Ok, it's nothing to do with speed. The Brompton tyre makes twice as much contact with the road over the same distance, hence double the wear. Obviously acceleration and braking make a difference too but the Brompton is mostly effected by the amount of contact the rubber makes with the road over a given distance.
Have you tried swapping the tyres front to back, just to even out the wear? It is so easy and quick; do it as soon as you notice the wear on the rear getting ahead. Also, instead of saying Brompton tyres "wear out more than twice as fast," you could just say they "last less than half as long." This is to be expected. There is less than half the rubber in 'em. Weight for weight, volume for volume, the rubber lasts the same as any other tyre size.
@@markmay184 We are concerned with how long the tires last. Please use whichever expression makes the matter clearer for you. However, you may not have noticed that your expression makes out the tyres last *a little longer* than either mine, OR the original I commented on.
Hi Brian! One thing you got to keep in mind with the tires at the Brompton is ‚pressure‘. Without the proper pressure all tires @ a Brompton will wear out really fast. And the correct pressure which Brompton recommend is high. 60 PSI and above. So keep an eye on that and travel save😎🚴🏻💨💨
I commuted 10 miles a day on a Brompton from 2006 until 2010, and switched to Marathon Plus to avoid the disruption caused by a puncture on my way to work. They're truly superb at puncture protection, but (obviously) once you wear through them you start to get flats. I adopted a policy of trying to reduce the number of times I'd need to remove a tyre. This usually meant I'd order a replacement tyre as soon as I got my first flat. A tyre that hardly had any life left in it would usually puncture again within a couple of weeks, at which point I'd fit the new one. I didn't decide when to change them by inspection, simply because it was usually the rear that I was replacing and I had plenty of traction even after the centre tread had worn away. And I found that there was a decent amount of life still in them even if there wasn't much tread pattern. I managed to go a long time between replacement tyres with this approach. I bought myself some 6" metal tyre levers intended for shop use, in order to remove my Marathon Plus tyres. It may be that the rim wells are deeper these days (the external profile is certainly different), so Marathon Plus may now be easier to fit now than they used to be. The tyre design changed while I was commuting too; on my first tyres Schwalbe recommended 100 PSI. Then they updated the tread pattern and dropped the recommended pressure to 85, claiming that the rolling resistance was lower at 85. I tended to run them at 100 anyway, but would experiment with 85 these days. 100 PSI Marathon Plus tyres are a hard ride, relatively speaking. I still enjoyed riding them though. I don't commute by Brompton these days, so won't ride Marathon Plus any more. I bought some tan wall Marathon Racers and some of the new Continental Urbans. The side wall on the Continentals is thinner and more flexible, and the tread looks fast. So I think they'll perform really well. The tan wall racers look superb with my frame though, so I've fitted them first. I'm pleasantly surprised by the ride, but am naturally comparing them to my old 100 PSI plus tyres. And I've only inflated them to around 70 PSI so far...
mate, I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus and they last ages! - I normally swap them after around 2 years and my commute is 10 miles each way on concrete and hard packed gravel (only march to september, not winter) so it must be an issue with American concrete :) or the standard racer tyres being too soft, By the way the marathon plus are a nightmare to get on and off but the punture protection is worth it! only 1 puncture in 18 years and that was half a broken bottle and I had a major blow out
Awesome. I opted for the standard marathons, but will get a set of the pluses to try as well. Maybe I will do a comparison of all three in a video later sown the road.
I would recommend the Continental Contact Urban. Seems to offer similar levels of puncture resistance to the Marathons but better speed and lower rolling resistance - feels like it to me anyway
@@ibikeunfolded Would be interesting to hear if they are easy to get in the US. Was little difficult to buy them in Germany (german brand) in the beginning. Some people bought them in english bike shops ....
Keeping up with regular bicycles is necessary if you want to commute in the same time frame as a regular bicycle. Everyone expects that the Brompton not significantly slow us down. Therefore the smaller tires with a circumference half the length of a regular road bike tire are spinning twice as fast and therefore wearing out twice as fast - because tire material is the same across all tires.
Agreed. I would also mention with the Brompton's smaller diameter tires, maintaining correct tire pressure is critical. (Under inflated tires on my electric for example, means less battery life)
The current Brompton standard tyres are the folding bead Kojak with reflective side wall band, appears to be made of a different compound from Marathon or previous generation Brompton logo tyres. I have not covered a distance yet but so far it handles both smooth and cobble stones of European old towns pretty well. It's a lot narrower and more of a road tyre. The reflective band is printed very slightly wobbly and not parallel to the tire side, but this does not affect the riding feel.
I was going to try the Kojak tires and thought I would go with the marathons instead. I might get a set and try them out. Would be interested to see if there is a difference in the handling.
With the Marathon Racer I have after using the brompton 2 or 3 weeks my first puncture. At my other bikes I have since years the Marathon plus and in over 20.0000 kilometers no puncture. So the first updated on my brompton were the tires into the marathon plus, since then no puncture 🤞🏼 the pressure I drive is 7 bar (I think that’s 100 psi).
Yeah, those racer tires are not very punctre resistant. I got a flat with mine when I was rocking them and I decided to go with the regualar marathons and they have been great.
Had quite a good experience with the marathon racers, the originals lasted me (London with lots of glass, debris and bad road surfaces) for nearly a year and a half... Average about 300km/month, mostly on 30 - 40 km rides and keep them well inflated to 100 pr just below. First rear (off course) puncture yesterday, front tire was still quite ok, read could have lasted a bit more, but full of rather deep battle scars (showing how effective they deals with the threat). Switched to the Continental’s, as it looks like a faster tire. Not yet tried them out but they feel top notch. Other - first impression - very easy to fit... In a few months I’ll be back with some feedback...
