# Schwalbe Marathon Mondials Tubeless?



## intheways (Apr 19, 2004)

Mods-If the tire forum is more appropriate, please move this post. I am particularly interested in a tire for touring, bikepacking, and commuting with extensive road mileage. I've used Nanos and wasn't excited with the sidewalls when run tubeless.

Anyone have experience with the Mondials run tubeless? I tried searching, but couldn't find anything about running them without tubes. I would like to get as much advice as possible before spending $90.

Thanks

BTW-they will be going on Stan's Flows


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## SingleTrackLovr (Apr 25, 2007)

26x2.0 ?
Free bump
Sounds like an interesting project.


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## intheways (Apr 19, 2004)

Thanks for the bump. I would be using the 29x2


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

I recently fitted Schwalbe Big Apple folding 2.0 x 29" to P35s tubeless, a bit of leakage at the bead initially but homebrew sealant fixed that after a few rides. They roll really well at 25psi. Interested in trying the Mondail 47-50c tubeless as a 'big tour' tyre, I think it'll work.


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## intheways (Apr 19, 2004)

Thanks for the info! I'm going to seriously consider trying one when I get the funds.


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## mattbryant2 (Apr 19, 2005)

I'm very curious about running the 700x40 or 700x45 Mondials tubeless on my Flow rims... just need to save up some cash for the tires. If anyone has experience, chime in!


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## roliryka (Oct 28, 2010)

I use the Dureme 700x50 tubeless and have had good luck so far. They are mounted on DT Swiss X470 rims. They do great on gravel and pavement. I haven't ridden them in rugged off road conditions but they should do fine.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

Curious as to what benefits there are running a touring tire like the mondials tubeless. I've used the old Marathon XR's (fore runner to the mondials) on long tours; even on dirt roads i never needed to run them at pinch flat low pressures to get traction and never had a puncture; they were utterly bomb proof.
I would also question using mondials on a commuter, if primarily tarmac my preference would be marathon racers (duremes / supremes for better grip offroad) - the huge rolling resistance of the mondials would start to piss me off on 'extensive road mileage' without a heavy load


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## intheways (Apr 19, 2004)

SimpleJon said:


> Curious as to what benefits there are running a touring tire like the mondials tubeless. I've used the old Marathon XR's (fore runner to the mondials) on long tours; even on dirt roads i never needed to run them at pinch flat low pressures to get traction and never had a puncture; they were utterly bomb proof.
> I would also question using mondials on a commuter, if primarily tarmac my preference would be marathon racers (duremes / supremes for better grip offroad) - the huge rolling resistance of the mondials would start to piss me off on 'extensive road mileage' without a heavy load


Others might have different reasons, but the mondials have the most aggressive tread of the touring tires. Most MTB tires that have treads that work well on road, tend to be lightweight XC tires. The reason I want to run the mondials tubeless is to lower the weight and make flats easier to fix.

Most of my rides involve at least 25 mi before I hit the dirt. Not driving a vehicle minimizes the constraints on my trips. I'm just trying to find the best tire for my purposes


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

Not sure that tubeless is going to reduce weight at all (at 740g for the 26 x 2.0 so I read - its not a light weight tire)- would imagine rim tape and goo is going to be about the same (possibly more) than a tube. I don't think punctures will be a problem with mondials.
If you are mostly on road marathon racers would be ideal, supremes or duremes have less rolling resistance than the XR. The XR is brilliant for heavy loads on almost any terrain and lasts for ever. But the weight and hard compound tread gives a heck of a lot of rolling resistance in my experience and they are a serious PITA without loads on road.


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

> Curious as to what benefits there are running a touring tire like the mondials tubeless


I think if the tyre is practically thorn / nail proof and is only going to be flatted by something major like a shard of glass then it's a great candidate for tubeless, more so than normal MTB tyres in a way - it becomes more like a car tyre. The sealant needed is less than most TLR MTB tyres and rim tape weighs so little, overall it's lighter by about an inner-tube's worth and in theory should roll a bit easier. Not a major difference though and you'd still need to carry a spare tube - so for me it was more about trying it out. If I was 'proper' touring I doubt I'd bother if I was concerned about lack of sealant availability.


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## JayPee (Mar 5, 2004)

In the process of doing research to covert my Fargo to tubeless I ran across this thread, thought I'd resurrect and share some thoughts. I've been thoroughly impressed with the durability of the Marathon Mondials, they've been amazing as a touring tire and ran them in TX and NM with no flats. That being said, they're heavy and stiff and wanted to explore tubeless as a way to lessen my rotational weight a bit and give them a bit more suppleness. When running tubes, dropping pressure (<30psi) made them more comfortable but increased the danger of pinch flatting, especially when touring loaded. (backpacking setup, nothing too outrageous)

So, converted my wheels (Salsa Semi) using gorilla tape and valves scavenged from old tubes and sealed using a DIY sealant from that enormous thread elsewhere on MTBR.com. Used a floor pump and soapy water and the beads sealed on the first try, they seem _very_ solidly locked in place.

Did I loose that much weight? Probably not, but they're more comfortable to me and give me a bit of peace of mind. YMMV.


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## rom1red (Jan 30, 2005)

I've ride with marathon mondial (700x 1.75/ folding tire) on stan's Crest since one year. No problem's to notice.


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## chrisx (Mar 4, 2009)

intheways said:


> Mods-If the tire forum is more appropriate, please move this post. I am particularly interested in a tire for touring, bikepacking, and commuting with extensive road mileage. I've used Nanos and wasn't excited with the sidewalls when run tubeless.
> 
> Anyone have experience with the Mondials run tubeless? I tried searching, but couldn't find anything about running them without tubes. I would like to get as much advice as possible before spending $90.
> 
> ...


flows and mondails? well flows and the folding xr I can tell you about. 
Xr has a tight bead. Apparently stan has a tighter bead socket to grip the tire. You will learn things about mounting tires. Although not impossible mounting the xr on a flow is hard.

let us compare the xr to the wtb weirwolf. On the back roads, with tubes. In baja California Sur, where thorns resemble nails. The weirwolf will average 4 flats per day, over a 1,000 mile journey. The xr will average 1 flat every 500 miles, on a similar journey. Inflated tubeless the weirwolf gets 0 flats in the same thorn heaven.

xr the predacessor of the mondail was designed to run at a greater psi than the weirwolf. I fear running them at a lower psi would damage the side walls. The xr was a high milage tire, and expensive. Why shorten the life of it buy going below the minium psi, for a tubeless set up. Flows are made for low psi, marathons are made for higher psi. Not an ideal tubeless match. Yes tubes for the xr, no tubes for the weirwolf.

Have any flow owners discovered a 40mm folding road tire that mounts eaisly, or with much less difficulty than the xr?








The beads on the xr tires gave out before the tread did. Could this be the result of forcing them on a rim to tight for them? Flow and xr both lasted a long time.


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Oddly, I couldn't get my Mondial 47C folders to seal at all, this was on the same P35 rims that my Big Apples sealed on. May try again but the bead leaked air as soon as there was any side flex, no lock at all. Didn't look good. So far they're the only tyre that hasn't sealed on those rims. Maybe the Travelstar model I have is different in the bead area. Great tyres though, no flats to date. A bit wooden, just a pay-off for the toughness.


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