California roads are so bad that there is glass and fine wires from worn out steel belted car tires that are wearing out and dropping these wires all over the place. While Gatorskins are normally very flat proof, those steel wires will go right through them. This is all due to Biden's inflation making normal food so expensive that people are putting off buying new tires, The same thing happened in Obama's Great Recession.
On asphalt trail road biking. Excellent puncture protection and sidewall protection. Gators are a little difficult to install first time but tires stretch and flex making future mounting easier.
As soon as a stock tire is done (or it sucks) - I slap on a gatorskin. Gatorskins are my go to summer tire - grips well, fast, durable, and not terribly expensive. I find them comfortable as well. I very seldom get flats running gatorskins, it happens but not often (once over multiple summer seasons). They look good, too.
The tires feel great, and made me feel absolutely unstoppable on my new bike. Unfortunately, on the third ride the rear tire punctured. I was biking on a flat road closed to cars, with no glass or debris in sight, and I got a flat with a huge gash in the tire. While I know it was bad luck, I�m pretty disappointed in the integrity of the product. I had to immediately purchase a new tire, despite investing in quality tires that I thought would last me years.
I've been using these tires for years. They're the best I found that have minimal side rolls hence very few flats.
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.
As I am living in a big city and do most of my rides in the city. I am always finding broken glass on my bike paths. And not always possible to avoid all this glass. I have learned over many years that this tire is my best flat protection !
Love my gatorskins. Often go months without a flat. I often hear how hard they are to get on and off. I too struggled til I learned the lessons to doing it more easily and quickly.
A quality tire that rolls well and resists puncture
Love my gatorskins. Often go months without a flat. I often hear how hard they are to get on and off. I too struggled til I learned the lessons to doing it more easily and quickly.
A quality tire that rolls well and resists puncture
I'VE BEEN RIDING ROAD BIKES FOR OVER 15 YEARS, AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT GATORSKIN TIRES ARE THE BEST AND ONLY BIKE TIRE TO BUY, FOR RELIABILITY AND DURABILITY. I RIDE ABOUT 125 MILES A WEEK, ON CITY ROADS AND BIKE PATHS OF VARIOUS GRADES AND QUALITY OF ROAD CONDITIONS. ALL THE GUYS WITH WHOM I RIDE ALSO SWARE BY THE RELIABILITY OF THIS TIRE. I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER CHANGE UNLESS SOMETHING BETTER COMES ALONG!
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 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.
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.
With the wet cold weather it just feels safer to have good tires on my bike.
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.
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.
When using other tire brands I was constantly having flat tires. These Gatorskins have sharply reduced the flats.
Folds to compact size, easy to take on road trips. Long lasting.
