Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I ride fixed in an urban environment and was becoming infuriated constantly having to deal with small pin-hole flats. I eventually had to start carrying around a flat-repair kit in my bag (patches, tube, levers, mini-pump), which definitely helped in terms of not getting stranded, but it was still a hassle having to take 10-15 minutes out in public fixing a flat or two a week, plus the weight of all the extra kit.
After doing some research on puncture-resistant tires and asking around town I finally decided on the Gatorskins and I have to say I love 'em. The day after I put them on I had to do some riding around town and after all the snow we've had recently the roads have been in less than stellar condition. In addition to the ubiquitous threat of broken glass I also was dealing with tons of gravel, pot-holes, and left over road-salt, conditions where, with my old tires I'd have flatted out no question. The Gatorskins took these conditions like a champ and provided better rolling resistance than my old tires at the same time. I think the real moment that converted me to the Gatorskins was when I came to a stop at an intersection and a second later heard a good sized rock come shooting out from under my tire with a loud "Pyooo!" Just a day before that sound would no doubt have been a quiet, defeated hiss.
As I said before, the puncture resistance isn't the only benefit to these tires, they roll great and they stick like glue. If you're trying to pull out long skids these tires are definitely not for you, but if you're trying to get from going to stopped in a hurry then I can't recommend them more.
To sum it all up, great tires, they'll handle all the nastiness that torn-up city streets can throw at you, roll with little resistance, and stop on a dime. If you've got the money it'll be hard to find better.
EDIT: 1 Year Update. With one year and countless miles behind me I never had a single puncture flat with these tires, and that's not for the road's lack of trying. A quick visual inspection shows a slew of pock-marks, gouges, pin-holes and long, deep scratches in the rubber, but not a single thing managed to get through. In fact, the reason I'm updating this is because I'm back to buy another tire, I rode the back one down to the kevlar.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Continental Gatorskin Wire Bead Road Bike Tire
Designed as a high mileage tire with excellent flat protection. Many refer to the Gatorskin as "Bullet Proof". A layer of Duraskin and an extra layer of Kevlar under the tread keeps flat protection to a maximum. Low rolling resistance tread design excells in both wet and dry. 280 grams - 23mm Wire bead, 300 grams - 25mm Wire bead, 320 grams - 28mm Wire bead, 350 grams - 26", 340 grams - 27"
Click here for more information about Continental Gatorskin Wire Bead Road Bike Tire
No comments:
Post a Comment