Description Triple-protection technology gives you a bullet-proof, no-worries race/training tire.. High-mileage tire has a super-fine 170 tpi casing, a bead-to-bead layer of DuraSkin™ (polyamide fabric), ...
Summary: Bought 2 tires after multiple punctures from other brands. Using the gatorskins, I've had no problems after 2,500 miles of riding on the shoulders and edge of roads.
Strengths: Puncture resistant. Excellent traction even in heavy rain.
Weaknesses: None experienced
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Bike Setup: Specialized Roubaix with Mavic Kisyrium SL wheels.
Summary: I went through six Continental Grand Prix 4000 tires in a year. I was happy with the performance but kept losing them to fatal slashes or severe punctures from road debris. Life ranged from 500 miles to 2000 miles each. I was tired of flats every other ride. I switched to gatorskins and have gone 1500 miles without a flat so far. The gatorskins do not roll quite as well as the GP4000 but the increased pleasure of flat free riding is well worth it. When I rode the 4000 tires, they accumulated many tiny slashes and nicks in the tread from riding. The gatorskins do not show any nicks or gashes. They are wearing very well. My guess is they will be good for 4000-5000 miles.
Strengths: Puncture and slash resistance!!! Reasonably low rolling resistance. Reasonably light weight (only 15 gm heavier than continental gp4000). I am not sure how people could say these are about the same as Specialized Armadillos. Those are heavy slugs. I owned a pair.
Weaknesses: None for my fast recreational riding style on various Multi-use paths and roadways. They only thing I can think of is that they are kind of ugly. I miss the flashy red tread of the continental gp4000 tires I ran for a year.
Similar Products Used: Continental GP 4000
Specialized All Season
Specialized Armadillo
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Bike Setup: Specialized Roubaix with Mavic Kisyrium SL wheels.
Summary: I went through six Continental Grand Prix 4000 tires in a year. I was happy with the performance but kept losing them to fatal slashes or severe punctures from road debris. Life ranged from 500 miles to 2000 miles each. I was tired of flats every other ride. I switched to gatorskins and have gone 1500 miles without a flat so far. The gatorskins do not roll quite as well as the GP4000 but the increased pleasure of flat free riding is well worth it. When I rode the 4000 tires, they accumulated many tiny slashes and nicks in the tread from riding. The gatorskins do not show any nicks or gashes. They are wearing very well. My guess is they will be good for 4000-5000 miles.
Strengths: Puncture and slash resistance!!! Reasonably low rolling resistance. Reasonably light weight (only 15 gm heavier than continental gp4000). I am not sure how people could say these are about the same as Specialized Armadillos. Those are heavy slugs. I owned a pair.
Weaknesses: None for my fast recreational riding style on various Multi-use paths and roadways. They only thing I can think of is that they are kind of ugly. I miss the flashy red tread of the continental gp4000 tires I ran for a year.
Similar Products Used: Continental GP 4000
Specialized All Season
Specialized Armadillo
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Bike Setup: Custom-built road bike, trekking bar with thumb-shifter/brake setup, Kestrel carbon fork, Nishiki steel frame, Shimano 105 components.
Summary: Great traction and low rolling resistance, punture resistant tread, but they have weak sidewalls. I punctured a sidwall going over a walnut-sized sharp edged limestone rock.
Strengths: Fast, puncture-resistant tread.
Weaknesses: Weak sidewalls, expensive.
Similar Products Used: Panaracer, Nashbar Kevlar-belted.
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Summary: These tires just don't flat. I've pulled many a sharp pebbles out of the tread, but they didn't work their way through to the tube. I took a hard impact to the sidewall and it bulged. Could be a spout of bad luck as no tire is designed to take hard, sidewall impacts, really. I'm giving these tires the benefit of the doubt based on the flat resistance. Very, very hard to mount these tires.
Strengths: They don't flat.
Weaknesses: The sidewalls are weak. If you take a hard impact on the sidewall you might be in trouble.
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