These Continentals are excellent tires. You get what you pay for. Seems like the best of any product type is made in Germany. I recently got some new wheels for my old Raleigh the kind with the inside lip or bead on the rim so I can use these clincher type tires. I need the 27x114 size which are getting harder to find. I run at 100psi and don't have flats. I never have to worry about the tires.
The tires are a bit rough-riding, however I feel comfortable riding them around because I'm not too worried every time I pass miscellaneous debris in the street which is common in New Orleans. Value is hard to judge, but I will buy another set of these, so I say good deal.
As a large rider, 275 lbs., I torture tires on my old 27 Puch. Many of the roads I ride are old asphalt with some scattered gravel here and there. Probably 23 of my flats were in the sidewalls from a piece of gravel. Tire pressue made little difference. I tried several brands of tires. After years of fixing a flat per month, sometimes more, I heard about Gatorskins from a friend that said his flat problem has virtually stopped since using them. I went on-line to shop for them and saw that they now had a hardshell version. It sounded just like what I was looking for. Though a little pricey, I haven't had to fix a flat, not one, since mounting these 4 months ago. Possibly because of the increased downforce that I exert I haven't had any ride problems. These babies roll smooth and fast. I think these are a good choice for us big folks.
Previous Specialized 27 tires have given me over 3,000 of good service. I know that is too much, but I was not having any problems riding the smooth, country roads of Kansas. When I moved to Texas, I began having far too many flats. I went to Slime and still had leakers and aggravation. The switch to these Gator Hardshell was good from the start. Far easier to install than the Specialized - just a skosh more ID -made the experience good from the start. While the ride is little rough, the peace of mind regarding flat protection is a fair trade. So far, I give these hand made in Germany Continentals high marks. Even their appearance is top-notch. Time is always the judge, but I think I will enjoy these tires for a long time.
I dont understand it, but I've logged 3000 miles with no flats, mostly commuting around Portland and a few road trips. I finally celebrated by putting new ones on and transferring the old ones to another bike. Ridiculously impressive. Solid ride.
The tire arrived 3 days ago and I've only logged about 20 miles on it. It rolls smooth and fast. I can't speak to it's durability as yet, but I love it right now. Makes my old Puch Meteor Luxe feel like a real speedster. Because its' so stiff it was a little hard to install and had me wishing for a 3rd hand, well worth it though. I thought, This thing is going to ride like its' made of granite. Rides like a dream.
