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

I was getting close to daily flats with regular tires so went looking for something better. Read reviews that some people never had a flat once they changed to gatorskins. Unfortunately i got a flat from a goatshead the first day out on the new tires. I will say that i have had a lot fewer flats since changing to them but to be on the safe side i am still using slime tubes as well.

We have used these tires on our touring bikes and tandem, as well as our go-fast bikes for winter riding. Very durable, not too heavy, and a very good overall value.

Have ridden Conti s for several years and never been disappointed.

Gatorskins are the best all around touring / training tire I have ever used.

Great grip, great wear, and great flat protection. I keep them inflated at 110 psi....and check for glass frags etc. after each ride. Also, monitor the wear dimples for replacement. This is all the maintenance required to keep you riding flat free!

Many of the roads in my area are dirt and gravel or very rough pavement, these tires are great for on road or off pavement when necessary or if you feel like exploring the very back roads. I get over 3000 miles on a set and now just replace them when they start shedding a lot of strings from the sidewalls. Only had one slow leak flat on a very worn back tire. I feel completely comfortable going where most road bikers fear to travel. You don't have to pay much attention to the tires, just check the air every couple of weeks.

I'm a weekend road warrior and a regular Team in Training participant. I bought a set of these in February 2013 and rode on them for well over a year without getting a single flat. I only replaced them because I had a worn spot on the rear tire due to an emergency skid. Also, in the wet weather I can run them at a little less pressure to give me more surface area. Only downside is that they are a little more difficult to put on but I'll take that any day over changing a flat while on a ride.

I use the folding Gatorskins to do the ultra marathon events (200 km, 300 km, 400 km, 600 km plus). They are reasonably light, roll well and are very puncture resistant.

Bike Tires Direct was kind and replaced the initial set of tyres purchased from them with a pair of Continental Gatorskins. I have not put many miles on them yet, I am currently using the bike for rehab, and being careful. Therefore I do not yet know about the tyre's long term durability, nor rain traction, nor long term flat protection.

Here is what I do know

Bike Tires Direct are a bunch of good eggs.

The Gatorskins arrived quickly and well packaged.

The Gatorskins, upon unfolding, fairly leapt into proper shape and probably did not need the five minutes in the sun that I gave them prior to mounting.

The Gatorskins mounted easily and upon inflation were round. I like round tyres!

The Gatorskins were obviously far lighter than the pair of Brand X they replaced.

The Gatorskins roll with far less effort than the ones they replaced. The have lessened my pedaling effort and have increased speed.

The Gatorskins ride more smoothly. Although at the same pressure as the Brand X, they seem to ride much more smoothly. II attribute this to rocklike sidewalls on the other pair, and fairly compliant sidewalls of the Gators.

What more could a person want?

Went to the gatorskins from the original tires. I seem to be getting a lot more roll with these new tires. Have had the a full season now and am very happy with how they are holding up. Usually ride anywhere from 30 to 100 miles per outing. If you want a good tire without breaking the bank go with these.

My son was getting constant flats. Since we have used these tires he hasn't had any in two months.

ride year round through you name it, glass, gravel, sticks, whatever. i ride year round in Portland OR and i use these tires approx 10 months out of the year. ive even raced on them,which apparently if its wet is not the best idea as i could feel them sliding a bit in the corners and was forced to slow and others came around me which tells me they're tires were not slipping. with that said ive tried many types of tires for commuting/training and these are the best combination of not super heavy, and i can ride through a pile of glass and not get a flat. as opposed to armadillos which i still got flats and they rode like a dead pig wrapped around my wheel (they weigh almost twice as much)in sum if your looking for a tire that your not looking for a ton of performance out of you just want to be able to ride worry free, then these are the ones.

Since I've had these, I haven't had to use my spare tire. The roads I ride is rough and very hard on race tires. These, I've used on both race and training and no complain except for one thing...very hard to put on. That's why I gave it a 4 star instead of 5.

Like the wire bead. Harder to get on than folding tires , but sidewall stands up longer , especially after a few flats. If you ride you are going to get flats. This tire lasted the longest last season of the three different brands I tried. So I got another set (on sale) to start the spring

Been riding these since late 80's early 90's.. best road tire out there, for non touring, just buy 'em... in my humble opinion

I ride on city streets to get to the bike path which is my primary riding since I'm retired. I wanted durability and a smoother ride. These tires did not disappoint me. The ride is a soft feel but seem to roll nicely without much resistance. Perfect tire for my needs.

Some of the people that I ride with go through a litany of tire changes for seasons and road conditions. Tires for racing, short rides, long rides, winter rides, spring rides...etc. I use Gatorskins all the time and usually have to wait for them while they fix flats. This is just out and out a darn good tire. Yeah it's heavy and hard but they have never let me down. I recommend them to all the people I ride and race with.

We use Gatorskins on our touring bikes and tandems, since they are very durable and are puncture-resistant. That doesn't mean flat-free, but we rarely get flats with these tires. Been using various models of Gatorskins since 2003, and Biketiresdirect.com is the best place for us to buy them (although we support our local bike shops for other parts).

I keep coming back to Gatorskins having tried other brands. The durability and reliability more than off set any additional weight - I have ridden thousands of miles on these tires without ever having a flat. They can be tough to lever on to the rim and it is easy to pinch a tube whilst changing the tire but that is my only criticism of an exceptional tire,

I rated this tire good on value because they apparently wear a long time with few flats, but low overall because they ride harsh and were extremely hard to mount. Perhaps I got a faulty pair, but these were the hardest tires to mount that I have ever used. I actually broke a brake lever trying to install them. I kept them on my bike for only a month or so because they rode so rough, much harsher than other 25s I have used.

I've been a Gatorskin user for at least 2 decades. The wire bead tires are not flexible enough for my aging hands. I will go back to the folding ones the next purchase. They wear wonderfully once they're on.

I have been a long time continental tire user. They continue to be durable, great ride feel, and good looking too. The roads are ok, it's Louisiana so they will always be rough.