Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

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twizzle
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Re: The TATERSKIN challenge.

Postby twizzle » Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:40 am

drubie wrote:
Mulger bill wrote:Guess what? :mrgreen:

Oh. Let me rephrase it. I need a tyre that I can train on that'll finish a race :lol:
I'm still saying Krylions.

I use one for my PT rear wheel for both training and race. In "non-banzai" laps, I've lapped the Stromlo crit circuit at the same speed with a Krylion or a Pro3 Race on the front. And I've done 2,200km this year so far for four punctures - two pieces of wire, one large thorn and I rode over a broken beer bottle in the wet, and as a 'cost saving' measure they rarely sweep our roads. And, unlike the conti's, they don't peel open unless it's a really deep cut and the carcass is damaged.
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drubie
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Re: The TATERSKIN challenge.

Postby drubie » Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:23 am

twizzle wrote:And, unlike the conti's, they don't peel open unless it's a really deep cut and the carcass is damaged.
I had a set some years ago and had issues with the sidewalls when they got worn, but I weighed 10kg more then. Might see who's got 'em on sale. The pro 3 race looks a little fragile to me.
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby saywot » Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:38 pm

It's impossible to get more than 4,000km out of a tyre in rural NSW (hello, chip sealed roads). IMPOSSIBLE!
+1 (on the state of rural roads)

I can't say anything about Gatorskins - I don't ride one of those skinny little tyres but I was very disappointed in my set of Continental tyres and couldn't wait to be rid of them. I was packing $h1t every time I took the bike beyond walking distance in case I got a flat, and it was almost never a puncture, always a cut tube. the tyres were either oval or had a faulty bead or were manufactured with titanium wire bead from the NASA space programme because I could never (not ever, not once) get the tyre to re-seat road-side, couldn't get it to fit properly using a service station pump, tried talc on the tubes, tried liquid soap on the beads, tried everything- I only had a run of 4 weeks without drama after I had the LBS fit them for me

The roads out here have to be seen to be believed, the gravel is specially sorted to provide a layer of 200mm irregular octahedron each edge being laser-sharpened. The design theory for this road construction seems to be a reverse-MTB downhill tread (imagine a knobby mountain bike tyre where each knob is a large lump of gravel. I say 'reverse' because the knobs are sticking up from the road not down from the bike) so under heavy braking these 'bricks' provide extra traction. In practice, for a cyclist, they make for an uncomfortable ride and more wear and tear on the tyres.

Oh, and if I have to ride on the shoulder (our main roads are two-laners and there's a lot of coal travelling towards the coast and empty coal trucks coming back to get more) it seems that there is a council truck driving along the shoulders early every morning laying an even covering of broken glass, bolts, wheel-nuts, dead animals and wellington boots to test the mental acuity and reflexes of anyone forced over to the side of the road.

That's one reason why I'm training my ar$e off and trying to get up to an average ride speed of 22km/h
(another might be I'm a big fat slacker on a hybrid, but that's different music for a different kitchen)
Currently A Cenophobe
- but I'm sure something new will come along !!
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twizzle
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby twizzle » Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:42 pm

Yep - I made the mistake of riding the Pro 3's on the road one day (too lazy to swap wheels) and got a decent sized hole in the front and picked up at least 15kg of glass and stone fragments in the tread, and then had to spend hours picking it all out with a scribe. They are excellent race tyres but suck big time for general riding. Which is where the Krylion, with uses carbon cured rubber, excels. I'm still 103kg, never had issues with them except they get squared off after about 2000km on the back and start cutting up when they get thin.
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby ft_critical » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:33 pm

Sorry, but talking from CampGator here. Or even from the Conti Camp. I run Gator, GP4000 combinations. I do use the wire beaded Gators 'cause they weigh more and you know what they say.. 'train heavy race light.' I haven't had a drama with them. I really like them and I like the grip. I was most recently running Huchi Fusions and this is them after 5k, so I put these in the don't buy bucket. They were puncture resistant, but the tread started to peel away from the Kevlar band where the glass had cut the rubber (but not penetrated the kevlar.) Lithions and Pros are also not great training tyres, and to be honest I don't like the in the wet for racing either.

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So go Gator I say.

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drubie
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby drubie » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:45 pm

Like I said further up the thread, I don't expect to get 4000k out of anything up here, so something destructing at 5000k doesn't bother me.

In fact I'd rather ride your Hutcho in the pictured state than ever mount another Taterskin. It might be ugly, but it isn't cut up like an Emo at the ginsu factory.
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

saywot
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby saywot » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:59 pm

after 5k
strewth !!

that's once around the block

or is that 5000km ?

- which is pretty reasonable
Currently A Cenophobe
- but I'm sure something new will come along !!
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Aushiker » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:08 am

Hi

I am with Drubie ... Gatorskins are not gracing my wheels again. 12 punctures at 378.75 km per puncture.

Regards
Andrew

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby wombatK » Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:00 am

So after 4 pages, some agree with Drubie, and some disagree. Roads and amount of glass have been blamed for the difference. Could it be something else, like the quality or age of the inner-tube ? Drubie's observation was that once punctured, the Gatorskins seems to have a sharp inner edge that caused further punctures. Some tubes are lighter and hence likely to be thinner than others, so could that explain the re-puncturing effect ?
WombatK

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby drubie » Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:45 am

Might be tubes - although the Taterskins have chewed their way through Kenda, Vittoria, Bontrager and some wacky thing in a Giant box that I can't remember. The Bontragers were lightweight tubes and over time most of them ended up in the bin after I baulked at putting a 4th patch on them.

I think the world can be roughly divided into Taterheads who love 'em and have no problems and those of us who I shall name Taterphobics who have decided that the reputation of these tyres just didn't match our experiences.

