Hi - been riding on the Continental Gatorskin Black tires for the last three months after a piece of metal destroyed my 6-month old Vittoria Rubino Pro back tire. I liked the Vittoria, but felt they didn't "roll" as well as other brands that I've used.
The Continental Gatorskin Black's are amazing. There seems to be less resistance than the Vittoria, I like the tread, and the traction is very good, since I've been using these tires in the cold mixed with snow rain soaked Pacific Northwest. Like all of the other "million" reviews, buy with confidence. And like always, Bike Tire Direct is my go to vendor...
The Gold Standard in fast rolling puncture resistant training tires. Yes, they are a little heavier than GP 5000's but flat protection is second to none. I live in Wisconsin and try to ride year-round if possible- usually 5-6 thousand miles/year. Often have years with NO flats thanks to Gatorskins!!
Thought these tires would be heavy and stiff but haven't found that to be the case. I love them. The ride is more supple than I thought and I find them comfortable to ride on...so much so that I think I'll be using them year round. So far no flats and I've gone through some really bad road debris. Fingers crossed that I don't get a flat because the one thing I don't like about them is that they are extremely difficult to get on and off the rim.
Like fixing flats on the side of the road? If so, don't buy these tires! This is my 3rd or 4th set, and the puncture resistance is 10/10!
Mostly a road bike rider averaging 135 miles per week on the typical trash and glass strewn roads in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. My previous tire of choice was the Continental GP5000. If I lived outside of a big city I likely would have stayed with that tire. While the GP5000 had a slightly smoother ride and may have even been slightly faster (emphasis on slightly), I eventually became tired of getting flats. I would estimate that I easily get 60 to 70% fewer flats on the Gatorskins than on the GP5000. The evidence is anecdotal, but that's all got. I went with the black edition strictly based on appearance.
I got these for their resistance to blowouts. I read many reviews that rated them highly for that. I live and ride in Florida, so "cold" weather use is the low 40s. Thus far I've put 1,375 miles on these tires. The rear one is just showing signs of wear, but it looks only about 1/3 worn. So my estimate right now is 3,500-4,000 miles. Not bad.
These ride well and corner well in wet conditions. I've had no indication of slippage at all when the roads are wet. I do ride on some roads that have been sealed, and I've previously slid out on other tires when they were wet. These hold tight.
I've run over road glass, not on purpose, but the recycling truck near me dumps little piles of glass here and there and I've hit a few. The tires show no signs of being cut or punctured. Previous tires would have been flat on me.
I am a retired 77 year old 'club rider". I ride with the group 25 - 50 miles, 3 days a week. This is over various terrain. I use the Gatorskin Black on the rear of my bike. I have not had a flat in about a year now.
I'm the type of rider that is very used to GP5000 (mounted on my campys wto 45)and after reading reviews about gatorskins tires I decided to click the button, this tires are tough!, I chose this tires for my winter/rough roads to prevent flats and they haven't disappointed me , I mounted them on a spare wheel set (bontrager aeolus 35)which was not difficult, they rolls good , they are not as fast as GP5000 but the intention is prevent flats and keep me training on winter.
Gator Skins have been my go to tires for a number of years now. These black version of the tires are not only cheaper than the gold label version but I was also able to get the bigger size for my e-bike. Just like the version I have used on my regular carbon fiber road bike, I expect to get many miles on these tires without flats.
I'm a triathlete, and when I train, I go far. I need a dependable tire, at all times. So far, these tires have been great. No flats, shedding debris left and right. Hopefully they keep up that way.
Great performance with Continental. I have used this brand for years with minimal flats and good grip for a safe ride.
Training tire good protection from flats but hard to mount.
Great training tire, a bit heavy but worth the comfort and reliability.
I've come to expect easy, prompt service and quality products. I got both this time. Many thanks.
I have used these tires for over 10 years, and they've been great. I haven't had a flat tire for at least 5 years.
I've been riding Gatorskins for about 5 years now. They are my "go to" tire. Let me say, I don't race. These are the best tires for daily riding, group rides and touring! I generally ride 4 days a week, 25 to 60 miles. I hate flats! While they do weigh a bit more the light weight tires, i'll take that any day or getting a flat! In our area we have a lot of "chip seal" roads and other road debris especially during and just after winter, these take it all in stride! Most riders in our group are using these as well! They are tough to put on.
This tire will give you confidence to ride through most road debris. Goat heads,glass and most garbage!!! I ride So Cal desert and mountain roads which can have a lot of goatheads. Had a piece of glass make its way into tire which is rare. Black version looks better than old version. These tires have noticeable resistance and weight but overall well worth it. Great protection and longevity!!!
Gatorskins provide excellent protection against a large percentage of flat-causing debris on the road. No tire is perfect, but these really offer everything you could hope for. They may be slightly heavier than optimum, but really aren't that many grams heavier than GP4000s, which are a terrible tire, wear-wise.
I usually get about 2500-2800 mi on rear Gatorskin, and over 6000mi on front tire.
I'm 180# and majority of roads I ride are pretty smooth pavement.
I race on other tires but I train on Gator Skins. They are puncture resistant and long lasting. The larger sizes of 28 and above are easier to put on and off wheels which is a huge benefit. I highly recommend these for training purposes.
Gatorskins wear more slowly, get fewer flats and may be slightly easier to get on/off than GP 4 Seasons.