Ive tried tried different tyres before and the one tyre I sticked with are the Kojaks. It rolls fast, sticks well on the road and it looks slick. Very enjoyable tyres. It never gave me problems compared to the Marathons which are heavy and rolls a bit slow.
I almost got those tires as they came highly recommended, but they seemed too thin for Denver roads. There are too many road hazards like glass and nails littering our streets that thick puncture protection is a must.
brian d vlogs I understand that perception. It really looks frail but I hope you’ll give it a try one of these days even to just experience the fast rolling. Cheers!
@@imanfrancisco Punctures are a matter of luck. I've had 3 punctures in the last 2 years. And during that time I went 13 months without a puncture. Then got 2 in the 14th month. Thats how it goes. That said the Kojaks are great tyres. But so are the Schwalbe durano's. Which have racegaurd protection. And roll fast.
Another informative vid as per usual. I have only used Schwabler Marathon and Marathon + on my Brom.Not noticed any difference in puncture rate(count on one hand over the last 3 yrs) or tread wear but I do seem to suffer from tyre wall failure on the back wheel when there is still enough tread to run them for a bit longer.Tend to run my tyres at 100 - 110 psi ( max recommended pressure).Wondering if any one else has the same problem.
I run my Brompton close at 100 psi. I am looking forward to trying out the marathons to see. I have a set on my commuter Brompton and my touring Brompton.
I opted for Marathon Plus on my Brompton. I JUST replaced the rear at approx 1800 miles having had zero flats with these tires and I replaced like for like. Like any other small wheeled bike (or motorcycle/scooter) the tires will wear faster and with some unusual wear patterns. My Vespas did exactly the same thing.
Hmm. Another factor to be considered is the tire pressure. What are you keeping them at ? I've got Marathon + on my Brompton Electric which I keep at over 90psi. I'm prepared to accept the extra weight and rolling resistance in exchange for puncture free tires. FWIW, the Brilliant bikes website is running a trial on the new Brompton x Continental tire, reports so far are good.
I‘ve had really bad luck with the Schwalbe Racers, almost one puncture every month. Now I‘m using the Schwalbe Marathon (front) and Schwalbe Marathon Plus (rear), and I can‘t even remember when I’ve had the last puncture. And they don’t wear as fast either. But I’m always willing to experiment, so today I’m getting the new Contis from the post office. Let’s see how they roll!
In addition to the tires, there is another major issue that everyone - at least who live in the US - should know. And that is the inner tubes. I bought a Brompton recently, rode it three times around town perhaps 20 miles each time, and got a severe puncture on the 3rd ride. There are multiple leaks on the tube along a stretch of 6”. How that happened? I have no idea. But here is the big problem: The tubes are hard to fine. My tubes are Impac 16”x1-3/8”. It came with the bike so it is original. I bought my bike from REI but REI does not sell them whether it is in the store, online, or order. Amazon doesn’t sell them either. I found a local bike shop that sells UltraCycle inner tubes of 16”x 1.25” to 1.9” tires. I bought a couple and tried to put it on but to my disappointment, it did not fit. I could fit it in the tire, but I couldn’t fit the tube, tire, and wheel together. The extra “skin” of the tube made it impossible to fit the tire into the wheel. When I put the Impac 16” and the one I bought side by side, it is obvious why the one I bought would not fit even thought the box says 1.25” to 1.9”. There are plenty of tubes sold in Walmart and Target for kids bikes, but the smallest ones are 16”x1.5”. I am looking beyond my town for the tubes and found one store that sells them but the shipping cost is much more than the tube price. So readers beware, before you decide to buy a Brompton, consider these issues. I think Bromptons are overrated and overpriced. My Brompton is now sitting in my garage without an inner tube.
Wrong conclusion. Those are 16 inch 305 sized, not 16 inch 349 size. Wrong tubes. My 305 16 inch nominal tire from my Bob trailer does not fit on my 349 16 inch sized Brompton. Both sizes are nominal 16 inch.
good to have a Garmin or apps like Strava or Runkeeper to record your rides commutes. lets you enter multiple bikes, and each bike's components (tires, chain, etc), or shoes (for running) to track mileage
Just to be absolutely clear, tire pressure is also interrelated to the loading. Somewhere on the Schwable website there is a table of tire profiles and the load on the tire, (generally your weight plus bike weight divided by two) with the ideal pressure for that particular combination. If you are interested in getting the highest mileage out of one's tires that would be a good place to start.
the rear wear quicker. drive force/weight.. when it does I buy ONE new tyre ,fitting it on the front... as they wear my tyres progress from the front to the rear to the bin
Idk bro, my 20 inch Dahon shipped with Schwalbe Marathon Racers, and it's lasted me well over 5000 km over the last 4 years. I ride them on semi gravel, and bumpy tarmac and since I live in the desert, I use them all seasons through out the year. A few weeks ago I just switched them out for the Schwalbe Marathon HS w/ GreenGuard, because I often encounter punctures from cacti thorns, but the treading on the original Schwalbe Racers are still descent. The new tires are a bit on the sluggish side but does fit my riding level and worth the added puncture protection. My Brompton is fitted with Schwalbe One's and they are definitely worth the money if you'll mostly be riding on smooth city tarmac. Cheers
@@ibikeunfolded yeah if they have Schwalbe's GreenGuard tech, they have a higher durability rating. Wear-and-tear has a lot of factors include: terrain, weather, riding style, riding distance, rider's weight and cargo load, although you are correct about the amount of revolutions the smaller wheels make, can be a contributing factor to the faster wear.
