Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28

$55.00

(10)

Item # 784578

REI Members get back an estimated $ 5.50 on this item as part of their annual member refund.

The REI Member Dividend

The REI dividend is a unique benefit of membership in the REI co-op. It's comprised of your member refund—typically 10% back on eligible purchases—and/or your REI Visa® card rebates.

Each March, active REI members and REI Visa cardholders who earned a rebate receive a refund in the form of an annual dividend notice.

Only active members receive annual dividend notices. To maintain your active status as an REI member, you need to make net merchandise or shipping purchases of at least $10 per year, unless you joined that year. Member numbers are issued in one name and only that person receives the member refund. Your number can be used by others in your family, but it cannot be transferred to someone else.

Questions? Call us at 1-800-426-4840 for more about your dividend or its redemption.

Learn more

This item may be available in your local REI store.

FREE U.S. STANDARD SHIPPING Through February 20. No minimum purchase! Learn more

More videos

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

The Continental Ultra Gatorskin tire is a real long-distance runner. Use it on the way to work, as well as training for and riding in road races.

Durable carbon black compound gives good puncture protection and Duraskin anti-cut sidewall fabric protects the casing from cuts, punctures and abrasion
Modern tread design collects less debris

Imported.

Item 784578

View all Continental products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28 Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28

3.6

(based on 10 reviews)

56%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Durable (5)
Excellent grip (5)
Low rolling resistance (5)
Puncture resistant (4)

Cons

Punctures easily (3)

Best Uses

Commuting (5)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid cyclist (5), Commuter (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (7)

Reviewed by 10 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

May

2010

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great touring tire

By Tandem afficionado

from Jackson, WY

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Excellent Grip
Low Rolling Resistance
Puncture Resistant

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting
Touring

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

We put 3000 km on these terrific tires on a fully loaded tandem tour of the Alps. The tires were amazingly resistant to puncture on gravel and stony terrain, with many such miles and only 1 flat the whole trip. When I finally got a blowout and put on the spare - a Michelin Speedium foldable - we got SIX pinch flats day one on tiny bumps, three on day two, etc.. I am buying another Continental and highly recommend them.

Sep

2010

(3 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Too fussy

By n2y2

from Reno, NV

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Excellent Grip
Good Cornering
Low Rolling Resistance

Cons

Difficult to mount
Prone to 'Snake Bites"
Punctures Easily

Best Uses

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

After a lot of research, I chose the Ultra Gatorskins hoping they could provide trouble-free commuting. They might be durable and impervious to glass, but they fail the puncture test.

I installed them with 'STOP Flats2 Tire Liners' to make double sure. In 500 miles of use, I have had more than a dozen flats.

Both the REI salesman and Continental assured me that they would fit my 18-622 rims. They did, but mounting was a problem. The bead is difficult to get lined up in the groove, which results in an out-of-round mounting that you can feel with every revolution. (I never had this problem with other tires on these rims)

Even after getting it mounted correctly, the fit is so tight that I had to deal with several "Snake bite" pinch flats no matter how careful I was.

I kept telling myself that all I had to do was get the tires mounted correctly without pinching the tube and would have trouble-free tires. I thought that the Gatorskins and Stop-Flats would protect me from any road hazard. The first patch of goat-head puncture vines I went through pierced right through the tire, liner and tube in 4 places.

I expected better. I am returning these for another tire.

Jun

2010

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great puncture resistent tire

By cycling herbivore

from Seattle, WA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Excellent Grip
Puncture Resistant

Cons

High Rolling Resistance

Best Uses

Commuting
Rain
Touring

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

A tough tire that does an excellent job of preventing flats. They seem a little sluggish do to rolling resistance compared to my previous tires, 700x28 Conti Ultra Sports. This was a surprise considering the Ultra Gator Skins are harder and lighter than the Ultra Sports, especially since they don't need tire liners like the Ultra Sports do. If used for long rides and touring, the longevity of the Ultra Gator Skins more than makes up for it.

Jun

2011

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

durable and reliable, worth every penny

By Jim G

from Everett

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Low Rolling Resistance

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

I commute about 700 miles a month year round and I use many donated tires and occasionally get a pair brand new. I didn't mind buying a pair of Gatorskins based on past experience. I've used and worn out most everything made by everybody in 50+ years of everyday cycling and the present day Ultra Gatorskin, dollar per mile, may be the best value ever for utility riding on pavement. I prefer tubulars but the upscale Continentals roll round and straight. The sidewalls near the bead usually last as long as the tread on this tire - often a problem - and punctures are seldom the long casing cuts that finish a tire off.