Let me tell you, it's nice to go out to the shed on Sunday morning and see a fully inflated tyre. I could get used to that!
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Aushiker » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:25 pm

wombatK wrote:So after 4 pages, some agree with Drubie, and some disagree. Roads and amount of glass have been blamed for the difference. Could it be something else, like the quality or age of the inner-tube ? Drubie's observation was that once punctured, the Gatorskins seems to have a sharp inner edge that caused further punctures. Some tubes are lighter and hence likely to be thinner than others, so could that explain the re-puncturing effect ?
Hi

At that time I wasn't repairing tubes so all my punctures where new tubes. I gave up on them when the wall of the tyre split away from the bead at 4,545 km. I have got much better out of the GP4000 series.

Andrew

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Romper » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:27 pm

This thread makes me scared of Continentals!

Previous tyre experiences
Bontrager B select 900k of commuting, riding, trainer on chip & seal coverd in gravel = 2 punctures then replacement
Maxxis ReFuse 2500k of commuting, riding on (above) = 2 punctures and going strong

And I'm planning to get to get some conty Gp 4 seasons wish me luck because I believe that they have the same puncture protection as the "taterskins"
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby drubie » Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:47 pm

Aushiker says up thread that the gp4000 is working better for him, my beef is specifically with the tater.

drubie had a bicycle
bicycle
bicycle
drubie had a bicycle
none could be found greater

but every time he wanted to ride
wanted to ride
wanted to ride
every time he wanted to ride
the bicycle had a flat tater.

(with apologies to Sesame Street)
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby wombatK » Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:21 pm

Romper wrote: And I'm planning to get to get some conty Gp 4 seasons wish me luck because I believe that they have the same puncture protection as the "taterskins"
No need to - there's lots of conti fan boys here, me included. Get about 1500 km per puncture with GP4000s. That aint bad, given the glass smashing habits of my local 'hood lads.

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Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us -Jerry Garcia

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The Taterskin challenge

Postby Mulger bill » Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:16 pm

Made it home again :mrgreen:

Alright, it was only speckling, but after the weather we've had in the past 48 hrs there's sh*t and debris everywhere.

You must've gotta crook bag o' spuds Drubie, no eyes in my Taters :wink:

Shaun
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drubie
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Re: The Taterskin challenge

Postby drubie » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:56 am

Mulger bill wrote: You must've gotta crook bag o' spuds Drubie, no eyes in my Taters :wink:

Shaun
Quit teasing me Mulger Bill.
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby kukamunga » Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:33 am

Just where is New England, Drubie ?

We sell heaps of gators at our work here in Melb - maybe they need to be aged and cured a bit before they 'toughen up' enough for NE conditions ? :roll:

We also sell Michelin Krylion Carbons - and they come highly recommended

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby drubie » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:22 am

kukamunga wrote:Just where is New England, Drubie ?

We sell heaps of gators at our work here in Melb - maybe they need to be aged and cured a bit before they 'toughen up' enough for NE conditions ? :roll:

We also sell Michelin Krylion Carbons - and they come highly recommended
You're Un-Australian kukamunga. How can you not know where New England is? Bloody parochial mexicans...

I had a look at my bulgy Michelin - it's an "Axial" carbon, not a Krylion, so maybe worth a try. Friday is t-day (um, that's tyre day) so all recommendations have to be done before then :P
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby kukamunga » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:37 pm

drubie wrote:You're Un-Australian kukamunga. How can you not know where New England is?
Yep, I'm about as parochial as they come - gotta love that british colonial flag of ours

Rightio - googled 'new england' - hmmm - USA - no good - add 'australia' - AHA!
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I've probably driven through NE and not even noticed.....

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Romper » Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 pm

The schwabe marathons's are meant to be pretty tough, but it doesn't look like they'll roll very fast.
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Re: The Taterskin challenge

Postby Mulger bill » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:04 pm

drubie wrote:Quit teasing me Mulger Bill.
Sorry Drub, I'll withdraw from this thread with one final comment:-

"In accordance with tradition" :wink:

Shaun
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Baalzamon » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:09 pm

Romper wrote:The schwabe marathons's are meant to be pretty tough, but it doesn't look like they'll roll very fast.
I will find out after my April Esperance tour as they are the next tyre to be fitted to my bike for preparation for the PAP 2010.
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drubie
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby drubie » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:28 pm

Baalzamon wrote: I will find out after my April Esperance tour as they are the next tyre to be fitted to my bike for preparation for the PAP 2010.
Well, good on you for riding to an uncomfortable medical exam, baalzamon, but are you sure you wouldn't prefer a lift home?
So we get the leaders we deserve and we elect, we get the companies and the products that we ask for, right? And we have to ask for different things. – Paul Gilding
but really, that's rubbish. We get none of it because the choices are illusory.

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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby Baalzamon » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:45 pm

drubie wrote:
Baalzamon wrote: I will find out after my April Esperance tour as they are the next tyre to be fitted to my bike for preparation for the PAP 2010.
Well, good on you for riding to an uncomfortable medical exam, baalzamon, but are you sure you wouldn't prefer a lift home?
If I don't like em, I'm putting GP4000's back on :twisted:
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Re: Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Postby bianchi928 » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:17 pm

Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

Yes, especially at $60 a tyre. No value there.

For the record, we (3 of us) are using Maxis Refuse tyres. Not sensational by any means and yes we have had punctures but they are pretty good for riding the bike paths with and they are only about $29 each. No tyre is puncture proof and for what you pay.....

Purchased from velogear on the net whose service is great (I have no commercial relationship with velogear, but feel I should give credit where its due).

Cheers
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