Has anyone tried the new compounds?
This is my first Shwalbe tyre, a Magic Mary Addix compound orange stripe (second tackiest?). I’ve only ridden it a handful of times, but have had 3 rips in the main tread. I patched one up, managed to get another to seal on the trail with many CO2 canisters, but have had to resort to a tube after the third tear. I’m riding this on the front. I could count on one finger the number of times I’ve punctured the front in all my days biking. I’ve previously favoured Maxxis and Specialized tyres and have had the odd rip here and there on the rear, which is to be expected, but I can’t get my head around 3 rips on the front (main tread, not sidewall) in half a dozen rides.
Have I been sold a lemon tyre? Is this consistent with others’ experiences? I really like the grip and feel, and was swayed to try it after the myriad glowing reviews from friends and the internet, but this many failures is boggling my tiny wee mind.
I’ve a mind to send a strongly worded email to Shwalbe, for no real compelling reason.

I am running a set of Orange stripe Mary’s on my hardtail, not had a problem yet, if it makes any difference i am running 2.8’s.

Seems quality may still be sketchy as others have reported the same as you.

Return to seller? From memory, Schwalbe don’t think they have a problem so you may not get them to send you a new one under warranty.

Again I’m only 3 short rides on mine 2.35 Mary and no problems at all. Are you running really low pressures? I know this should be an issue but just a thought

I’ve got Jumbo Jims Addis blue stripe, came on new Kona Wo.

Two small rips in 2 rides on the rear, I’ve probably only ever had 2 similar rips in many years.

Ive been running a 2.6″ Blue stripe NN in 29er guise for a couple of months now – no discernible wear.

Orange stripe MM on the front here. Probably about 1/2 dozen rides and no discernable wear or damage. Mainly loamy, rooty, muddy rides and some hard pack, not ridden much rocky stuff on it yet.

Schwalbe in “paper thin sidewall” shocker? Never in a million years!

Replace with Maxxis / Specialized / Continental or similar would be the answer, but there’s always threads popping up now and then regarding the durability them too.

I’ve been running a MM Orange on the front of my enduro for a few months now and have had no issues. Tubeless and always at 24PSI, what PSI for you OP?

I had issues when I first went tubeless with a Hans Dampf tyre and believed the hype of lower pressures, the sidewall would flex everywhere but mainly onto sharp edges and split open. I soon went back to my tubed pressures and just enjoy not getting punctures as opposed to this mythical low pressure lie…

I run around 18-20psi on the front, but I’m small and light and have always ridden these pressures on various other tyre brands without incident.

The rips are in the main tread, not the sidewalls. It’s inexcusable as far as I’m concerned. I bought the tyre from Wiggle, so have emailed them and asked for advice.

Cheers

Sorry did I miss what casing the tyre is?

The casings haven’t changed from when they were using their old rubber compounds, AFAIK.

It’s a Snakeskin folding in Addix Orange – 2.35 (650b)

Just to clarify, both of my rips were straight through the main tread, not the sidewalls.
I guess thats the price to pay (or not) for the Liteskins.
Not my choice for sure…..

I wonder if there’s been a bad batch somewhere along the line. Seems incredible that you can rip the main tread of a fairly burly tyre so easily.

I contacted Wiggle, where I bought the tyre and they’ve asked for photos….

So, to finish this thread off, although Wiggle didn’t uphold my warranty claim, they have made a goodwill gesture for which I’m grateful. Back on the nice guys list.

Question is now, do I get the same replacement tyre…..? Seems most people here haven’t had issues and maybe I’ve been unlucky?

I don’t think I’d be keen to buy another one of the same tyre that fell apart so easy if it were me. That said, I’m not sure what the equivalent is of the MM in other makes.

In Maxxis I think it falls between the shorty and dhf maybe. Continental der kaiser maybe?

Or could you get another MM but in a tougher casing – is double down the next one up from snakeskin?

If you’ve been putting holes in the tyre you need a tougher casing.

Hillbilly grid?

I’ve run a Shorty for the last two winters and it’s really great in slightly fewer situations than the MM is just great…..Never put a single hole in the Shorty – EXO casing, for what it’s worth.

I did really enjoy the MM on the very varied terrain I ride and it was better on roots than the Shorty, which I ride a lot of. They’re sold out in Orange stripe, looking at a Blue stripe DH version. Looks quite hefty.

Sounds like bad luck either with the tyre of whatever you’ve been riding over. Just get another.

Check the weights of the versions of the MM carefully – there’s a ‘bikepark’ version that weighs about 1300g. Imagine that would be sluggish.

I just got a brand new one with this flaw in the tread. It’s going back but unfortunately I was trying to save money with BikeDiscount in Germany 🙁

650b 2.35 Snakeskin – and like others have commented elsewhere looks a bit narrow, more like a 2.25 but the sidewall markings state 2.35. Not going to fit it to check.

I just got a brand new one with this flaw in the tread.

To be fair, I had one with a flaw on the bead that I sent back a while ago.

They’re still good tyres, I’ve not had the issues some seen to with these tyres (though I have a while back with Continentals, which don’t seem to be known for it).

Essentially though whatever you go for if you get the lightest fastest rolling one you will be more at risk of punctures, but they still don’t happen that often (and I’d be sending back a flaw like the one above regardless of the burliness of the tyre!).