ContinentalGator Hardshell 700c Road Tire (Wire Bead)(Return to Product Page)

I live with goat heads.- puncture vines. These are thorn resistant and save me time and money.

I have ridden on several pair of the Gatorskins and Hardshell Gatorskins. I'm a daily commuter in Phoenix, AZ and I'm able to ride year around, I'd 215 lbs but with my backpack, water additionally lighting in the winter months well stocked bike bag I'd easily add another 20 lbs.

I'm riding on city streets and along a canal that is most paved with asphalt. I generally get over 4000 miles on the rear tire and my current front is probably over 6000 miles as I did not change it the last time I changed my rear.

With these tires along with Mr. Tuffy Ultra Light tire liners

httpwww.biketiresdirect.comproductmr-tuffy-ultra-lite-tire-liner?ss26887

I have not had a flat due to a puncture in over 6000 miles. The OEM tires on this bike were Maxxis Re-Fuse, they lasted about 2200 miles and I got at least 10 flats mostly from the thorny weeds we have referred to as goats heads.

I switch to the Gatorskins and my mileage increased to about 4000 miles and I had about 4 to 6 punctures, so nearly double the miles and half the flats.

The next set I purchased were the Gator Hardshells and also added the Mr. Tuffy liners and have been flat free from punctures since.

Hopes this information helps others

simply an outstanding durable continental tire. i have taken it across many alternatives to pavement sand, gravel, dirt, mountain trails for brief re routes and have nary had any performance issues. highly recommend

I usually buy my tires in advance therefore this set of tires in not on my bike yet but I have the exact some tires on my bike for the last two seasons. I am riding around 2000 miles a year on that bike and was looking for tires with good protection against flats. I think I have found it. Did not have a flat with Continental Gator Hardshell yet. It also grip very well going around corners.

I have a comfort hybrid bike I use per physicians advise to keep my arthritic knee strong. One of the staff at BikeTiresDirect recommended a this tire after my first encounter with a goat head thorn here in the Arizona Sonoran Desert got through the tread of a lesser grade puncture resistant tire. These are excellent tires for the investment. They are smooth-almost silent on the pavement, and are surprisingly supple comfortable considering the 90 psi air pressure and number of puncture resistant layers in the tire. Do yourself a favor. If you are biking and subject to strewn gravel, chip & seal surfaces, glass, thorns, etc, this tire will not disappoint. I've had them now for months and no flats. And the quality of the rubber is phenomenal. After hundreds of miles I still have the little center seam on them.

I am a ultra distance cycler and ride 200 mile rides in a day . Some of these rides are in remote locations so using tires that resist flats is a real advantage . I have slipped into cracks while riding and have yet to have a side wall blow out . I usually get around 3500 miles on these tires before I change them . I think Gatorskins provide the best protection against flats of any tires I have ever used , these are the only tires I use now .

Excellent tires. Tough to mount the first time but other than that they make my Surly long haul trucker ride like a champion. They also made me 3 inches taller and made all my hair grow back in. My neighbors dog now likes me and I think I'll buy a lottery ticket cause I feel like a winner!! )

I live in a neighborhood that sometimes doesn't take the greatest care of their bike lanes. This tire is an exceptional value and I never, ever have to worry about stupid flats ruining a good ride.

These tires cost a little more, but let's take a look at the cost per mile at the end of the tire's life. Would you rather pay [$] for a tire that lasts 700 miles before it gets cut beyond repair and spend [$] a tube for maybe 3 tubes when you do get flats? That turns out to be a [$] investment because you wanted to save a little money on the front-end.

With the Gator Hardshell, you get 4,000 miles of cycling on average (more on the front tire, less on the back) and don't spend a bunch on tubes because you just don't get flats.

Only downside is these tires are poor on wet pavement. If the concrete is smooth underneath, you're going to slip and slide, so be careful. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Oh, and the weight weenies that complain about these tires' weight should consider that these tires will make you strong. When you do have an event and need something lighter with more grip, switch 'em out!

A bit expensive. The wire beads CAN be a little harder to mount. But so worth it. Over 3000 miles on my prior regular Gatorskins without flats. Had to replace because I tore a sidewall on a rough street in NYC. Any tire would have torn. Made it many miles before I realized that was a tear. These tires really hold up. Decided to try the Hardshells this time around. I HATE flats. These tires seem to also.

Only a few hundred miles on these, but they are already my all-time favorite flat resistant tire. For such a hard compound, they roll and corner very nicely. Definitely much better than the Bontrager Hard Case which I had been running. As far as the value proposition, if you're time is worth a lot to you, then you don't want to be wasting it fixing flats.

I bought these Hardshell as a replacement for my Gatorskins that were doing great until they received a 1/4 inch gash in the sidewall. I'm hoping these will provide a bit more protection all around. I commute 30 miles round trip in the city and also enjoy the occasional century ride so a well-armored all around tire is a necessity. I used these a few times in the rain and haven't had any problems so far. I just drop the tire pressure by 10 lbs on those days for added traction. Mounting these have proven much easier than the Schwalbe Marathons I have on my other bike.

I was having lots of problems with flats. Decided to try this Conti Gator Hardshell and the performance has been great with at least 500 miles since purchase, much better and lots of peace of mind while riding. Completed a 55 mile ride and no problems. Been great so far!!

Tires are working good. No flats yet after about 500 miles.

Resist flats in some of the worst road conditions

Good tough tires, but dang hard to fit! They are very tight. I had to order a special tool to get them over my rim. Thankfully, I haven't had to swap a spare on the road yet, cuz I'm not sure how I'm going to do that. Hopefully they are as puncture resistant as they claim to be. So far, so good. Even in goat head territory.

IMHO the best commuter tires for city riding. Fast, great rolling, wonderful puncture resistance for the weight. 85 miles a week in Brooklyn and Manhattan on these and they're dynomite.

I am a veteran Bike courier in downtown Portland and I absolutely love these Gator Hardshells, i have been exclusively using these tires for over a year now, and have only gotten 3 flats.

The best tires high mileage great ride I run them on a wide rim 20mm Id 32c third set

I always happy to buy these tires. Theyd seem to last me 4000 miles or moe

I ride double centuries and feel these give the best blend of speed, performance and puncture resistance. Other tires may be lighter but over longer distances when you don't want to stop to repair a flat these are by far the best.