ContinentalGatorskin Black Edition 700c Road Tire(Return to Product Page)

When I initially mounted the Black Edition Gators on some DT SWISS R460 rims, it was a little tough and required pretty good torque on my levers. After about a month of riding on them, I noticed the directional arrow on the side of the tire was wrong. So here was a good opportunity to correct it and see if the tires had stretched out a bit. Too my surprise, they had definitely loosened up. Now they are not only very easy to get off the rim with my wimpy levers, but I can get them back on with bare hands ! ( Just start putting the 2nd bead of the tire on the rim at 180' opposite of the valve stem and finish at the valve stem).

I have them on my rain bike and they handle very well on Portland's leaf-slop streets.

I've run original gatorskins for years as I do a combination of 40m commutes and long weekend rides. Biggest complaint with originals was sidewalls unraveling before tread wore out. Black edition seems to address that issue, at least has no visible mesh on sidewalls like original.

Beyond that, with about 1K miles, wear is great and ride is about the same (overall good). Seems the tread is less sticky, but just my visual impression - no issues with loss of traction.

The Conti product is good for easy 4-5 k riding on mostly streets and some gravel. Last me 1 season for sure. Will expect maybe 1 flat or id be surprised.

Long lasting tire that is great for training on.

When I first got into riding a number of months ago, my friend forwarded me the BikeTiresDirect email regarding this offer. Although my current tires were perfectly fine, I decided the deal was too good to pass up. This week I had a blow out in my rear tire and subsequently changed out to my new Gatorskins previously purchased. I am glad I did. Great price back then and they were easy to install. First ride is today. I am looking forward to it.

It was a difficut choice to make when picking tires, these ended up being the best choice. A lot of people value speed, softness etc. To me tbh not having to deal with a flat on those silly shoes wins the cake.

I do a lot of solo riding long distance, and the most debilitating thing about any ride is a mechanical or a puncture. The Gatorskin Blacks are trusted and tested to deliver me to the end goal every time. I've been riding about 1600k a month lately, so I do keep an eye on the road mileage. When the front tire gets a flat, that's when I know it's time to change them out before I do another century. I buy them in advance, so I always have a back up pair or two on hand. Note: Yes - they are heavier than racing tires, but the time I lose in climbing speed, I make up for, by not having to stop for a puncture. So if you change terrain over the course of one ride: glass, gravel, poor road quality, sand, pine needles, city garbage, etc... and you hate to change out a flat (ladies?) This tire is for you. The regular yellow sidewall Gators are also as durable, but the blacks are prettier. ;)

These are my go to winter tires for riding in Colorado. The local county here puts gravelsand down over the winters that will shred most other tires. But the Gatorskins stand up and I can normally get 2 winters out of a set, or about 2,500 miles. This year I've kept them on for the summer and have been taking them on gravel roads and dirt, without any puncture issues. I hope they keep making the black limited edition because they look so much better than the standard gator skins. I'm also 6'4 and 195 lbs so I'm on the heavier end of things.

This tire will give you confidence to ride through most road debris. Goat heads,glass and most garbage!!! I ride So Cal desert and mountain roads which can have a lot of goatheads. Had a piece of glass make its way into tire which is rare. Black version looks better than old version. These tires have noticeable resistance and weight but overall well worth it. Great protection and longevity!!!

I race on other tires but I train on Gator Skins. They are puncture resistant and long lasting. The larger sizes of 28 and above are easier to put on and off wheels which is a huge benefit. I highly recommend these for training purposes.

Like fixing flats on the side of the road? If so, don't buy these tires! This is my 3rd or 4th set, and the puncture resistance is 10/10!

I've been buying Gatorskins for awhile now and really like them. They are durable and well made. Knock on wood, I have not had any flats with these. These are the first Blackwall versions I've owned and they go well with my Cannondale Bad Boy Disc.

I replace my Bontrager R3 tires that are crazy speedy but often flat so tried Gatorskin and only one thing they feel like they are connected with magnet to the ground super safe hope flat would be less with them but only disadvantage is speed, they are totally lazy comparing with R3 if you can compare those two tires. Very happy with my purchase traded speed for comfort.

I'm a triathlete, and when I train, I go far. I need a dependable tire, at all times. So far, these tires have been great. No flats, shedding debris left and right. Hopefully they keep up that way.

I have used these tires for over 10 years, and they've been great. I haven't had a flat tire for at least 5 years.

I have had great success with these tires. Very durable and comfortable ride. And, Bike Tires Direct makes it so quick and easy to get them. I am completely satisfied with the tires and with Bike Tires Direct.

Been running Continental Gatorskins for years. I feel like they provide excellent flat protection without sacrificing ride quality. I run them on road bikes, single speeds and gravel bikes for high mileage, commuter, on-road riding.

This Gatorskin tire is a bit cheaper than the standard Gatorskin, but it has the same components. I have over 3400 miles on these and they don't look like they have worn hardly at all

I commuted between 20 and 60 miles a day to work for 15 years and did double centuries for most of that time recreationally. These were and still are my go-to tires for my road bikes. You'll get less flats with these.

It is so nice to have some peace of mind that I will not be getting a flat. These tires are tough and still give a smooth ride. They will puncture but then it usually means it is time to get a new tire. I am a big fan of these tires.