Continental Gator Hardshell 700c Road Tire (Folding)

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..

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

I hate flats! I found the Hardshell after trying many brands that claimed to be flat resistant but let me down. The are extremely flat resistant and they are all I use for training (they are a bit heavy for racing though). I rated them as a steal (5 stars) as you have to consider all the tubes and CO2 canisters you use fixing flats. I have even run a couple of my bikes with liners and that pretty much makes these tires indestructible. Friendly warning though, they are really tough to put on when new but well worth it.

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.

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.

My bike came with a less bulletproof Continental tire. After the third tube puncture in five days of riding I knew I needed a tougher tire. The Gator Hardshell is it. I switched a month ago and have approximately 250 miles on the tires with no flats. Ive gone over glass pieces and many pebbles that would have probably flattened the old tires. I notice no ride quality difference.

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!!!

I ride 15 hours per week, on average. These tires lasted 1 year with no stopping to fix a flat!

This was my second purchase of these tires after looking for a tire that was flat resistant, long lived, and rolled fast. It's been a great all around tire!

I've been researching all makes and models of tires for the past several months and finally decided to go with the Gator Hardshell. I've had them for several weeks now and they have surpassed my expectations. They ride much better than the stock rubber that came with my Specialized and offer fantastic grip. I highly recommend them.

Using other brands and non-hard shell I've experienced flats several times a year. Since using these hard shells, I have experienced no flats. Riding on rough country roads with cactus needles, glass, sharp small stones, pot holes, and bad expansion joints have never caused a flat. I can easily get over 4,000 miles on the rear tire.

Because of the heat and rough roads, I do change both tires yearly can never be too careful

I tried this tire on two different rims. It will not go on without brute force. I destroyed two tubes trying. Would not be able to do a roadside change.

when my tires become slick I replace them with new ones!!!

They take the road divots well...Great now for Fall road biking!!

Road biking. Have used this brand for years. Never had a problem.

There is nothing to dislike about this tire. I use it on my touring bike (700x28) and have been using the 700x25 version for many years on my Roubaix (rear tire - the front tire is Conti 4000S). I've never had a puncture flat (I've had a couple of pinch flats) on my Roubaix in countless thousands of miles. I'm getting the same results with the 700x28 on my touring bike so far.

I went to the GatorSkin Hardshell in May of 2016. I teamed it up with the Forte puncture resistant tubes. I ride 200-250 miles a week. I have seen I can get about 3500 mile out of the tires before I have to change them out for new ones. The wear indicator is a great help. I do rotate the tires from from to back which allows me to get about another 500 miles out of the tire set. Since making this change I have had to replace the tires 3 times but I have not had a flat in over a year. I am still using the same tubes from May of 2016. This is a great tire and great combination for me. I do try and wait until the BOGO sale is on though.

Just let me say.......yes, the tires were great. The problem was I was hit from behind and left in a coma by the driver. I awoke in the hospital and finally got home the next day. My Ti bike is a mess!!!

I've been using these tires for about 4 years now. I switched to them because of the number of flats I was getting on other brands. I'm kind of heavy for a cyclist, at 215 lbs, so worn tires and flats used to be the norm for me. Not anymore. Great tire.

Nice to have the Kevlar and avoid flats on ultra distance rides but best part is being able to change these ones on the fly. As a women with not as much strength in the hands some Kevlar tires are very difficult to change without a tool but these with a softer edge I can manage without a problem.