Gatorskin....A VERY GOOD TYRE

[master6]

Amazing what people dont tie down on their utes and trucks.

There is a positive side to this, however it might not be sufficient to outweigh the cost of tyres.

When I lived in Townsville long ago, I collected an impressive array of spanners, hammers, shovels, rakes, a crowbar and pick, screwdrivers, and the choice of a squillion hubcaps near the cattle grid outside the dump on Hervey Range Rd.

Most of my time is now in Tasmania, and I am building an impressive array of D shackles.

[__PG__]

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.

[mikesbytes]

Unless they have done something else, the difference is about 20gms

[Fletcher]

First time of seen this thread - Restoring the Balance lol. Last weekend my rear Gator Hardshell (3rd one methinks) finally gave up the ghost after two or three cuts joined up to form a decent sized hole, through which a microscopic piece of glass caused a flat. It had at least 10,000 glass-strewn km on it. It was replaced with ... a Gatorskin. No complaints here.

[master6]

First time of seen this thread - Restoring the Balance lol. Last weekend my rear Gator Hardshell (3rd one methinks) finally gave up the ghost after two or three cuts joined up to form a decent sized hole, through which a microscopic piece of glass caused a flat. It had at least 10,000 glass-strewn km on it. It was replaced with ... a Gatorskin. No complaints here.

Go to the top of the class Fletcher

[master6]

Still.

[waramatt]

no

[Mulger bill]

YES!!!

[Mulger bill]

I had a puncture today

Can't blame the tyre for a snakebite over a lump of bus flicked ballast tho'

While I had the tyre off, I decided to pick the cuts, got about 15 slivers out. Damn I love me Gators.

Still, lotsa cuts over ~7000kms and the rear is starting to square off too. Any benefits for the Gator Hardshell over the standard UltraGator?

[thomashouseman]

Still, lotsa cuts over ~7000kms and the rear is starting to square off too. Any benefits for the Gator Hardshell over the standard UltraGator?

Tried researching that myself, and from what I found, basically the only diff. is the kevlar goes all they way up the sidewalls.

T.

[Mulger bill]

Thanks Thomas. Not enough to make it worthwhile. The rear is getting pretty squared off and cut up, might be time to get a new one and rotate through.

Shaun

[norbs]

Thanks Thomas. Not enough to make it worthwhile. The rear is getting pretty squared off and cut up, might be time to get a new one and rotate through.

Shaun

Just replaced mine yesterday after they had done 4700kms. Given I am 95kgs and the roads down here, I am very happy. Not a puncture in that 4700kms either.

[Mugglechops]

Time for me to go back gators. I put some cheap michelins on and only got 1000kms before a puncture.

28mm tyres should roll a bit faster than 35mm ones too.

[DCP]

Thanks Thomas. Not enough to make it worthwhile. The rear is getting pretty squared off and cut up, might be time to get a new one and rotate through.

Shaun

Just replaced mine yesterday after they had done 4700kms. Given I am 95kgs and the roads down here, I am very happy. Not a puncture in that 4700kms either.

I got a similar amount of k's out of my last rear gatorskin.
At a conservative guess, I would have removed 20+ pieces of glass, several staples and 1 decent piece of metal from the rear before I got my first puncture.

[rider_1]

I am so happy with my Gatorskins for training that I bought 8 a month ago. For 6 months each year I am riding on Southern Tasmanian roads, and the glass infected causeway outside Sorell; the other 6 months are spent in Brisbane, with 75% of that on bikeways with a glass attack somewhere on most rides. My gatorskins are as reliable as any other tyre in the group of many people I ride with. Like any tyre, they are more susceptible to puncture if you try to extract excessive use down to the threads.
Good performance and exceptional value.

Agree with gatorskin performance

[Fred Nurk]

Just rolled over 8000kms on the rear and 1000kms on the front. No points for the scrubbing I got with an extended skid to avoid some clown that pulled out in front of me on the way home though.