Yo yo brian. Thanks for sharing your videos with the brompton. Wish you tons of success. Maybe a good tip would be to rotate the tires between front and rear periodically. With the brompton the majority of the weight load is at the rear so if you rotate front and rear every 1000 or so you could get more even wear and potentially double the life of your tires. Too late now for you but something to keep in mind with your new rubber.
@captain pugwash fortunately my rims are still good. I'm a heavier rider and my wheels are still true. I haven't had to retrue them at all which would be a great indicator of too much stress on the wheel. I'll keep everyone posted. I have about 400 miles or more on the tires and wheels so far.
@captain pugwash Never mind.... I just took a look at my rear tire and the center is already pretty flat and I have only ridden it 400 miles! I just sent a request for a refund on the Tannus tires. I have already cut them off and put on the original Schwalbe Racers until my Marathons come in. It was worht a try... No damage thankfully....
I had a different experience with Tannus, I had Tannus on my Brompton twice, gave up first time because of the roll resistance and felt quite unsafe when the ground is wet or when turning, tried second time and gave up again.
@@msato8650 I've actually just cut them off and sent them back for a full refund. They were already wearing out after 300 miles. The rolling resistance was incredible.
There is now an alternative now made by Continental have recently been trying them. First impression good as it was easier to fit. Have been having problems with what seems to be a bad batch of inner tubes.
Girlfriend switched from Kojaks to the newer Schwalbe One tires and it's a world of difference in comfort. Can't speak to longevity unfortunately and have never tried either of the Marathons. Kojaks are the only tire with a much higher PSI so any of the others may be better for comfort.
@@ibikeunfolded The One's could possibly be nice, our roads are maintained decently but still some bike lanes with a lot of crunch. It is nice having a folding bead tire that's easier to take off if you do get a flat.
Unless I missed it, what mileage you have done in those two or so months? My own Schwalbe Marathon Racers have so far done 2,500 miles, the front looks hardly worn whilst the back I assess to be about a third worn. I use 65psi front, 100psi rear, although pressure does drop below those figures a bit between checks/more air. I am thinking I am happy with my wear rate, balanced with ease of removal and refitting, good wet road grip, and not too expensive for direct replacements. A heavier, stiffer, harder compound tyre might last longer but would the ride comfort and wet grip suffer? More expensive too I suspect. One other thing, do the different tyres affect the fold at all? Will be interested to hear how you get on with your new tyres in due course.
I estimate I have over 2000 miles 0n these tires, although I have not kept precise track due to negligence. Harder compound tires will suffer performance issues I am sure, but will wear less often, so I personally would rather have a tire that lasted a little longer at the sacrifice of performance. But that’s just me.
I have 4000 km on two pairs of Racers to utter destruction and 2000km on one pair of Marathon plus that still look pretty good. It"s electric so it's all wheel drive and they wear out pretty close to each other.
So I feel like a traitor... I just returned my folding Tern and bought a Trek Verve +2 electric bike... took one test spin with this baby and fell in Love with it!!!! Also put an inverter in my car so I can charge it while I drive!!!!!
If you live in a very hilly place an electric bike is great, otherwise, a Brompton is a way to go and not the electric Brompton. I would like both the 6 speed electric Brompton and the 6-speed non-electric.
Johnny morris I agree... but can’t swing two bikes.. I can use this one without electric assist so it works for my needs... I live in a house so space is not an issue...
Lots of people love the electrics...I have never rode one so I can’t speak intelligently on that subject but as long as you enjoy it that’s all that matters.
I literally had my first puncture in over 2 years and 1700 miles of riding and was having to research tires (as the my tire was really worn out, so a puncure was all but inevitable). Then you put up this video... what are the chances :D Btw I went with an inexpensive pair of Schwalbe SILENTO tires, as my bike is cheap and cheerful :)
@@ibikeunfolded I think I've been lucky by the sounds of it haha! Btw my next bike may very well be a Brompton, as I am ready to spend a bit and have something nice. That's what brought me to your channel and your awesome content! Keep it up mate, I'm glad your are enjoying the bike and everything it has done for you. I'm going to rent one for test and see if it's ok for me and my back issues, so fingers crossed :)
Hey Brian cool video. Still waiting on my Brompton as i keep mentioning lol but i spent the extra money for the marathons on it. I have a Trek hybrid and was tired of flats so i got the marathons and love everything about them. So , when i saw the option i had no doubt i would do that upgrade right from the factory. Im hoping they work out just as well on the Brommy as my Trek. Do you have any idea of mileage you put on your racers/bike as of this video?
2-3 thousand approximately. Yes by all accounts the marathons will do much better on my brompton. Can’t wait until the racers wear out so I can install my marathons.
My brakes are set in a similar fashion. Use my front mostly. My back brake I use only with the front at the same time and only in hard braking conditions.
Ive owned a Brompton for over a year and average at least 50 miles per week (more in the Summer and less in the Winter). I weigh 250 lbs and have nearly next to no tire wear at all. I think this issue may be due to temperature - in your video, it looks like you are in a warm part of the US - if you a punishing your tires against 100+ degree asphalt they are going to wear quickly. Also, I always inflate my tires to 100 PSI. Underinflated tires will wear/fail much quicker.
Hi Brian, I'm planning to get myself a Brompton, but haven decide which handle bar to go for, my height is 5'10 & I had some spine complication, could you share your height so I can roughly size up the riding position base on your video ?
