Big Apples vs. Marathon Plus for Trike Tour

[msheald]

Hello! I'm planning a self-contained trike tour around the northeast next summer - connecting the Atlantic coast, northern tier, Underground Railroad, and Trans America Trails - starting and ending around Washington, D.C.

    At 50 y/o, though I am in good shape, but after experiencing discomfort during my 3 week tour last summer, I've decided to tour with a trike. I'll be using 20 inch tires.

    The 2 inch Big Apples look enticing for comfort, but the superior puncture resistance of the 1.75 inch Marathon Plus tires is also appealing. I'll only be cycling on-road.

    What are folks thoughts on advantages and disadvantages of each tire for an extended tour and the relative comfort and ease of rolling for each? Thank you and best regards.

Mike

[staehpj1]

Between the two I'd go for the Big Apples.  I found that the Marathon Pluses ride like anchors.  I have not used them in the size you are considering though.

If it was me I'd probably go with something narrower.  Personally I find myself feeling better and less fatigued after a long ride if I am using light tires with a lively ride.  I am willing to put up with a few more flats if necessary to have that lively ride, but I really have not found the difference in the number of flats to be that great.  Since you will not be in goat head thorn country I think flat resistance will be even less of an issue.

[bjshred]

I ride a trike and use Marathon Plus 1.75 inch tires.  I do not understand the "ride like an anchor" statement,  there does not seem to be excessive rolling resistence to me.  I have been pleased with their performance, durability and flat resistance.  I have 5000 miles on my tires with no punctures, even though ridden along a section of path featuring thorns and ample roadside debris.  They are difficult to get on the rim, take your time and they go on just fine.  I used twine to hold them in place every few inches until the whole bead was seated on rim.  After I got technic down  the mounting went smoothly.  Well worth the effort to mount and I love the confidence re: flats.  To me they are a great choice for trike 20 inch wheels. 

[msheald]

Hello! Thank you for each of your replies.
   How would you describe the comfort of the 1.75 inch Marathon plus compared to other tires that you have ridden? Do you ride them at the low end or the high end of the recommended pressure range? Best regards.

Mike

[staehpj1]

I have only used the Marathon Plus in the 700X32 size, so consider that when weighing my opinion.  In explanation of the riding like anchors statement, there are two pieces to this.

The first is weight.  They weigh more than double what most other touring tires the same size weigh.  Rotating weight has a lot to do with how a bike rides.

The second has to do with the way the tire rides.  Silk racing sewups are at one end of the scale and the MP is at the other.  The sewups feel lively and the MPs fell the opposite.  Something between the two extremes is called for IMO.

Personally I like the Continental Ultra Gatorskins, in my case in 700X28.  I used them on my last tour and was delighted with the ride and they are 308 grams vs 800 grams for the larger MPs they replaced (the 28 mm MPs are 740 grams still more than double the weight).

I used the MPs for a couple hundred miles and just couldn't stand them.  They now sit in my basement.  If I ever need to commute through some really hostile glass strewn road conditions I may put them back on a beater bike, but I will not tour on them.

Weight and ride quality are important to me.  If on the other hand puncture resistance is far and away your main concern the MPs may be just what you want.