Way back in 2011, I posted about my new favorite bicycle tire... a Vittoria Randonneur. And with good reason! I had logged 4016 miles on a back tire, which was way above average. My typical mileage up until then was usually around 2000 miles. (In addition to the good mileage, I only had two flat tires in all those miles - amazing!)
That review can be seen HERE.
Well... in the last 10 years, the Randonneur has declined in my estimation. Particularly in total miles. I believe they must've modified the construction/compound, because mileage has declined meaningfully. I don't think I've gotten over 3000, maybe 3500 miles, in the past few years. (Still way better than those 15-dollar, 2000-mile tires.)
Well... I'm here to declare a new champion! Undisputed! After several people recommended it, I finally broke down and laid down some significant cabbage for a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire. (It replaced a Randonneur that rolled only 2324 miles. Yeah, I keep track of this stuff.)
I made the switch on April 9th... of last year! Since then I've ridden that Marathon Plus... (drum roll...) 7,497 miles! (Rear wheel... my front tires typically last much longer than rear.) And - I haven't patched a flat rear tire since before 4/9/21 - ZERO flats using the Schwalbe. (If you are skeptical, I understand - I would be skeptical if I hadn't experienced it and measured it myself!)
One clarification... I don't replace a tire after the tread is worn down. Unless I'm embarking on a major adventure, I wait 'til I'm just starting to see little glimpses of the layer underneath the tread. (See that link above, for a photo of what I'm talkin' about.) I'm not seeing any of the Schwalbe "Smart Guard" layer yet... I might have another 10 miles still to go - or 1000.
(It might be a challenge to replace, when the time comes. After awhile the rubber of the tire seems to "fuse" a little bit, with the rubber of the tube, and you kinda have to peel them apart. But - if I end up replacing a $5 tube at the same time, I can deal with that.)
I've purchased 3 or 4 more of those tires, when they've gone on sale. I might not have to buy another tire for ten years!
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