Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I've done 6500km + on my first set of Gatorskins on my regular commute from Redcliffe to Brisbane. The back tyre is a bit worn and close to needing replacment (since I'm too lazy to swap the tyres around), so no complaints here.

At risk of putting a moz on myself, I've actually never had a flat on the Gators

plugmeister wrote:I've done 6500km + on my first set of Gatorskins on my regular commute from Redcliffe to Brisbane. The back tyre is a bit worn and close to needing replacment (since I'm too lazy to swap the tyres around), so no complaints here.

At risk of putting a moz on myself, I've actually never had a flat on the Gators

You will moz yourself if you speak affectionately about your Gators here.

See other thread "gatorskin; a very good tyre"

I have the confidence in my Gators to taunt the puncture fairy.

In accordance with tradition, I'd like to report a lack of punctures in my commute tyres since the last one. Seeing as the last one was a snakebite after hitting a large rock flicked into my path by a passing smokebox, methinks it doesn't really count anyway.

Wal42 wrote:... wipe the tyres down every night with vinegar (something the old Radioshack mechanics do),

Just curious as to what the vinegar does?

Ps do you guys with 'puncture resistant' Tyres use tyre liners?

I'm currently using Mr Tuffy reds with GP4s but still ended up with a slow puncture from a staple yesterday. Before that I had some Panny tyre liner I think it was called which were great but because that used a sticky backing, it was fiddly after a while when trying to change tubes in the side if the road.

Thinking about getting the Panny liners down + Mr Tuffy then the tube. Excessive?

NhiTrac wrote:

Wal42 wrote:... wipe the tyres down every night with vinegar (something the old Radioshack mechanics do),

Just curious as to what the vinegar does?

Ps do you guys with 'puncture resistant' Tyres use tyre liners?

I'm currently using Mr Tuffy reds with GP4s but still ended up with a slow puncture from a staple yesterday. Before that I had some Panny tyre liner I think it was called which were great but because that used a sticky backing, it was fiddly after a while when trying to change tubes in the side if the road.

Thinking about getting the Panny liners down + Mr Tuffy then the tube. Excessive?

Do you use rubber gloves when handling the panty liners?

I have difficulty grasping the idea of using "lighter tyres", then turning them into "bags" with stuff inside them. Would it be better to buy a heavier tyre to start with.

Another question; what sort of puncture frequency do people find acceptable?

@NhiTrac - The story (from last years head mechanic at RadioShack) is that the vinegar removes the petro-chemical residue from the tyre compound, does it work? Not sure, I did seem to get a large distance out of the first set of gators, at very least you'll see every little nick & remove any garbage from the surface of the tyre (Warning wear gloves or use a heavyish rag, as you can end up with little shards of glass in your hands).

Liners, HD tubes, gunk. I personally don't use any of them, but I do use an old lightweight tube, I cut the valve out & slit the tyre around the inside seam, then the new tube goes into the old tube "outer sleeve", that goes into the tyre with plenty of talc powder, just makes everything inside the tyre twice as thick & very slippery. Does it work? It seems to or I've been lucky, to date, not 1 puncture this year, don't think I had any in the last quarter of last year. Maybe doing all that plus carrying the pump & 2 spare tubes everywhere I go, keeps the puncture fairy away.

master6 wrote: Another question; what sort of puncture frequency do people find acceptable?

commuter: once every month. anything more than that it's too annoying. Given the commuter gets cast off tyres, old tubes etc. I don't think that's too bad.
Training bike: twice a year.
Race bike: Never. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.

My taters never even passed the commuter level test on my race bike. They suck. They are the worst tyres ever conceived for people who ride through glass because the ACKNOWLEDGED ability of the stupid things to retain shards of glass that have to be "picked out" is just asking for trouble. They failed when I was racing and if that happens ONCE, I bin them.

I hate them.

drubie wrote:

master6 wrote: Another question; what sort of puncture frequency do people find acceptable?

commuter: once every month. anything more than that it's too annoying. Given the commuter gets cast off tyres, old tubes etc. I don't think that's too bad.
Training bike: twice a year.
Race bike: Never. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.

