I should have taken heed of previous reviews emphasizing that these hardshells are impossible to mount. I assumed that the reviewers simply didn't have enough experience in changing hardshell cases...wrong assumption. I have been an avid road cyclist for 20+ years and have changed hundreds of tire tubes, and these Continental Gator Hardshell 700c road tires are the worst I have ever encountered. I broke 4 tire levers and ruined 3 tubes trying to mount these; they clearly were not worth the discounted price that I paid for them. And no, I am not riding on them...they went in the trash.
I hate flat tires and will gladly trade a bit more weight for highly flat resistant tires. That is exactly what these are. They have stood up to two Seattle winters, a full riding season, and just keep going. I have already purchased a spare set.
Great wearing tire. Hardly ever have flats and I train all winter on these in dirty, rocky and rainy conditions. Great tire for gravel as well.
I ride rough roads with and flatted every other ride with other tires - I put 3,000 miles on this tire with no flats - I won't run anything else.
I used to put on Gator tires for winter only, but now use them year round. I pay extra for the folding tires since I have Mavic clincher rims. The wire bead tires are tough to get off and on, especially in winter. I will only buy folding tires from now on. I have a normal Gatorskin (not Hardshell) with 3,200 miles and most of those miles were on the back wheel. So you pay extra but they last a long time.
I am all about NO, flats then roll and grip. I replaced a set of Bontrager hard case tires after 2700 plus miles.
After 500 plus miles on these hardshell tires the roll and grip are much better plus no flats.
I had read other reviews about this tires being hard to install. I found them very easy to install on both rims.
I plan on ordering a back up set in the near future. Plus a replacement set for the wife's bike.
These are great training tire or all around road tires if you would rather be riding than fixing flats. I've gone through several sets of these with zero(!) flats. I've even used them in some longer TT races. Sure can't win if I'm sitting on the side of the road.
I have used this tire on multiple bikes. I always feel confident on long rides that they will perform well without issue.
I live with goat heads.- puncture vines. These are thorn resistant and save me time and money.
simply an outstanding durable continental tire. i have taken it across many alternatives to pavement sand, gravel, dirt, mountain trails for brief re routes and have nary had any performance issues. highly recommend
I usually buy my tires in advance therefore this set of tires in not on my bike yet but I have the exact some tires on my bike for the last two seasons. I am riding around 2000 miles a year on that bike and was looking for tires with good protection against flats. I think I have found it. Did not have a flat with Continental Gator Hardshell yet. It also grip very well going around corners.
I am a ultra distance cycler and ride 200 mile rides in a day . Some of these rides are in remote locations so using tires that resist flats is a real advantage . I have slipped into cracks while riding and have yet to have a side wall blow out . I usually get around 3500 miles on these tires before I change them . I think Gatorskins provide the best protection against flats of any tires I have ever used , these are the only tires I use now .
Excellent tires. Tough to mount the first time but other than that they make my Surly long haul trucker ride like a champion. They also made me 3 inches taller and made all my hair grow back in. My neighbors dog now likes me and I think I'll buy a lottery ticket cause I feel like a winner!! )
I live in a neighborhood that sometimes doesn't take the greatest care of their bike lanes. This tire is an exceptional value and I never, ever have to worry about stupid flats ruining a good ride.
These tires cost a little more, but let's take a look at the cost per mile at the end of the tire's life. Would you rather pay [$] for a tire that lasts 700 miles before it gets cut beyond repair and spend [$] a tube for maybe 3 tubes when you do get flats? That turns out to be a [$] investment because you wanted to save a little money on the front-end.
With the Gator Hardshell, you get 4,000 miles of cycling on average (more on the front tire, less on the back) and don't spend a bunch on tubes because you just don't get flats.
Only downside is these tires are poor on wet pavement. If the concrete is smooth underneath, you're going to slip and slide, so be careful. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Oh, and the weight weenies that complain about these tires' weight should consider that these tires will make you strong. When you do have an event and need something lighter with more grip, switch 'em out!
A bit expensive. The wire beads CAN be a little harder to mount. But so worth it. Over 3000 miles on my prior regular Gatorskins without flats. Had to replace because I tore a sidewall on a rough street in NYC. Any tire would have torn. Made it many miles before I realized that was a tear. These tires really hold up. Decided to try the Hardshells this time around. I HATE flats. These tires seem to also.
Only a few hundred miles on these, but they are already my all-time favorite flat resistant tire. For such a hard compound, they roll and corner very nicely. Definitely much better than the Bontrager Hard Case which I had been running. As far as the value proposition, if you're time is worth a lot to you, then you don't want to be wasting it fixing flats.
I bought these Hardshell as a replacement for my Gatorskins that were doing great until they received a 1/4 inch gash in the sidewall. I'm hoping these will provide a bit more protection all around. I commute 30 miles round trip in the city and also enjoy the occasional century ride so a well-armored all around tire is a necessity. I used these a few times in the rain and haven't had any problems so far. I just drop the tire pressure by 10 lbs on those days for added traction. Mounting these have proven much easier than the Schwalbe Marathons I have on my other bike.
I was having lots of problems with flats. Decided to try this Conti Gator Hardshell and the performance has been great with at least 500 miles since purchase, much better and lots of peace of mind while riding. Completed a 55 mile ride and no problems. Been great so far!!
Tires are working good. No flats yet after about 500 miles.
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