Tired Of Flats? Meet The Improved Gatorskin Hardshell
The Continental Gator Hardshell 700c Road Tire has long been a favorite of riders looking for the ultimate in reliability that preserves ride quality, and now Continental has added even more flat protection.
Puncture protection and mileage are the strengths of Hardshell-ProTection. A wider PolyX Breaker, the specialist against punctures under the tread center and shoulders provides for great reliability. A triple-ply carcass covers the entire tire and makes it a real bastion against urban detritus. The outer sidewalls of the tire are reinforced with DuraSkin fabric providing even more reliability due to the casing being so well protected. Hardshell tires are the puncture-resistant flagship amongst racing tires – produced exclusively in Germany
Features:
Densely woven polyamide mesh keeps glass, rocks, and metal shards at bay
Extra tread rubber for more mileage between tire changes
Full bead-to-bead Duraskin protection for no mysterious sidewall slashes
Hardshell protection (3-ply, each 60 TPI)
Reinforced with DuraSkin (polyamide mesh sidewalls)
PolyX Breaker protection
All-season compound
Folding bead 700c clincher
Available in 23 - 32mm width options
Weight: 268g (23mm)
B-Stock - This product has one or more B-Stock units available. These units can be purchased at a discount (see option select). B-Stock units were returned from other customers and may have missing or damaged packaging materials. These units are otherwise as new. The full manufacturer warranty applies. Click Here for more information.
The product weight specified is an approximate weight based on the manufacturer's specifications (if available) or our measurement of one or two examples. For most products, the weight will typically vary by 5% to 10%.
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Reviewed 6/24/2022
by PDXlars
Cycling Enthusiast
Beaverton, Or
Value Rating
Overall Rating
My go to winter tire
The Continental Gator Hardshell has been my go to tire during the rainy season for several years. Rarely had a flat with them.
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Reviewed 6/6/2020
by sconway
Cycling Enthusiast
San Francisco, CA
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2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
Excellent tire at a reasonable price.
When I first installed the tires on my Mavic rims, at about 60psi one popped out of the rim bead and the inner tube blew. I reseated the tire and haven't had a problem since. I really like these tires, because they fit the tight clearance my frame requires for the tread height.
I have about 500 miles on the tires now with no flats and they provide wonderful control.
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Toughest Bike Tire
Gator Hardshell bike tires are the most durable around. I commute on urban streets everyday and have been doing so for a couple decades. Combined with a strong tube, I have gone up to a year without a flat or leak.
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8 of 8 customers found this review helpful.
The best tough training tire
I live in Tucson and ride nearlt everyday. There are myriad road obstacles, debris and sharp pointy things to puncture my ride, and thats why Ive gone back to gatorskin hardshell. I rode other continental products here and while they are as road gripping on downhills and across sand and gravel, they punctured far more than the gatorskins. Ive been riding the hardshell 25's now for a year or so and see the difference in tracking and softness on the road. Weight issues dont effect me as Im not racing and the small difference doesnt seem to effect climbing mt. Lemmon or flying down the mountain on the way hime. Not too clear on the difference between hardshell and standard gatorskin but seems like the hardshell has more sidewall protection which seems to help stop rock punctures when riding on gravel ( which I do everyday to get from my house to the main road). In any case, I recommend these tires to all my friends and so far, Ive heard nothing but positive comments..
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Reviewed 9/7/2018
by SNespo
Cycling Enthusiast
South Bend, Indiana
Value Rating
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7 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
Smooth Ride
I replace my tires about once a year and have found out that the Continental Gator Hardshell works out very well for me. I got a quick delivery and the tire is very easy to put on and my bike. Thank you for your service.
Steve
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Reviewed 10/23/2017
by 209DavidT
Sacramento, CA
12 of 12 customers found this review helpful.
Best Bike Tire Ever
The Continental Gatorskin Hardshell tire happens to be the most versatile tire ever. I use them on my road bike, commuter bike and fixed gear bike.
The tire compound rides aliitle harder than most but durability and cornering cancel the harder ride. I ride at 225 lbs and have lowered tire pressure FR to 95 psi and tires perform flawlessly! They hug the road even in wet conditions. Highly recommend for all road riding bikes.
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Reviewed 7/21/2022
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Little Rock, AR
Value Rating
Overall Rating
Sturdiest and most flat proof I've found.
Love that you hardly ever get flats. Wears well. Glad it folds for when you need to take an extra tire. Can tend to be a little slick in rainy weather (run at a little lower psi for this).
Hate how hard it is to remove and install if you do get a flat. I'm a small woman and I've had to resort to a tire bead jack for installation if I ever get a flat. But it doesn't happen often.
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Reviewed 8/1/2017
by Chuckee
Cycling Enthusiast
Kamas, Utah
Value Rating
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7 of 8 customers found this review helpful.
Favorite tire for years due to reliability, cornering and puncture protection.
