5 bar for now to see how they go but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the pressures - for example puncture avoidance and grip in different conditions. In principle I'd pump them to the max to minimise rolling resistance.

Incidentally, I've read bad things about fitting these tyres and I must say they do not slip on easily but nothing that can't be coped with. I would not care to do so out on the highway and I actually found a cable tie helpful to hold the carcass in the rim at one position while I manipulated the rest.

The full chain guard on the Tasman is a pain in the bum. It gets in the way of everything but removing it is awkward in itself. And bits fall off as you remove it which require three hands to reassemble. I actually managed to crack a part of it because after I'd got the back wheel on and adjusted and the chainguard reassembled and fitted, I found the rear mudguard needed positioning a little further out from the wheel. And.... yes, the chain guard obstructed the adjustment bolt. Sod this, I thought and bent it out of the way so that I could get the spanner down there and ...crack!. Not that it materially affects anything, luckily.

I've actually enquired of 50Cycles now whether I can fit a chain guard from the Pro Connect to it. It looks a great deal more convenient even if it protects less well.

 

[NRG]

In these snowy conditions less is more so let the tyres down. I've just done this on the Marathon Cross tyres (26 x 1.75) I have fitted to the Alien and they coped very well. The tyre size will also have an impact on the most suitable pressure...I used 2.5~3.0 bar...

 

[flecc]

The MPs are very stiff in structure so I doubt there'd be much decrease in rolling resistance with higher pressures, and it would lead to a bit less comfort of course.

As you say, some sort of retainer like a cable tie does help in putting these on. Don't worry too much about having to do it on the road since punctures with these tyres are rare, and they tend to be slow ones with the possibility of getting you home with the odd extra pumping. The only one I ever had with these tyres as so slow I was able to ride home 7 miles on a quick top-up from the pump.
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