Dec

2011

3.0

Good tire Difficult to mount

By Anssad

from Mesa, AZ

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Excellent Grip
Good Cornering
Low Rolling Resistance

Cons

Causes pinch flats
Difficult to put on

Best Uses

Commuting
Sprinting

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

Continental makes good tires and I think advantage that it is somewhat durable and to some extent good at preventing punctures. But like all tires, you still can get flats. First if you going to get this one, be sure it is foldable since the rimmed bead tires that are not foldable are difficult to mount. I find Continental one of most difficult tires to mount and as a result you can get pinch flats. Would recomment getting a tire that is light weight somewhat but much easier to mount. I can fix flats easily if it is easy to mount.

Nov

2011

2.0

slippery and not up to the task

By oldgranola

from seattle

About Me Competitive Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to put on

Cons

Corners Poorly
Poor Grip
Punctures Easily
Wears Easily

Best Uses

Very light use summer

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

I tried these on the commute >>400 miles per month year round rain/sun (left em at home for other things)
Don't understand the good reviews. These things had terrible grip in wet/cold compared with my cheaper panaracer P's. Can really tell the difference slipping and sliding where the P's would hold. They didn't even last a year with dime sized chunks of 'tread' coming off. They really shreaded out in the end, and multiple flats before. My cheaper P's last many more miles with far fewer punctures and much better grip and overall performance. Went back to p's and can already feel a big difference with rainy fall arriving.

Nov

2011

2.0

slippery and not up to the task

By oldgranola

from seattle

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to put on
Lightweight

Cons

Corners Poorly
Poor Grip
Punctures Easily
Wears Easily

Best Uses

Light touring

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

I commute every day all year on these and put >>400 miles/month x12. That doesn't include the long rides and race stuff. These don't hold up to that. They are ok in summer but suck in winter. Not grippy at all in the cold/wet. I've slid out where my Panaracer Pasela's do much better. They also didn't last even a year. Multiple flats and finally the 'tread' started coming off in dime sized chunks. They just shredded away. Back to the Panaracers for less money! Can already tell the difference this fall.

Jul

2011

5.0

Great tire on a tandem

By JS the cyclist

from Virginia

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Low Rolling Resistance
Puncture Resistant

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

I have the 28mm tire on my Tandem. With 2 riders and the bike there is double the amount of weight as a single bike on these tires. So far in over 1000 miles, not one flat. Tires are wearing great. I put a set of these tires on my single bike and I am impressed. The tire is hard to mount on the rim but it is a great tire

Apr

2011

3.0

Nice Tire but lack of info on sidewall

By ChipWalsh

from Central Maryland

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Nice Ride

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

I'm pleased with the way the tires perform. They are more responsive than kevlar tires I previously used.

I've been riding these tires about 500 miles and just repaired my first flat. Picked up a splinter-size metal shard that worked its way through the tread. That is a little disappointing. I have ridden through broken glass without flatting, and I have fenders so I can't wipe the tire off while I ride. So, they are not real tender, but they do puncture.

Here's what irritates me: I had to look on-line to find the inflation pressure. I feel this is essential information that should be displayed on the tire. A minor nit-pick I guess, but proper inflation is essential, so make it easy for us and prominently display the recommended PSI. Perhaps it was on the tire when it was new, but I couldn't find it tonight.

Aug

2010

4.0

Very expensive but worth it, maybe

By Badger31164

from Mission Texas

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Excellent Grip
Puncture Resistant

Cons

Very expensive

Best Uses

Commuting
Rain

Comments about Continental Ultra Gator Skin Tire - 700 x 28:

A salesman had to point out to me that these were flat-protected.When I first saw these tires, I was apprehensive about paying so much for tires for a hybrid bike that might not see high mileage. So I bought one, mounted it, liked it, and bought another. [$] worth of tires on a $350 bike. Yikes! In two years, they have given no problems whatsoever and I am thinking of buying another pair for my road bike. I've had no punctures or pinch flats despite having ridden on rough and unpaved roads. I'm tall and heavy and usually inflate to 90 psi.