Hi Bryan (and Brian). If you think you might want an S or an M, one option to consider (if you're up for changing a few parts) is getting an S. If you decide you'd prefer an M you can then swap your bars on the S for Joseph Kuosac's mid-rise bars. They're designed for Brompton's, to either lower an M or raise an S (so yeah, you could also buy an M bike and lower it later if you'd prefer). If you do swap the bars you'll also want to swap the cables over. I've ridden an M since 2006, which I enjoyed as it gave me an easy going position. I recently had to replace my bike so have tried an S. I like the aesthetic, but the position definitely makes me feel more inclined to want to put my foot down (not always a good thing, when commuting in everyday clothes). The S is a lot of fun though. I'm 6' tall, have relatively long legs for my height, and run the extended seat post at maximum extension. The saddle on my S is about 2.5" above the bars. On my M they were closer to being level.
Nora Halkefs it’s still there. I had it looked at briefly and the dr thought it might me a lipoma(a benign fatty Timor). I still need to get it looked at to find out for sure. It does bother me because it right on my spine and is pressing on nerves. I really appreciate the concern....thank you.
Brian, how long is your full commute (biking the entire distance)? I have a pretty long commute at the moment (17 miles each way) and I use my full sized bike if I'm doing the full distance since I don't want to put that kind of wear and tear on the Brompton. I'd like to start using my folding bike more often and I feel like it was an expensive purchase for something I currently only use once in a while!
I find the marathons seem to be doing better than the racers so far. Only time will tell. I will try many other tires until I find ones that will last longer.
I am due to get a brompton very soon so this is helpful information and your right to talk about the down side of the brompton as not many people do. i still intend to get a Brompton cycle simply because its fold nicely and makes life more convenient in more ways than one. I would like to ask how many miles on average do you cover in a week? Would not the wearing out of tire's also depend on the road surface?.
Fair comment Brian. I'm in a bad place (friend cancer) and just being mealy-mouthed. I hate keyboard warriors and just became one. I am really sorry. Please delete or let me know how I can do it. I liked the content and the presentation
Richard Shaw not a problem, I don’t mind constructive criticism, however I am starting to realize that you can’t please everyone. Some people like the riding shots, and some people like me to just get to the point.
Ok, it's nothing to do with speed. The Brompton tyre makes twice as much contact with the road over the same distance, hence double the wear. Obviously acceleration and braking make a difference too but the Brompton is mostly effected by the amount of contact the rubber makes with the road over a given distance.
You are correct. The upside is acceleration, The downside is tire wear.
Have you tried swapping the tyres front to back, just to even out the wear? It is so easy and quick; do it as soon as you notice the wear on the rear getting ahead.
Also, instead of saying Brompton tyres "wear out more than twice as fast," you could just say they "last less than half as long." This is to be expected. There is less than half the rubber in 'em. Weight for weight, volume for volume, the rubber lasts the same as any other tyre size.
I see your point. Thank you.
I’d don’t see the point in saying “they last less than half as long”. Keep it simple, they wear out twice as fast
@@markmay184 We are concerned with how long the tires last. Please use whichever expression makes the matter clearer for you. However, you may not have noticed that your expression makes out the tyres last *a little longer* than either mine, OR the original I commented on.
Hi Brian! One thing you got to keep in mind with the tires at the Brompton is ‚pressure‘. Without the proper pressure all tires @ a Brompton will wear out really fast. And the correct pressure which Brompton recommend is high. 60 PSI and above. So keep an eye on that and travel save😎🚴🏻💨💨
I haven’t forgotten my friend, I keep my tire pressure at 100 psi. I should have mentioned this in the video. Thanks.
I commuted 10 miles a day on a Brompton from 2006 until 2010, and switched to Marathon Plus to avoid the disruption caused by a puncture on my way to work. They're truly superb at puncture protection, but (obviously) once you wear through them you start to get flats.
I adopted a policy of trying to reduce the number of times I'd need to remove a tyre. This usually meant I'd order a replacement tyre as soon as I got my first flat. A tyre that hardly had any life left in it would usually puncture again within a couple of weeks, at which point I'd fit the new one. I didn't decide when to change them by inspection, simply because it was usually the rear that I was replacing and I had plenty of traction even after the centre tread had worn away. And I found that there was a decent amount of life still in them even if there wasn't much tread pattern.
I managed to go a long time between replacement tyres with this approach.
I bought myself some 6" metal tyre levers intended for shop use, in order to remove my Marathon Plus tyres. It may be that the rim wells are deeper these days (the external profile is certainly different), so Marathon Plus may now be easier to fit now than they used to be.
The tyre design changed while I was commuting too; on my first tyres Schwalbe recommended 100 PSI. Then they updated the tread pattern and dropped the recommended pressure to 85, claiming that the rolling resistance was lower at 85. I tended to run them at 100 anyway, but would experiment with 85 these days.
100 PSI Marathon Plus tyres are a hard ride, relatively speaking. I still enjoyed riding them though.
I don't commute by Brompton these days, so won't ride Marathon Plus any more. I bought some tan wall Marathon Racers and some of the new Continental Urbans. The side wall on the Continentals is thinner and more flexible, and the tread looks fast. So I think they'll perform really well. The tan wall racers look superb with my frame though, so I've fitted them first. I'm pleasantly surprised by the ride, but am naturally comparing them to my old 100 PSI plus tyres. And I've only inflated them to around 70 PSI so far...
