Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre

The Schwalbe website says that "Punctures are a memory" and that has been our experience with these tyres. The Marathon Plus bicycle tyre has unequalled puncture resistance, yet still rolls better than many tyres including the classic Marathon. We've used them on our own town bikes for many years.

These tyres also have applications on higher performance bikes. In the winter or for touring, I use these tyres on my Mango velomobile, as repairing punctures in cold and wet conditions isn't fun, and with the Marathon Plus tyres I've never had a puncture.

The only real drawback of the Marathon Plus is that the ride is a little harsh compared with the Normal Marathon in the same width. It's also available in fewer sizes so if the size you want is not shown here, try the Schwalbe Marathon instead.

To avoid confusion in size, we use the ETRTO tyre sizes. These consist of two numbers giving width and rim diameter in millimetres. If you are buying replacement tyres then your existing tyres will have these numbers on their side-wall. In many cases, a slightly wider tyre can be fitted for more comfort, but take care of clearance for mudguards, brakes and frame tubes.

The Schwalbe Marathon Plus has both a reflective sidewall for safety and a dynamo track to optimise working with a dynamo lighting system.

The 37-622 size is ideal for most Dutch style town bikes and tourers.

If unsure about what tyre size you need, please read our guide to choosing the correct tyre size.