I have used the tire for several years for both training and racing, averaging about 3500 miles per year. I don't remember the last time I had a pinch flat and have found it to be extremely puncture resistant - fulfilling the promise of increased flat protection. The tires have excellent sidewall strength and reliability, never having any issues with cracks or ruptures due to potholes, cattle guards or hitting any other obstructions. The wear indicators (two small holes on the tire tread) are reliable in indicators in determining when to change out the tire. I normally change the tires after 2000 miles regardless to be safe. Only downsides are the price and weight. I try to buy when the tires are on sale to save a few bucks since they are pretty expensive. The added weight due to the flat protection is a concern, but not overly so. I am somewhat of a weight weenie, so the concern is a psychological one, I'm sure.
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Reviewed 4/25/2017
by Type2Dcycler
Cycling Enthusiast
San Diego, CA
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5 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
Best tires ever...
I bought these Gator hard shells for a charity ride in April-May. We rode from Key West, FL. to Jacksonville, FL, over 500 miles and I had zero flats!
Everyone else on my ride had to deal with flats but they didn't have Gators...soo, get you some!!!
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Reviewed 3/4/2022
by PC Alex
Cycling Enthusiast
Stuart, Fl
Value Rating
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Still enjoying the ride!
Purchased a set of these tires for my road bike and I'm really happy with them. I now have just over 650 miles with no interruptions to my rides due to flats which is a great relief compared to the Continental 5000 set I previously had which had me roadside with 3 flats in a 3 week period. They are slightly heavier but in my opinion, this outweighs the inconvenience of not riding due to punctures. Get some and enjoy the ride!
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Reviewed 9/4/2020
by Nick H
Cycling Enthusiast
Sacramento, CA
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2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
I have used Hardshells for years without having any problems and very few flats.
I use Hardshells on all of my wife's and my bikes, and our tandem, and have done so for years.
Good mileage and very good flat protection.
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Reviewed 2/4/2022
by loves2ride
Cycling Enthusiast
upstate NY
Value Rating
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A good tire for not the best roads
The metal recycle trucks drive up and down my favorite routes. I used to have LOTS of flats. I was told that this tire would slow me down. Well, FLATS SLOW ME DOWN. Now, maybe get one or two flats a season. I can live with that.
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Reviewed 7/3/2020
by Cycle Tourist
Cycling Enthusiast
Tucson, AZ
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2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
Durable, smooth rolling road bike tire.
I've used Continental tires on my road bike for years. More recently, I've been using the Gator Hardshell folding tire, and I find that I get about 10,000 miles use from a pair of these tires. I rotate them once a year, & I ride them on a variety of terrain mountain roads, city & bike trails. I like the two 'dots' that allow me to gauge the remaining tread on the tire. I count on these tires on several tours a year, whether domestically in the U.S. or in Europe.
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Reviewed 5/21/2020
by KAT
Cycling Enthusiast
Greensboro, NC
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3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.
No Flats in Years
I'm not the best mechanic, I can change a flat - but don't like to. I ride 10K a year. I chose Gator Hardshell after wading through flats from other tire companies. I have worn out 3 sets of 'Hardshells without a single flat. Currently, I ride without a repair kit or tubes, that's how confident I am in these tires. The ratings say they aren't the fastest - but they are certainly the most reliable.
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4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.
Every day rider!
I teamed this tire up with puncture resistant tube and have only had 3 flats in about 3 1/2 years. I get about 3500 miles out of each set of the Hardshell tires
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Reviewed 6/27/2022
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
South Texas
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1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
Great tires for South Texas heat.
Road bikes in south Texas lots of stickers and thorns in the area. Tires have seemed to work very well in this heat and thorns.
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Reviewed 10/18/2019
by Giant e-biker
Cycling Enthusiast
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Overall Rating
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
If you have an E-Bike, this is the tire to use!
I ride a 44 lb Giant Road E1. Big battery and big motor to haul my 220 lb carcass up so pretty steep grades and I really didn't wanna have to fix a flat on that bike. I picked the Gator hardshells cause I heard they were the most puncture resistant tires out there, short of an off road knobby tread tire. Weight isn't a prob using an e-bike. I knew the rear would wear faster than a lighter rider on a carbon frame, but I still got 2500 miles out of the rear considering the wattage being put down with 260 lbs. combined weight. No flats the whole time and the tread looked pretty clean with no gashes or cuts. I'd get this tire again. Get this tire if you just don't want flats and can put up with a slightly heavier tire. I had no prob mounting these, didn't even have to use a tire lever! It just depends on the rim you have, not the tire so much.
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Reviewed 8/26/2019
by Itri2
Cycling Enthusiast
San Jose
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5 of 5 customers found this review helpful.
A very nice training tire! Heavy and it grips well!
I try to change my tires at least once a year if not twice. I have been using these tires for a while. When they are new they are fantastic.
Good deal and I like how they hold up.
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5 of 5 customers found this review helpful.
Solid training tire
I get about 3000 miles out of a set before they are ready to be replaced. Heavy and hard.
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3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.
No stop tires
I have rode these tires for 3500 miles, multiple times, without one stop for a flat. The tire wear indicators are especially helpful to know when to change them out. They are my go to training tire!
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