ContinentalGatorskin 26 Inch Road Tire(Return to Product Page)

I was using my old hard tail with the 26 fat tires as a commuter. Friends had recommended slicks, but I ignored their advice for a long time. I finally saw the light and asked a friend who is an expert for a recommendation and he said Gatorskins. I read reviews and decided to go for it. It has been such an improvement! The bike feels lighter and easier to maneuver. The tires have great grip and do well in rainy Portland. My only regret is not having made the switch sooner.

use it on a single speed bike for commuting.

pros-

fast rolling,

kevlar helps with punctures from goatheads

con-

hit a pothole and blew out. may have been my fault-tire may not have been fully inflated.

I use these tires on my recumbents as rear tires. They are good long-mileage tires with excellent flat protection. I would have given them 5 stars, but I did get irreparable damage to one from hitting a gravel that lacerated the sidewall. I would recommend the tires without hesitation.

I am using these tires on both my Rans recumbents Stratus XP and Xstream. The tires are close to slicks with very little tread. I have dropped the Xstream on wet asphalt during a turn at apparently too high a speed. (I didn't think so at the time). They are light, relatively high pressure (110 psi), nice rolling and I am expecting higher mileage with fewer flats. So far, so good, but I have less than 500 miles on either set.

These tires are surprisingly fast given the extra armor (I sometimes use my MTB for the local hammerfests). They roll about as smooth as the 26x1 Ritchey Tom Slick, but they wear much better IMO. I've also rolled right over broken glass at 110 PSI with absolutely no puncture. I'd say the only thing that beats these are the Conti 26x1.x GP4000 for slightly faster rolling.

best 26in slick tire around, and can be inflated to 120lbs for the road ride

With all the puncture and wear protection, I expected a rough harsh ride from this tire, but was amazed to find otherwise! The tire rolls with ease and has the suppleness of a silk sew-up. I shaved 5 minutes off my commute the first day with these tires over Continental Cross-Countrys that I had ridden for a year and a half. They were comfy, but slow. These Gatorskins give the winged feet of Mercury and even with the reduced air volume, a very comfortable ride.