Continental Gator Hardshell Tire
This foldable Continental Gator Hardshell clincher tire offers all the benefits of its cousin, the GatorSkin, with enhanced longevity and protection.
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- Thicker, high-mileage rubber compound lasts longer than the GatorSkin; smooth center with subtle shoulder tread supplies minimal rolling resistance with good cornering grip
- PolyX Breaker puncture protection extends from shoulder-to-shoulder for protection under the entire tread
- DuraSkin sidewall protection delivers excellent resistance to thorns, shards and other puncture instigators
- 180 tpi casing is supple for great road feel; folding bead helps keep weight low
- Continental Gator Hardshell foldable tire has a recommended pressure of 95 psi (6.5 bar) for the 25c size, 110 psi (7.5 bar) for the 23c size; max 120 psi (8.2 bar) for both
- Note: Tire images shown may not reflect size/color/material options available on this page
Imported.
View all Continental Road Bike Tires| Best Use | Road Cycling |
|---|---|
| Wheel Size | 700C x 23 MM: 700c 700C x 25 MM: 700c 700C x 28 MM: 700c |
| Tire Width | 700C x 23 MM: 23 millimeters 700C x 25 MM: 25 millimeters 700C x 28 MM: 28 millimeters |
| Bead Type | Folding |
| Thread Count Casing (tpi) | 180 threads per inch |
| Tread Type | Slick Tread |
| Recommended Pressure (psi) | 700C x 23 MM: 110 pounds per square inch 700C x 25 MM: 95 pounds per square inch 700C x 28 MM: 95 pounds per square inch |
| Weight | 700C x 23 MM: 250 grams 700C x 25 MM: 270 grams 700C x 28 MM: 390 grams |
| Tire Type | Tubed Clincher |
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Fast tire. Great REI service.
The folks at the REI bike shop are fantastic. I bought the 25mm at the Bellevue store. I couldn't get the last bit of the new tire over my wheel's rim, so I took it to the REI bike shop. In less than a minute, they got the tire in, and saved me hours of heartache and YouTube viewing. :) I would gladly pay more for this tire at REI vs other online retailers due to REI's superior service, which online retailers cannot offer. If you are comparison shopping, just go to REI. Oh, these tires are fast. I replaced my rear tire on my Specialized Roubaix. Comparing the old vs new tire riding on the same 11 mile paved trail, the new tire was 10% faster.
7000 miles with No Flats
I'm on my second set of these - 7000 miles total - with out a single flat. Amazing tires, they just do not puncture. If you are getting flats with these regularly, you've got something else going on. They roll a bit slower than GP4000's, but for the extra protection and longevity, it is worth the trade off. My first set (23's) lasted 5000 hard miles before the back wore. I went with 25's for the second set and they ride a lot better.
Delivers on the puncture-protection promise
With over 500 puncture free miles on Seattle streets, I'm very pleased with the 700 X 28 Gator Hardshells. Our streets have lots of broken glass and I don't even have a scar in my tires. These tires are made out of very sturdy materials without compromising a sporty feel on the road. I bought the foldable version with the hope they were easier to install. Unfortunately, I'm not able to put them on my DT Swiss 470 DB wheels without using the tire levers. This might vary depending on your specific tire - rim combination.
Bomb proof
If you live in an area with goat heads and other road debris, these tires are a must have. I used to get a flat every other week (66 miles) and have since gone 2 years without a single flat. I used to run the gatorskin level and those got me 2500-3,000 miles a tire at 23c, but I’m now getting 6,000+ miles on a set (granted, 25c) and am happy to pay the slight excess for the better tire. These roll well in all four seasons and give a reliable comfortable ride while being reliable.
6,000 mile road test vs 4 Season
Current Hardshell on the front wheel has 6,100 miles with wear indicators saying there's plenty of tread left. Used as a training tire interested in logging a lot of miles with minimal flats. On really bad urban roads full of glass, car wreck detritus, you name it, only one flat & NO sidewall slashes, which have destroyed a few 4 Seasons on the same roads. Noticable increase in rolling resistance? Yes, slightly. Silky smooth, supple ride? Loss of some of that riding pleasure. Tire grip/wet roads? Surprisingly good. But at double the mileage of the 4 Season & counting, I'll take the subtle differences & am switching over.