I can live with that drubie.
I can only recall 2 flats in racing in over (many) years. One reason for that , I believe, is that I have never started a race with a tyre that was in any way damaged or suspect. Another reason would be that, in racing, you tend to stay out on the clean part of the road, whereas in training, you tend to use more apron with crap on it.

drubie wrote:...because the ACKNOWLEDGED ability of the stupid things to retain shards of glass that have to be "picked out"

Thanks for the reminder Drub, I haven't picked my Gators for almost 4 weeks now.
Anybody want a half teaspoonful of ground glass

Shaun

(AT) master6 re using a heavier tyre to start with: not the first time I've been told that. However when I purchased my GP4s, I didn't really think all that much about them. Just heard GP4s high performing all rounders so bought them

Once these are up for replacement, I'm definitely going with a 'heavy' tyre, now that I know more about them and my main priority are puncture free rides...

(AT) Wal42: thanks for answering my question and the tip on using old tubes as another layer of protection

Mulger bill wrote: Anybody want a half teaspoonful of ground glass

At least you guys are doing the rest of us a service - by helping to sweep the roads for glass

Maybe it's true we take different lines training to racing but I don't consciously do it (not that I've done much racing the past month).

Gatorskin Hardshell with less than 80kms on the road ... one way to ruin a rim

drubie wrote: commuter: once every month. anything more than that it's too annoying. Given the commuter gets cast off tyres, old tubes etc. I don't think that's too bad.
Training bike: twice a year.
Race bike: Never. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.

I agree with that. Since i changed to Maxxis Refuse tires on the front and Halo Twin Rail Couriers on the back i haven't had a puncture, can't even remember the last one.

Wal42 wrote:I'm Brisbane, just outside the cbd, I keep the pressures 'right' (120psi rear, 105 front), ride roadside, swerve to miss glass, cans, potholes, wipe the tyres down every night with vinegar (something the old Radioshack mechanics do), get swapped front to rear once a week, the actual figure was just under 19K but close enough, I could have done another 2 weeks on them but was starting to get paranoid about punctures.

The average joe probably isn't as anal about their bikes & gear the way I may be, treat it right & it should look after you.

Well done!

When I was running conti force/attack even 2k from the back was considered good. I binned one after 1600k.

I'm running schwalbe ultremos now. I run DD on te back and ZX on the front and I seem to be getting like 4k off the back... Which I can live with.

Comedian wrote:

Wal42 wrote:I'm Brisbane, just outside the cbd, I keep the pressures 'right' (120psi rear, 105 front), ride roadside, swerve to miss glass, cans, potholes, wipe the tyres down every night with vinegar (something the old Radioshack mechanics do), get swapped front to rear once a week, the actual figure was just under 19K but close enough, I could have done another 2 weeks on them but was starting to get paranoid about punctures.

The average joe probably isn't as anal about their bikes & gear the way I may be, treat it right & it should look after you.

Well done!

When I was running conti force/attack even 2k from the back was considered good. I binned one after 1600k.

I'm running schwalbe ultremos now. I run DD on te back and ZX on the front and I seem to be getting like 4k off the back... Which I can live with.

lightweights - I'll never get near that for a rear

Matt_Matt wrote:Gatorskin Hardshell with less than 80kms on the road ... one way to ruin a rim

How do you ring that bell?

Nobody wrote:

Matt_Matt wrote:Gatorskin Hardshell with less than 80kms on the road ... one way to ruin a rim

How do you ring that bell?

bunnyhop ... and let gravity ding it.

Matt_Matt - That's almost the exact way I killed my Gatorskins.

Sidewall failures happen in most brands. But are a bit more common in continentals. Thinner sidewalls mean less rolling resistance and continental push the limits. It's happened to me but the tyres were due to be binned anyway

I'd say if you like running lower pressures for your weight, then Gators may not be for you. Mine appeared to have noticeable sidewall fatigue/wear before the tread had worn out.

Mine were less than 1000km old, and were always at the minimum required pressure. Have now gone to Specialized Armadillo Elites and find them to be excellent so far.

i'm interested in this bell on the right triangle??

Probably just got it on the bike somewhere to comply with the legal requirement that you have a bell?

they check that?

thepj wrote: they check that?

police do. depending on the state it can be a fine of $40 or more. just make sure you have one on your bike (or an air-zound)