Never had a flat on the road. I have had one while parked at home, was it he cat not sure They are very hard to get on the first time but they stretch over time. Tire construction, uniformity, traction are all good on dry pavement. I cant speak for wet or damp road conditions. Wish I could find a 25c version of this tire
Not many choices for tire protection for 650s. Gskins are the best I've found and they're long-lasting. Difficult to install/remove, however, so get a tool like the Kool Stop jack or the Crank Brothers Speedier Lever unless your hands are super strong.
Overhauling a very small Cannondale with 650c I was surprised in the lack of good training tires. The Continental Gatorskin comes to the rescue. I've used Gatorskins in various sizes and they have never let me down. You can spend more on a training tire but you will be hard pressed to beat the Continental Gatorskin, flat protection you can count on.
When the last Gatorskin rear tire on my Bacchetta recumbent started to get threadbare, I checked the mileage and saw that it was an astounding 4300 miles. Usually they ready to replace at about 3300-3500 miles. In any case, that's the most durable tire I've used. The front tires are good for 6500-7000 miles.
In the area that I ride in, road debris is an ever-present danger. With the GatorSkins I don't have as many concerns. There is no perfect riding condition for my situation so why take a chance on an ordinary tire; stay with a proven winner.
I was looking for a tire to train on that would be worry free. This tire seems to be it. I have 900 miles on these tires now and other then the normal air check I don't have to worry about them.
I have been using these tires for years on my recumbent. I use them to reduce the number of flat tires and I am convinced that they help. My back tire has the majority of my weight so is more susceptible to flats. The only downside is that the wire bead means I can't use them as a backup tire on long rides.