Ran walls are nice, I like the way they look as well.
mate, I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus and they last ages! - I normally swap them after around 2 years and my commute is 10 miles each way on concrete and hard packed gravel (only march to september, not winter) so it must be an issue with American concrete :) or the standard racer tyres being too soft, By the way the marathon plus are a nightmare to get on and off but the punture protection is worth it! only 1 puncture in 18 years and that was half a broken bottle and I had a major blow out
Awesome. I opted for the standard marathons, but will get a set of the pluses to try as well. Maybe I will do a comparison of all three in a video later sown the road.
I would recommend the Continental Contact Urban. Seems to offer similar levels of puncture resistance to the Marathons but better speed and lower rolling resistance - feels like it to me anyway
Good to know. I may try that out as well. I will experiment with different options.
@@ibikeunfolded Would be interesting to hear if they are easy to get in the US. Was little difficult to buy them in Germany (german brand) in the beginning. Some people bought them in english bike shops ....
Horst Meier they had been available at the online-store from Continental. I bought them there last week.
@@Druidus98 That past perfect though...
Macht ja nix ;)
'T kan mij niets scheelen.
Keeping up with regular bicycles is necessary if you want to commute in the same time frame as a regular bicycle. Everyone expects that the Brompton not significantly slow us down. Therefore the smaller tires with a circumference half the length of a regular road bike tire are spinning twice as fast and therefore wearing out twice as fast - because tire material is the same across all tires.
👍right. That’s all I was trying to say.😀
Agreed. I would also mention with the Brompton's smaller diameter tires, maintaining correct tire pressure is critical. (Under inflated tires on my electric for example, means less battery life)
Yep, I run 100 psi in my Schwalbe racers, but my marathons I might run 85. Not sure yet.
The current Brompton standard tyres are the folding bead Kojak with reflective side wall band, appears to be made of a different compound from Marathon or previous generation Brompton logo tyres. I have not covered a distance yet but so far it handles both smooth and cobble stones of European old towns pretty well. It's a lot narrower and more of a road tyre. The reflective band is printed very slightly wobbly and not parallel to the tire side, but this does not affect the riding feel.
I was going to try the Kojak tires and thought I would go with the marathons instead. I might get a set and try them out. Would be interested to see if there is a difference in the handling.
Very practical advice, Brian, for those who may be new to riding a small wheeled bicycle.
Thank you, I try.
With the Marathon Racer I have after using the brompton 2 or 3 weeks my first puncture. At my other bikes I have since years the Marathon plus and in over 20.0000 kilometers no puncture. So the first updated on my brompton were the tires into the marathon plus, since then no puncture 🤞🏼 the pressure I drive is 7 bar (I think that’s 100 psi).
Yeah, those racer tires are not very punctre resistant. I got a flat with mine when I was rocking them and I decided to go with the regualar marathons and they have been great.
Had quite a good experience with the marathon racers, the originals lasted me (London with lots of glass, debris and bad road surfaces) for nearly a year and a half... Average about 300km/month, mostly on 30 - 40 km rides and keep them well inflated to 100 pr just below. First rear (off course) puncture yesterday, front tire was still quite ok, read could have lasted a bit more, but full of rather deep battle scars (showing how effective they deals with the threat). Switched to the Continental’s, as it looks like a faster tire. Not yet tried them out but they feel top notch. Other - first impression - very easy to fit... In a few months I’ll be back with some feedback...
Ive tried tried different tyres before and the one tyre I sticked with are the Kojaks. It rolls fast, sticks well on the road and it looks slick. Very enjoyable tyres. It never gave me problems compared to the Marathons which are heavy and rolls a bit slow.
I almost got those tires as they came highly recommended, but they seemed too thin for Denver roads. There are too many road hazards like glass and nails littering our streets that thick puncture protection is a must.
brian d vlogs I understand that perception. It really looks frail but I hope you’ll give it a try one of these days even to just experience the fast rolling. Cheers!
@@imanfrancisco
Punctures are a matter of luck. I've had 3 punctures in the last 2 years. And during that time I went 13 months without a puncture. Then got 2 in the 14th month. Thats how it goes. That said the Kojaks are great tyres. But so are the Schwalbe durano's. Which have racegaurd protection. And roll fast.
Another informative vid as per usual.
I have only used Schwabler Marathon and Marathon + on my Brom.Not noticed any difference in puncture rate(count on one hand over the last 3 yrs) or tread wear but I do seem to suffer from tyre wall failure on the back wheel when there is still enough tread to run them for a bit longer.Tend to run my tyres at 100 - 110 psi ( max recommended pressure).Wondering if any one else has the same problem.
I run my Brompton close at 100 psi. I am looking forward to trying out the marathons to see. I have a set on my commuter Brompton and my touring Brompton.
I opted for Marathon Plus on my Brompton. I JUST replaced the rear at approx 1800 miles having had zero flats with these tires and I replaced like for like. Like any other small wheeled bike (or motorcycle/scooter) the tires will wear faster and with some unusual wear patterns. My Vespas did exactly the same thing.
I was going to get the marathon plus tires but opted for the lighter marathons instead.
Hmm. Another factor to be considered is the tire pressure. What are you keeping them at ? I've got Marathon + on my Brompton Electric which I keep at over 90psi. I'm prepared to accept the extra weight and rolling resistance in exchange for puncture free tires. FWIW, the Brilliant bikes website is running a trial on the new Brompton x Continental tire, reports so far are good.
