I use Gatorskins on my road bike on paved trails, city streets and sometimes rural roads. I can reliably get 3000+ miles on the rear and 4000+ on the front. I�ve had an occasional flat tube (generally when I hit a terrible object) but I have never had the tire itself fail. I ride about 3000 miles per year and I�ve used these tires exclusively for about 6 years.
Great tires for all around commuting. I use them on mostly asphalt surfaces with some gravel/limestone mixed in. I had my first flat using these tires last week after probably close to5-6,000 miles (it wasn't the tires fault; the rim tape wasn't seated properly and caused it). I bought another set to replace the current ones that are 3 years old. Pretty good life out of a set of tires that I use year round commuting in the midwest.
They feel great on the bike. I love the traction and the feeling of confidence I have when their on my wheels.
Kudos to Continental Gator Skins!!
Gatorskins are my go-to tire for training rides. After 50 years of biking I've been through a lot of tires and have learned that cheap is not better. Gatorskins wear well, give very good flat protection, are good in all weather conditions. They handle very well and give the rider one less thing to worry about. Comparing the folding Gatorskin to the wire bead model doesn't leave much to say. The weight difference is no issue and road performance is the same for both. Mounting the folding vs. the wire bead is another non-issue. So, the only thing I see in difference is the ability to fold one Gatorskin smaller than you can fold the other which means if you ever need a spare TIRE for a long ride the folding has an advantage.
I would recommend either Gatorskin to any rider from the Casual Cyclist to the Racer. It's intended use and best application is every ride except where your level of competition demands ultra-lightweight gear.
Mounted a 27 x 1 1/4 on an old, but in good condition steel wheel. Inflated it to about 90 or so. I guess the capacity is 85 or so? Blammo as I rode like my first or second ride. The ex;plosion hurt my ears! I'll put the review at 3 stars because the Gatorskin enjoys such a good reputation and the other tire is working fine. I don't run a tire liner with it like I do all the rest of my tires. No flats yet. Also not reviewed higher because the tire is so big! It's kind of balloon like despite being labeled the size I ordered.
I use this on my city bike and it's been perfectly fine so far. No flats and decent traction
Very durable and reliable, yet still rolls reasonably well
Easy to install and good at holding the road on turns and turning up the speed on straightaways.
Good tire for daily use with good protection against punctures. Can be difficult to mount.
I got these to use on my gravel turned commuter bike as it seemed like everyday I had a flat on my Panaracer slicks. So I got the toughest tire I could think of. Bullet proof to be sure just a bit harsher on the ride but no more flat tires!!! I do commute along an area of road that does not get swept often and they have been awesome!
I went from a 38 to 28 to get the feeling of a bit for finesse on the road but still able to ride on light trails if I wanted. And these tires did just that. Plus, delivery was super fast with great customer service.
I would categorize these tires as training tires. They don't roll as nicely as a race tire, but they provide better than average protection from flats. I've been using this model tire for over 10 years and they have a pretty good track record for resisting flats. If you are reading this and think like I do and want pretty good protection, I recommend buying these tires. I do keep a built up carbon fiber wheel set with Pirelli tires for going fast and I put Continental Gaterskins on the aluminum wheelset for my training and long distance rides
I have been using Gatorskins for many years mainly because I get very few flats. I have worn through the rubber to the fiber/cored and still no flats. FYI - I�m weigh over 230 pounds and ride 3 to 4 times a week. I basically wear the tire out.
I purchased these on sale in the 32mm size. I use them on a Space Horse with gravel rims that have an ID of 21mm.
I have used Gatorskins for years and there isn't really anything I can add to the already glowing reviews. They are very flat resistant, the ride is not too hard of a ride, and while not the fastest tires they don't feel like I have bricks for wheels.
Why, though, have I never thought to use them with latex tubes??? The ride is simply extraordinary! Yes I know that ride quality is not measurable, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. These tires are fantastic with latex tubes.
I have a 2nd set of wheels for the Space Horse with Schwalbe 40mm gravel tires set up tubeless. The Gatorskins with latex compare favorably to the ride quality of those.
This is my second set of these tires. Got a good season and a half out of the last set and probably could have squeezed the remaining half season but I never like to push road tires too far for safety reasons. Awesome tires and great cornering as well.
I put around 3000 miles a year on my bike, almost exclusively in an urban environment. The Continental Gatorskin is my go-to tire. I've probably bought more than a dozen of them over the years. Theu combine durability with a level of performance ideally suited for high frequency, medium-long distance riding, at ahigh level of intensity. I have less confidence in other tires because experience with them is they're not as reliable-- don't last as long and punctures are more frequent. Everytime I see the Gatorskin on sale, I buy a pair.
Added these tires to my wife�s ride.
Excellent for more short gravel sections and a cushy ride with lower tire pressure.
Excellent pricing!
This is all I run now on my main use bike. I have tried several different brands and these are noticeably more durable than the others. I usually swap them at 2,500 and sell them for a couple bucks since they still have life in them. Might have to keep them longer with prices rising. I run Vittorias on my "race bike" (I don't really race) and they seem to roll better but for everyday riding I'll stick with the Gators. Have used 23, 25, and 28mm versions. All good for the money.
The Gatorskins have proven time and time again that a well designed �tough skinned tire� can keep you riding longer and more often. These tires have the perfect trade-off for weight to strength. Running them for years on 7 different bikes and I would never buy anything else.
I recently switched to these tires for commuting to work. I only have one bike, so when the weather begins to change from Summer to Fall I need to change my setup. There can be a fair bit of debris in the Fall where I ride. I usually run Conti GPs during Spring & Summer. I put these on about a month ago and have had ZERO issues. They feel a bit slower than the GPs, but any riding I do at this time of year is a bonus. My top priorities are safety and durability. If that's what you're after - these are perfect.
