I have been buying this tire for years and I will not be going away from it. It is just such an excellent value for such an excellent tire. It really is a great tire that has seen me some rough spots and has lasted well. It grips the road so well and I like that little extra texture for riding in dampwet conditions in the Northwest.
I will also be buying them exclusively through biketiresdirect.com because they have awesome customer service and really know their stuff!
These tires provide low rolling resistance with good puncture protection. Great for riding around city parks and streets. Used with Continental Race 26 Light Road Tube 650c x 18-25 36mm Presta that weighs only 65 grams. Tires were inflated to 105 psi, midway between 95 psi min and 116 psi max rating of Gatorskin tire.
Great price on both tires and tubes during Black Friday sale!
Within the past year I changed from riding DF bikes to recumbent bikes. My new to me Ti-Aero came with 650 rims so my tire choices were limited to just a few. Thank goodness one of the choices was the Gatorskins. I've been riding on Gatorskins for many years now because they wear well, offer great flat protection, and are reasonably priced. I tried other tires but none allowed me to get between 3,000 and 4,000 miles on the rear tire like the Gatorskins and even more on the front tire. I am not a racer, although I do like to ride fast and these tires allow me to corner without slipping. They are heavier than racing tires but for everyday use you will be hard pressed to find a better all around tire than these.
I went back to Gatorskins after trying other tires with top rated roll resistence. Although the other tires I tried were faster, the Gatorskins give much better flat resistence and on Texas roads you really need that! I highly recommend them for trining and just plain long rides.
I use these on a recumbent for training and day rides. They are a bit heavy, but the reassurance they provide is worth the weight. Even with the extra weight on the recumbent rear tire, it lasted 3000mi.
The Gatorskin tire by Continental is one of the best on the road with greater puncture resistance that most other tires. Biketiresdirect had the 650c x 23 tires and tubes in stock when most companies didn't even carry them. The tires arrived just a few days. Can't get better then this.
Use them on Bacchetta Corsa Recumbent for grouptraining rides. These are a good value even if they aren't the lightest tire out there. I have about 3,300 miles on one set and they show wear but not ready to change out yet.
Never had a flat on the road. I have had one while parked at home, was it he cat not sure They are very hard to get on the first time but they stretch over time. Tire construction, uniformity, traction are all good on dry pavement. I cant speak for wet or damp road conditions. Wish I could find a 25c version of this tire
Not many choices for tire protection for 650s. Gskins are the best I've found and they're long-lasting. Difficult to install/remove, however, so get a tool like the Kool Stop jack or the Crank Brothers Speedier Lever unless your hands are super strong.
Was happy to find 650c tires for my hand-built bike and will continue to use Gatorskins on club and tour rides. Just wish they came in colors!