I‘ve had really bad luck with the Schwalbe Racers, almost one puncture every month. Now I‘m using the Schwalbe Marathon (front) and Schwalbe Marathon Plus (rear), and I can‘t even remember when I’ve had the last puncture. And they don’t wear as fast either. But I’m always willing to experiment, so today I’m getting the new Contis from the post office. Let’s see how they roll!
Awesome. I am putting marathon on my bike very soon. Hopefully my racers will wear out faster so I can replace them already.
In addition to the tires, there is another major issue that everyone - at least who live in the US - should know. And that is the inner tubes. I bought a Brompton recently, rode it three times around town perhaps 20 miles each time, and got a severe puncture on the 3rd ride. There are multiple leaks on the tube along a stretch of 6”. How that happened? I have no idea. But here is the big problem: The tubes are hard to fine. My tubes are Impac 16”x1-3/8”. It came with the bike so it is original. I bought my bike from REI but REI does not sell them whether it is in the store, online, or order. Amazon doesn’t sell them either. I found a local bike shop that sells UltraCycle inner tubes of 16”x 1.25” to 1.9” tires. I bought a couple and tried to put it on but to my disappointment, it did not fit. I could fit it in the tire, but I couldn’t fit the tube, tire, and wheel together. The extra “skin” of the tube made it impossible to fit the tire into the wheel. When I put the Impac 16” and the one I bought side by side, it is obvious why the one I bought would not fit even thought the box says 1.25” to 1.9”. There are plenty of tubes sold in Walmart and Target for kids bikes, but the smallest ones are 16”x1.5”. I am looking beyond my town for the tubes and found one store that sells them but the shipping cost is much more than the tube price. So readers beware, before you decide to buy a Brompton, consider these issues. I think Bromptons are overrated and overpriced. My Brompton is now sitting in my garage without an inner tube.
Wrong conclusion. Those are 16 inch 305 sized, not 16 inch 349 size. Wrong tubes. My 305 16 inch nominal tire from my Bob trailer does not fit on my 349 16 inch sized Brompton. Both sizes are nominal 16 inch.
good to have a Garmin or apps like Strava or Runkeeper to record your rides commutes. lets you enter multiple bikes, and each bike's components (tires, chain, etc), or shoes (for running) to track mileage
I love my garmin explore. Best bike computer/navigation device I have owned.
Good to know
I❤my Brompton,
Like you I don’t mind spending the extra money on tires
🚴🏾♀️🚴🏾♀️🚴🏾♀️
It will be interesting to see you thoughts on the difference between the two tires. Comfort, handling and wear. 👍
Will make a video when the time comes.
brian d vlogs: I'll look forward to seeing that. 👍
Just to be absolutely clear, tire pressure is also interrelated to the loading. Somewhere on the Schwable website there is a table of tire profiles and the load on the tire, (generally your weight plus bike weight divided by two) with the ideal pressure for that particular combination. If you are interested in getting the highest mileage out of one's tires that would be a good place to start.
Thanks, I will check that out and include it in an update video when I see how well the new tires work.
the rear wear quicker. drive force/weight.. when it does I buy ONE new tyre ,fitting it on the front... as they wear my tyres progress from the front to the rear to the bin
Sounds like a good plan.👍
Swapping back-front once you detect “a good amount of“ wear is viable, too.
Idk bro, my 20 inch Dahon shipped with Schwalbe Marathon Racers, and it's lasted me well over 5000 km over the last 4 years. I ride them on semi gravel, and bumpy tarmac and since I live in the desert, I use them all seasons through out the year. A few weeks ago I just switched them out for the Schwalbe Marathon HS w/ GreenGuard, because I often encounter punctures from cacti thorns, but the treading on the original Schwalbe Racers are still descent. The new tires are a bit on the sluggish side but does fit my riding level and worth the added puncture protection. My Brompton is fitted with Schwalbe One's and they are definitely worth the money if you'll mostly be riding on smooth city tarmac. Cheers
I don’t know what I am doing wrong with my racers as they haven’t lasted long, but I think my marathons should do much better for mileage.
@@ibikeunfolded yeah if they have Schwalbe's GreenGuard tech, they have a higher durability rating. Wear-and-tear has a lot of factors include: terrain, weather, riding style, riding distance, rider's weight and cargo load, although you are correct about the amount of revolutions the smaller wheels make, can be a contributing factor to the faster wear.
Yo yo brian. Thanks for sharing your videos with the brompton. Wish you tons of success. Maybe a good tip would be to rotate the tires between front and rear periodically. With the brompton the majority of the weight load is at the rear so if you rotate front and rear every 1000 or so you could get more even wear and potentially double the life of your tires. Too late now for you but something to keep in mind with your new rubber.
I will give that a try. Thanks for the info.😀
I'm really loving my Tannus Airless tires on my Brompton.
I may try those someday, until then I am stuck with tubes.
@captain pugwash fortunately my rims are still good. I'm a heavier rider and my wheels are still true. I haven't had to retrue them at all which would be a great indicator of too much stress on the wheel. I'll keep everyone posted. I have about 400 miles or more on the tires and wheels so far.
@captain pugwash Never mind.... I just took a look at my rear tire and the center is already pretty flat and I have only ridden it 400 miles! I just sent a request for a refund on the Tannus tires. I have already cut them off and put on the original Schwalbe Racers until my Marathons come in. It was worht a try... No damage thankfully....
I had a different experience with Tannus, I had Tannus on my Brompton twice, gave up first time because of the roll resistance and felt quite unsafe when the ground is wet or when turning, tried second time and gave up again.
@@msato8650 I've actually just cut them off and sent them back for a full refund. They were already wearing out after 300 miles. The rolling resistance was incredible.
