__PG__ wrote:Has anyone ever noticed the difference between the folding and wire Gatorskins?
Friends of mine recommend the folding Gatorskin (700x25) for a commuting/training tire. I've been on Michelin Krylions for the past two years and I'm thinking about swapping to the Gatorskins. The Michelins have great performance (low rolling resistance and they feel really fast) but I'm thinking about trying the Continental.
I came from Krylion Carbons to kevlar bead Gatorskins, the Gators are as slow as a wet week (& a bit sketchy in the wet for the first few hundred kms), but I reckon I got a better run out of the Gators, just fitted my 2nd of 2 sets, got just under 19K out of them (without a puncture or failure of any type), don't think I was getting that out of the Michie's, after I use up this set of Gators, I've 2 sets of GP4000s kevlars to use then I'll be deciding on going back to the Michie's or another set of Conti's.
The last set of Michie's, the side wall of the rear let go on a wet board walk along the Brissie river during the 2011 Great Bris bike ride, I was plenty annoyed but when I pulled the front off it was ok, I must have clipped something & put a little tear in the sidewall, not sure when but it choose the worst possible moment to deflate, it near put me under the wire rope fence & into the Brisbane river.
So Krylions, faster roll but I think you get less service life & less cut/puncture protection, Gatorskin, slower roll, sketchy in wet for the first few hundred kms, but tough as old boots, not great in wet over steel manhole covers, but otherwise a great train/commute tyre. If I can get folding Krylions for 75% of the price of folding Gatorskins then I'll buy the Michies, if not, I'll be buying Gators again.