Continental Ultra Gatorskin

Price Paid:  $22.00 at Cycle Surgery

Favorite Ride:
Mix of country and city roads

Bike Setup:
2006 Allez, Aksium wheels

Summary:
My favourite tire used to be Michalin Krylion and in a way still are. But that was when I was doing training rides on good roads. These days I'm commuting into unsavoury city streets and needed a tougher tire.

The Gatorskin Ultra rides much harsher but the flat resistance is very good. I've ridden about 1500 miles so far and flat very infrequently. I had my first flat after 7 months (actually I'm lying, I had my first couple of flats on the first day of installation, but I realized later that you need a little more patience installing these tires, but no big deal).

For comparison, I ride 700x23 and weigh 95kg (210 lbs). Price paid £22 per tire.

Strengths:
Great puncture resistance. The only 'commuter' friendly tire I've tried (coz you wanna get to work on time right?). Will stick with this brand for foreseeable future.

Weaknesses:
Do not grip as well as previous tire used in wet or dry. Harsher ride too but towards end of week when tire pressure goes down a little, the ride is much better than it is on Mondays (when tires are pumped up to 115psi).

The tires come as folding or wire-bead. Mine are the wire-bead. I've heard (but not tried) the folding ones are not as reliable.

Similar Products Used:
Michelin Krylion Carbon
Specialized Mondo
Specialized Mondo Pro

Price Paid:  $40.00 at online

Favorite Ride:
Anything 50+ miles

Bike Setup:
Nishiki Cresta touring bike w/27 x 1-1/4" alloy box rims (40/48 spokes).

Summary:
Put the 27 x 1-1/4 size on my old Nashiki Cresta touring bike. Not many choices in this size, and these seemed to offer the best combination of performance and durability. Since I first bought kevlar belted tires in the 80's I have stuck with them, so that was an important point for me. I was looking for a gum wall, but now I think the brown thread sidewall looks better.

Put more than 1000km (including a century ride) on them with no flats and minimal wear. I usually don't even bother to avoid most of the bumps other riders worry about with their lightweight racing tires.

I run them at the max 102psi because I'm 110kg (240 lbs), and the ride is smooth and fast. I pass all the other riders in a group ride when we freewheel downhill, so the rolling resistance must be OK. I have run them at up to 65 kph (40 mph) downhill with no worries.

I would recommend these to a friend.

Strengths:
Durable
Looks good
Available in 27 x 1-1/4

Weaknesses:
Cost

Price Paid:  $45.00 at Bicycle Michael-New

Favorite Ride:
Comite trail system

Bike Setup:
7500 hydrid removed adj stem and high bars, added Thompson stem and set back seat post as well as XT derailleurs and shifters

Summary:
Bought a new 7500 Trek hybrid with adjustable stem, high bars, shock type seat post, 35mm treaded tires. Replaced tires with the gator skins because the bike was so slow and I'm so old (63 and a little overweight since I stopped smoking). These made this bike a dream, it's like it has a motor on it, and I can't believe with 95 psi in the tires that the ride is smoother than with the 80psi 35mm inverted hardcase Bontragers. I've only riden 25 miles on them but they are that impressive. I can see gator skins going on my EX9 Trek's extra wheel set next!

Strengths:
Easy mounting, very very smooth, grip supremely, no rolling resistance

Weaknesses:
ha? you kidding?

Similar Products Used:
Michelin city tires, Bontrager inverted hardcase, Serfas something or another

Price Paid:  $22.00 at Richards bikes exete

Favorite Ride:
anywhere smooth

Bike Setup:
Claud Butler road bike, Rigida DPX rims. (well abused workhorse)

Summary:
I can't give anything in terms of a comparison as these are the only road tires i've ever ridden. Over the 2000 miles or so i've covered in every condition on these tires i've only ever had one flat (the bike had done god knows how many miles when i picked it up too). This includes riding over a freshly broken bottle on a well worn tire the other night, to my suprise i didn't have a flat when i got up in the morning. then again, i'm a light rider so maybe this has something to do with it. Seems nice and quick too.

Strengths:
amazing puncture resistance in my experience, last for a good long time before starting to perish

Weaknesses:
?

Price Paid:  $33.00 at Absolute Cycles (eBa

Favorite Ride:
fast, sweeping downhills

Bike Setup:
Specialized Sirrus Elite '08
Mavic Aksium 2009
Shimano FC-6500 (53T-40T)
Shimano 105 BB
Shimano CS-6500 (12-25)

Summary:
My progression through the tyre market (as with my other components) is toward faster with puncture proofing also being a major factor. They've not been on for long, but I thought they were so good on my most recent ride that I decided to tell people!

No punctures yet and the straight line speed is greatly improved over my Conti Ultra Sport although that might be due to increased tyre pressure. Feel is better and cornering confidence has improved significantly. My commute to work made a sieve out of my Ultra Sports after about 1000 miles and also ended my Armadillos after only around 500 miles (lower pressures?). Why do people love to spread glass over the road to a hospital? I'm also a very heavy rider (210lb - 95kg) so the machine takes a pounding on the glass, potholes and other assorted crap I meet daily on my leisure rides/commutes.

The Armadillos I found to be no better or worse for puncture resistance and the grip, feel and ride are now in a completely different league (although they were 28s on stock wheels - now 25s on Aksiums).

They cost a little less than I was willing to pay, so if they stand up to the abuse they get from the local roads then I'll stay more than happy!

Strengths:
Grip
? Puncture resistance (maybe too early to tell)
Look good (although some seem to disagree)

Weaknesses:
They're tight and getting them on without scratching the rim requires patience and good strong hands. Tire levers definitely required!

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Armadillo 700x28
Continental Ultra Sport 700x25