Gatorskins

[bobmac]

Hi all, has anyone used Gatorskins in Caltrop country? (I don't really know whether they are a tyre or an insert.) Or have used Foss tubes. 8 punctures on 2X 30 Km. rides is too much. I picked up the first 6 in one hit on Astley St Gosnells last Monday, 1st. time in a couple of years i've reaquainted myself with Caltrop, must have been lucky I guess. Can anyone recommend a reasonable fix.
bobmac

[Baalzamon]

Nope, I've been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus. Got 6 caltrops into them and just plucked them out and continued to ride with no flats

[Pushy]

Gatorskins are tyres, ok puncture resistance , but I use Schwalbe Durano Plus (tyres) others have had good experience with Maxxis(?) Refuse. I always carry 2 or 3 spare tubes for peace of mind. Buy them when they are on special in packs of 10.

[gururug]

Probably SuperSport Plus or Schwalbe Marathon territory.

[Jerry68]

Gatorskins where fitted to my bike when I bought it. Averaged a puncture a week. Went to Schwalbe Durano Plus and haven't had a problem since, (just one flat from a spoke head - not the fault of the tyre).

[Ozkaban]

others have had good experience with Maxxis(?) Refuse.

I use the Maxxis refuse. Great puncture resistance, but not so grippy in the wet (not bad, just definitely not race standard ). Wear is good too. Excellent commuting tyre.

[just4tehhalibut]

How about reporting the caltrop outbreak to the local council? That's puncture prevention.

I ride Gatorskins, they work until the tyre wears or you keep riding long enough to let whatever has attached itself to your tyre to work its way in. Schwalbe Marathon Plus has an extra thick layer so you have to think less about things working in, for the slothenly cyclist. BTW there's two long threads elsewhere (General Discussion?) about Gators being good or bad.

[lynskey_rider]

I have to agree with the others when recommending the maxxis refuse tyres, which I commute on daily. The other point I agree with is from Ozkaban, when the lack of grip whilst wet is mentioned. They do get a tad skatey if you lock up or hit a corner to quick.

Another tyre I have used with great success is the Specialized Armadillo all condition tyres. Got 8000km(!) Out of them without a puncture. They are very thick and rigid though, so they give a 'dead' feeling on rough blue metal roads. (The sole reason I swapped to the refuse Over thesep

[goneriding]

Gators are good. I use them on my commuter and have found them very reliable.
Schwable Durano Plus is an excellent tyre. They aren't as durable as the Gators but their puncture resistence is just as good. They are more expensive than the Gators.
Bontrager Hard Case I found were good althought the last one I had didn't last very well (may have been a bad one). Prior to that I got ~15,000 km's out of one. It was a few km's too many but they weren't puncturing.

[bobmac]

Thanks all for your replies, Forgot to mention that I am a recreational rider on a moutain bike but I am not a mountain bike rider, at 76 I'm a bit too old for that. Have found out Gatorskins are not available in 26" but I will take notice of all your hints, thanks again, bobmac

[Farmer Elvis]

Hmmm wonderful caltrop, I run gator skins on my road bike and 3000 km not one flat and this place is the home of caltrop but it is a road bike and I am on bitumen

[Mulger bill]

Thanks all for your replies, Forgot to mention that I am a recreational rider on a moutain bike but I am not a mountain bike rider, at 76 I'm a bit too old for that. Have found out Gatorskins are not available in 26" but I will take notice of all your hints, thanks again, bobmac

Yes they are bobmac, HERE'S a link for you.

Fortunate enough to not have much of a caltrop problem here but I'll back Gators as a great balance of toughness to grip to durabillity.

Shaun

[-Stefan-]

I'd go for the Schwalbe's!

[mynastydrag]

I just ordered a pair of Continental GP4000s, seems to be very highly rated and recommended, not to mention very popular.
Few mates of mine been using them for a year or so with minimal punctures.

Always thought Gatorskins were built to be extremely tough and sturdy, guess I'm wrong?

[gururug]

4000s is a continental racing tyre ......

gatorskin is a continental training / commuting tyre, higher puncture protection ( some argue ) and higher rolling resistance.Twice as thick.

Let us know how the 4000s stand up to those Caltrop's!

[Baalzamon]

Let us know how the 4000s stand up to those Caltrop's!

In they go and down goes the tyre. Simple. Made it to work just as picked up 500m away Schwalbe marathon plus, just stop pick em out and ride like nothing has happened.

[mynastydrag]

lol. sounds like 2.3" Maxxis High Rollers are the solution.

[mikesbytes]

Gatorskin....A VERY GOOD TYRE

Gatorskin: WORST TYRE EVAH!

[Kalgrm]

Get some tyre liners Bobmac. Something like Mr Tuffy works well.

If you are running car valves, also look at putting Slime inside your tubes.

These suggestions will make the bike a little slower, but you're not out to win races on your bike. There's not many things slower than fixing a puncture every 5km though … (Having said that, Slime and tyre liners may not prevent every puncture either.)

Cheers,
Graeme

[Crowey]

Hi all, has anyone used Gatorskins in Caltrop country?

There's more than one Gatorskin too - you might want to try GatorHardshell's which I believe are a beefed-up Gatorskin ...

[bobmac]

HI all, fitted Mr. Tuffys a couple of days ago, 1St. ride today, NO PUNCTURES HOORAY, Ist time in 3 weeks. My daughter runs Gatorskins, rides 4 times a week from Carlise to Joondalup, (48 Kms) no punctures in 9 months.
Regards bobmac