These have been my go to training tires for years. I recently invested in a set of deep section aero rims (Flo) and went through 6 tire irons and 7 tubes (pinched) before getting feedback from others that Gatorskin is not a good choice for aero wheels. Really tough to get over the rim. I live in Chicago and unfortunately we are resigned to a wide range of rolling surfaces, hence the tendency toward a tough tire. I just purchased a set of Continental 5000s and they are much softer but may require replacement more often. Still loyal to the Gatorskin for my cyclecross bike. Stay tuned ...
I have switched most of my bikes to Gatorskin tires. My first set lasted 10,000 miles. I only had one flat during that time. My only complaint is they are hard to put on and take off. It can take 20 to 30 minutes to change the tire.
You know what youre getting with the Gatorskin. Flats are a thing of the past and they wear like iron but they are not plush and they are not light. Even the 700x32mm ones Ive been riding 65 psi are a bit jarring at times. I knew that when I bought them. And will buy them again when this set wears out.
I've rode many miles on many different tires. I bought four gatorskin tires recently, three of which had sidewall failures, the other I'm removing right now because I'm fearful of another failure. With the last failure, the tire still had the Nubs. A sad waste of $110. I was fortunate though, just before the failure I was traveling nearly 40 miles an hour on a 10% grade. When you ride, you need to have confidence in your tires and for that reason I'll never buy a gatorskin again. Please note this is no reflection on Bike Tires Direct.
Ive used Gatorskins on my road bike for the past 3 years. Besides mounting them on the rims because they are a tough tire is worth it. I ride roads and paved trails that are seldom cleaned and they take pretty much everything. Only a direct hit of a nail or screw can get through these things and they last a long time. About 2k on my last one. Highly recommend for commuters that need security in a tire.
I DO A LOT OF BIKE TOURING AND LONG ENDURANCE RIDES AND GATORSKINS GIVE ME THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. THEIR REALLY STRONG YET LIGHT ENOUGH FOR GROUP RIDES WITH MY FRIENDS. I'M A 300 MILE A WEEK RIDER SO RACING TIRES AREN'T AN OPTION BECAUSE OF THE LOW FLAT PROTECTION AND LOW SERVICE LIFE. I RAN GATORSKINS ALL LAST YEAR AND ALL THIS YEAR AND I ONLY GOT ONE FLAT WHICH IN ALL HONESTY I CAN'T BLAME ON THE TIRE. I WAS RIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON THE SHOULDER AND RAN OVER SOME WICKED METAL RE-BAR THING THAT FELL OFF A SEMI. I SAW IT BUT DIDN'T BOTHER GOING AROUND IT. IT PUT A BIG SLICE IN THE TIRE BUT ONLY A PIN-HEAD METAL SPIKE GOT THROUGH. THEY'RE MY GO TO SKINNY TIRE FOR THE FOR SEEABLE FUTURE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A GATORSKIN 35C IN THE FUTURE THOUGH FOR GRAVEL RIDES.
Ive ridden with these for over 11 years. Only had 2 sidewall failures. Typically, I get up to 1000 miles on the rear and up to 4000 miles on the front before I change them out. The foldable tires go on and off of the rims much easier than the wire beads. I use them on all of my bikes.
I live in live in goat head country and need protection against flats or I will flat with every ride. Gatorskins offer a decrease in flats without a large loss of feel of the bike.
I was getting flats on a weekly basis so I started shopping for tires. Since I got these about 6 weeks ago, I have ridden probably 600 miles without a flat. They handle well enough as far as I can tell, although I live in the desert so I can't comment on how well they handle in the rain.
I live in an area that has a lot of goatheads and thorns. I tried RhinoDillos but still got a flat, and with all that added extra weight and a very hard ride. So I switched to Gatorskins decent weight and softer, though still pretty hard, ride, due to the belting to make it puncture resistant. I still got another flat, but nothing will completely stop these thorns. I got 5,000 miles out of my Grand Prix 4000's and hope to get similar results from these Gatorskins.
I'm retired, so I usually bicycle when convenient for me, and not with a group. I've owned Continental Gatorskin tires in the past, and they've been very reliable. Having to repair a tire on the road isn't impossible, but it saves a lot of stress not to worry about flats when I ride. I even had an incident where a piece of wire went through the edge of the tire, but was apparently deflected by the Kevlar from getting to the inner tube. I simply pulled out the wire, and continued on my way. The Gatorskin likely isn't the fastest tire available, but speed isn't my highest priority when riding.
I love these tires! They are on 3 sets of wheels for riding when it's raining, slick or grimy roads or even hard pack gravel. Durable and you can't really tell you are on a slightly thicker tire. The few flats I've had were large objects like over size staples or nails.
I put these tires on my Canondale hybrid. They replaced a pair of Avocet Cross tires that were 700x38. The Gatorskins are 700x35. It is a pleasure to ride these tires because they are less rolling resistance and they grip quite well on pavement and also stand up to dirt and gravel. To be fair, I must state that I also replaced the old rims. New tires, new rims right? They went on quite easily and my favorite part is when I roll my bike out of the garage for a ride, the tires squeak on the cement like a finger against a taught balloon. They also look nice on the bike which is a light blue frame, tan leather seat and black rims. I've only got about a hundred miles on them so far and I know I'll be rolling down the road for several more judging by many other cyclists who use them.
I have used these on my Roubaix for a couple of years, and will stick with them. Good handling and excellent wear. The wear indicators are a nice feature. They are a bit tough to mount the first time.