More like a folding bike tire issue in general. Good luck with the Marathon Plus.
Thank you.
We have 2 of the little buggers............love em!! . Keep Safe! love from England xx
I hope you make a review on the marathon plus tires in the future, Thank you for the video
I will as soon as i get the mileage in.
There is now an alternative now made by Continental have recently been trying them. First impression good as it was easier to fit. Have been having problems with what seems to be a bad batch of inner tubes.
I suspect the weight distribution on a Brompton, with the rear being much heavier, will add to the problem somewhat.
I think you are right.
More than half of my miles are done with a full Metro bag on the front... wonder what that does to weight distribution.
I ride every day. I have been running Continental 135-346 tyres. Never had a puncture.
Girlfriend switched from Kojaks to the newer Schwalbe One tires and it's a world of difference in comfort. Can't speak to longevity unfortunately and have never tried either of the Marathons. Kojaks are the only tire with a much higher PSI so any of the others may be better for comfort.
Kojaks, and Schwalbe one’s are great tires, but they seemed thin to me. I wonder how they would do on my streets with all this broken glass and nails?
@@ibikeunfolded The One's could possibly be nice, our roads are maintained decently but still some bike lanes with a lot of crunch. It is nice having a folding bead tire that's easier to take off if you do get a flat.
Unless I missed it, what mileage you have done in those two or so months? My own Schwalbe Marathon Racers have so far done 2,500 miles, the front looks hardly worn whilst the back I assess to be about a third worn. I use 65psi front, 100psi rear, although pressure does drop below those figures a bit between checks/more air.
I am thinking I am happy with my wear rate, balanced with ease of removal and refitting, good wet road grip, and not too expensive for direct replacements. A heavier, stiffer, harder compound tyre might last longer but would the ride comfort and wet grip suffer? More expensive too I suspect.
One other thing, do the different tyres affect the fold at all?
Will be interested to hear how you get on with your new tyres in due course.
I estimate I have over 2000 miles 0n these tires, although I have not kept precise track due to negligence. Harder compound tires will suffer performance issues I am sure, but will wear less often, so I personally would rather have a tire that lasted a little longer at the sacrifice of performance. But that’s just me.
Hi Brian, how many miles did you rack up on your tires at this point?
Thousands. Lost count.
Very informative video Brian,but as you say I can live with that.
I can for sure. Thanks for watching.
I have 4000 km on two pairs of Racers to utter destruction and 2000km on one pair of Marathon plus that still look pretty good. It"s electric so it's all wheel drive and they wear out pretty close to each other.
Awesome. 4000 is a pretty good mileage to get from racers. Good job.
Any advice for a titanium seatpost? Which are the best ones, that don't start sliding down after a while?
So I feel like a traitor... I just returned my folding Tern and bought a Trek Verve +2 electric bike... took one test spin with this baby and fell in Love with it!!!! Also put an inverter in my car so I can charge it while I drive!!!!!
If you live in a very hilly place an electric bike is great, otherwise, a Brompton is a way to go and not the electric Brompton. I would like both the 6 speed electric Brompton and the 6-speed non-electric.
Johnny morris I agree... but can’t swing two bikes.. I can use this one without electric assist so it works for my needs... I live in a house so space is not an issue...
Lots of people love the electrics...I have never rode one so I can’t speak intelligently on that subject but as long as you enjoy it that’s all that matters.
brian d vlogs don’t ever get on one or you will want one! Trust me... I know! Lol
Brian I ride 16 Wheel bike I think racers do wear faster.I am using marathon green guard or the original one.get lots of miles out of them.🇨🇦🚲
I thought so. I figured I was not imagining things. Thanks for the info.👍
When I see Brompton topics I sub.
I appreciate the sub. More Brompton content is coming....
Your road bike has 32 inch tyres?
Hi Brian, I think you should try the continental urban contact tire.. They are much better then the Schwalbe Marathon or Schwalbe Racer.
I’ve heard about tubeless tires like the “Muffin’s”. I’m wondering if they’d be any good on the Brompton?
Interesting idea, I would have to do some checking into that.
Some chaps in the UK run on then and think they are the "dogs bollocks "
@@trigs1441 😂😂I admit I'm in the U.S. and had to look up the idiom "dogs bollocks" in the Urban Dictionary and it cracked me up.
Would getting wider 16 inch tires solve this issue atleast somewhat?
I literally had my first puncture in over 2 years and 1700 miles of riding and was having to research tires (as the my tire was really worn out, so a puncure was all but inevitable). Then you put up this video... what are the chances :D Btw I went with an inexpensive pair of Schwalbe SILENTO tires, as my bike is cheap and cheerful :)
I hate punctures. I would rather run thick heavy tires than fix flats, but that’s me.🙂
@@ibikeunfolded I think I've been lucky by the sounds of it haha! Btw my next bike may very well be a Brompton, as I am ready to spend a bit and have something nice. That's what brought me to your channel and your awesome content! Keep it up mate, I'm glad your are enjoying the bike and everything it has done for you. I'm going to rent one for test and see if it's ok for me and my back issues, so fingers crossed :)
Another interesting vlog Brian. How many miles do you think you have done on those tyres?
2-3 thousand...approximately. Thanks for watching.
Apparently, if you soak your tyrs for a good 36 hours in clarified butter they last three times longer.
Hey Brian cool video. Still waiting on my Brompton as i keep mentioning lol but i spent the extra money for the marathons on it. I have a Trek hybrid and was tired of flats so i got the marathons and love everything about them. So , when i saw the option i had no doubt i would do that upgrade right from the factory. Im hoping they work out just as well on the Brommy as my Trek. Do you have any idea of mileage you put on your racers/bike as of this video?