5000 Miles
I got 5000 miles on the rear before the rubber wore through. I have squeezed another 500 miles out of it so far. The front is still going strong. I had two flats in the first 500 miles (one thorn and one tire shard). And two more in the last 500 miles (again one thorn and one tire shard). Half my riding has been with loaded panniers. Not bulletproof but still pretty reliable. I bought the 28s to avoid pinch flats. I am replacing my rear with the same and leaving the front on to see how far it goes.
A Riders Tire.
I've only use Continental Gator Skins on the road bike for the past 19 years, averaging 3000 plus miles on the rear and around 6000 on the front, with only two punctures, one was a side wall sharp stone cut happened at night, booted the tire and rode home, and the other a very fine small piece of a steel wire in some gravel, result slow leek. I've picked glass out of the tires that never made it through. I'm excited about the new Continental Gator Hardshell with the extra layer of protection, longer wearing tread that stated to be faster and longer wearing, what's not to like. I've gotten out on a couple of rides and it's smooth and fast using the recommended 95psi. I went up to the 700 x 28's for these, I have used 23 and 25 mostly in the past and years ago even smaller. I'll continue with the 28 these tires I like the ride feel. I've trust the brand and got a great price at REI. I want to ride, not change flats.
Great all around, long wearing tire.
I use a 700x23C Gatorskin Hardshell on the back paired with a 700x23C Continental 4 Season on the front. The 4 Season is a little lighter to spin up and might have a little better grip especially in wet conditions but I can't say I've noticed it maybe because so much more weight is applied to the back. In dry conditions I've leaned them over pretty good without an issue. While the 4 Season is lighter. it receives less wear being on the front so with no rotation I get about 3K miles out of the pair and the 4 Season will slightly outlast the Hardshell. I have used the 4 season on the back and at least at the point I tired it, I did not get anywhere near the longevity. I am close to wearing out my 3rd set and between the 3 sets I've had 2 flats, both on the back (Hardhshell) and both due to fine metal objects I ride using the fold-able versions of the tires, actually I don't think the 4 Season comes in a wire bead. The fold-able versions are more expensive but lighter and ride better. Years back I rode with the red walled Armadillo's and they were outstanding both at wear and anti-flat but based on my my now about 8K miles of experience with the Hardshell / 4 Season combination I would only rate the Armadillo as slightly better at flat protection and by comparison as a wire bead tire the Armadillo rides like a brick. I have had so few flats that I've switched from carrying a Road Morph pump to the smaller Mini Road Morph and I greatly enjoy knowing that my likely hood of getting home without a flat are pretty good.
Gatorskins resist punctures.
I've run over broken glass, etc. several times and not had a single flat. I can even see the punctures on the tire. They apparently didn't go through to the tube. I also like the indicator embedded in the tire that shows the tire needs to be changed. I do really long rides. Fixing flats somewhere along the way sucks. I will use these as long as they're available.
Hands down best tires
These tires sport no-nonsense puncture-resistance second to none! Riding the streets of San Francisco, I no longer see the ever-present glass debris on the roads as tire killers. Indeed, the longevity of these Hardshells (5000+ miles and going) is quite impressive relative to all other bike tires I've tried. My lengthy all day rides are not limited to urban asphalt though and I find these Hardshells to be okay on gravel and dry dirtpaths; however, because they are roadie smooth tread, these tires unsurprisingly fail on mud and more technical trails. Nevertheless, I wouldn't ever trade these Hardshells for more knobby tires as my riding is 80/20 asphalt/gravel. Also, some reviewers here mention installation difficulties. Just saying, as long as you use tire levers these are no more difficult or time consuming to put on than any other tire. These are the only tires I find competent enough for braving the detritus-heavy streets of San Francisco. Indeed, these are the only tires that have stayed on my bike longer than a season where all others have been laid low by punctures. Highly recommend!