[master6]

Still true

[rpmspinman]

Ive only had my bike a few weeks but in the limited 250km Ive done on the bike with the Gatorskins I have been very impressed. I tend to try and avoid glass like the plague as best I can but you can't always avoid it 100%. Ive had to go over some glass shards and so far so good. I give the tires a good check over after and no signs of slow leaks yet!

I like these tires.

[Wal42]

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.

[Fred Nurk]

With some disappointment, I binned my rear gatorskin recently, with somewhere over 8000kms on it. I had a tube with a patch that finally let go, and when I went to refit the Gatorskin I found the wire bead had come through the rubber and was exposed. It wasn't much, but I thought I'd managed enough out of the tyre, though I had wanted to see if I could get more.

Back to RiBMo on the rear until I wear it out...

[rpmspinman]

Are the GP4000s as puncture resistant as the gatorskins? I was thinking of getting GP4000s when the GS's die.

[master6]

Are the GP4000s as puncture resistant as the gatorskins? I was thinking of getting GP4000s when the GS's die.

I have used quite a few of both these tyres, however I have not kept any records for comparison purposes. My feeling is that there has not been a big difference in puncture numbers. My current Gators have now done 7904km without any punctures at all, however I have of course had punctures in previous gators. The present set have only a couple of very minor nicks; there is a lot of luck involved. I recall 4 or 5 years ago, on a ride with the Centenary Bikeways Group, I had 4 flats, and I think the group had about 25 flats for the ride. There had been a big storm the night before.
I met a fella named Malcolm on that ride ( he still rides with the group....gooday Malcolm) and I thought he had a magnet for punctures. He got a couple early in the ride, and looked like the puncture goose, and then the rest of us followed. Sorry about those doubting thoughts about the "new guy" Malcolm.

Back on subject rpmspinman, I dont think that there is a huge difference; I train on Gators because they are cheap, I race on GP4000, or Pro3, because I believe they are a little faster.

I will be very interested to hear other peoples thoughts.

[rpmspinman]

Are the GP4000s as puncture resistant as the gatorskins? I was thinking of getting GP4000s when the GS's die.

I have used quite a few of both these tyres, however I have not kept any records for comparison purposes. My feeling is that there has not been a big difference in puncture numbers. My current Gators have now done 7904km without any punctures at all, however I have of course had punctures in previous gators. The present set have only a couple of very minor nicks; there is a lot of luck involved. I recall 4 or 5 years ago, on a ride with the Centenary Bikeways Group, I had 4 flats, and I think the group had about 25 flats for the ride. There had been a big storm the night before.
I met a fella named Malcolm on that ride ( he still rides with the group....gooday Malcolm) and I thought he had a magnet for punctures. He got a couple early in the ride, and looked like the puncture goose, and then the rest of us followed. Sorry about those doubting thoughts about the "new guy" Malcolm.

Back on subject rpmspinman, I dont think that there is a huge difference; I train on Gators because they are cheap, I race on GP4000, or Pro3, because I believe they are a little faster.

I will be very interested to hear other peoples thoughts.

Thanks for your post M6 that's a fair call. I have heard similar results and it comes down to where you ride and what kind of cleanliness the surface of track you are on. After a rain I do hear its the worst time for riding due to debris. So far the GS's have been good. I dont know what the difference is between the GS's and the GP4's seeing as I havent ridden on anything other than the GS's, but after all the reviews read it seems speed/rolling resistance is the larger indicator that favors the GP4's.

When I get a lighter set of wheels for racing I'll look at the GP4's I reckon.

[gururug]

I find the 4000s a little slower/stickier than other race tyres ( rubino pro ) but will probably last a bit longer and give better wet weather grip.

[Wal42]

From what I can gather from the information listed by Continental their tyres going from touring to race (the touring tyres get more millage but have more rolling resistance) are Ultra Sport, Super Sport Plus, Gatorskin, Ultra Race, GP 4Seasons, Grand Prix, Grand Prix 4000, Grand Prix 4000s, Grand Prix Attack/Force, Grand Prix Supersonic.

Hope this helps out a little.