2-3 thousand approximately. Yes by all accounts the marathons will do much better on my brompton. Can’t wait until the racers wear out so I can install my marathons.
Mine never wear out cos it spends most of its folded up like a lot of Bromptons. I have 2 Bromptons and 200 quid mtb which has never let me down.
I set my rear brake so it's hard to lock up.
I use my front brake to stop.
My brakes are set in a similar fashion. Use my front mostly. My back brake I use only with the front at the same time and only in hard braking conditions.
Can u make a video how u change them and also where do u buy them?
Yes, I will make a video like that when the tires I have on my bike now wear out.
brian d vlogs waiting for this will take so long hahah waiting gonna be hard
Ive owned a Brompton for over a year and average at least 50 miles per week (more in the Summer and less in the Winter). I weigh 250 lbs and have nearly next to no tire wear at all. I think this issue may be due to temperature - in your video, it looks like you are in a warm part of the US - if you a punishing your tires against 100+ degree asphalt they are going to wear quickly. Also, I always inflate my tires to 100 PSI. Underinflated tires will wear/fail much quicker.
Interesting vid thanks Brian
Thank you, and thanks for watching.
Hi Brian, I'm planning to get myself a Brompton, but haven decide which handle bar to go for, my height is 5'10 & I had some spine complication, could you share your height so I can roughly size up the riding position base on your video ?
Bryan Teh I am 6 foot 1
Hi Bryan (and Brian). If you think you might want an S or an M, one option to consider (if you're up for changing a few parts) is getting an S. If you decide you'd prefer an M you can then swap your bars on the S for Joseph Kuosac's mid-rise bars. They're designed for Brompton's, to either lower an M or raise an S (so yeah, you could also buy an M bike and lower it later if you'd prefer). If you do swap the bars you'll also want to swap the cables over.
I've ridden an M since 2006, which I enjoyed as it gave me an easy going position. I recently had to replace my bike so have tried an S. I like the aesthetic, but the position definitely makes me feel more inclined to want to put my foot down (not always a good thing, when commuting in everyday clothes). The S is a lot of fun though.
I'm 6' tall, have relatively long legs for my height, and run the extended seat post at maximum extension. The saddle on my S is about 2.5" above the bars. On my M they were closer to being level.
Hey Brian,whatever happened with the lump on your back,just asking out of concern.
Nora Halkefs it’s still there. I had it looked at briefly and the dr thought it might me a lipoma(a benign fatty Timor). I still need to get it looked at to find out for sure. It does bother me because it right on my spine and is pressing on nerves. I really appreciate the concern....thank you.
brian d vlogs please take care of yourself.
Brian, how long is your full commute (biking the entire distance)? I have a pretty long commute at the moment (17 miles each way) and I use my full sized bike if I'm doing the full distance since I don't want to put that kind of wear and tear on the Brompton. I'd like to start using my folding bike more often and I feel like it was an expensive purchase for something I currently only use once in a while!
I bike 10 miles each way for a total of 20 miles total. I have a 3 speed for commuting and a 6 speed for touring.
Brian: What tire
psi do you use, and how often do you check?
Marathons and I run them at about 100 psi. I check once a week.
Yes I have same problem. Worn tyres . Could have bought another Brompton. The amount. Paid for tyres. Bring back Dunlop. Bike tyres.
I find the marathons seem to be doing better than the racers so far. Only time will tell. I will try many other tires until I find ones that will last longer.
I am due to get a brompton very soon so this is helpful information and your right to talk about the down side of the brompton as not many people do. i still intend to get a Brompton cycle simply because its fold nicely and makes life more convenient in more ways than one. I would like to ask how many miles on average do you cover in a week? Would not the wearing out of tire's also depend on the road surface?.
Yes the road surface has a lot to do with it, and I cover about 500 miles on the brompton a week, plus or minus.
What is the name of your phone holder, I like the way it sits on the handlebars.
That’s my Garmin GPS system. I don’t have a holder for my phone.
@@ibikeunfolded OK thanks
@@johhny711 If you're in the U.S., I suggest you visit "tackform.com". Their phone mounts although a little pricey are of excellent quality IMHO.
Do you like Kojac vs Schwalbe marathon
skip to 2:30 for the start of vid content
Why doesn't it happen with other small wheeled bikes?
Over three minutes of threatening to talk about tyres until you started talking about tyres.
I ride about 3 years with my tires and with the front tire even 6 years 👍
Wow, awesome.
High maintenance item huh, Brian?
Try Continental tires.
If I can find them I will. Always willing to see if there are better options out there.
2 and a half minutes intro I forgot why I was watching and dropped out....
Richard Shaw that wasn’t an intro...it was a riding montage after the intro. Technically speaking.
Fair comment Brian. I'm in a bad place (friend cancer) and just being mealy-mouthed. I hate keyboard warriors and just became one. I am really sorry. Please delete or let me know how I can do it. I liked the content and the presentation
Richard Shaw not a problem, I don’t mind constructive criticism, however I am starting to realize that you can’t please everyone. Some people like the riding shots, and some people like me to just get to the point.
There are girls here as well
Yes, a few. My channel analytics say a very few. However I welcome the six girls that watch my channel.😁👍
rotate
"Today we're going to talk about Brompton tyres"...followed by over 2 minutes of annoying music. FFS, start _talking_ about it!
My mother said “i could never get to the point”😀