My go to tires

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

700c x 23mm

Height

6` 4"

Weight

170 lbs

I purchased a pair of these over a year ago and put roughly 6,000 plus miles on them with no flats. I'm in Northwest Arkansas which has a fantastic paved trail system. The trails have areas where fine, very sharp flint rock is deposited, usually following a rain shower. The roads are OK, but the bike lanes typically are not cleared allowing a lot of road debris to accumulate. I was a devout user of Continental GP4000 IIs, but was constantly getting small, pinhole punctures from the tiny shards of flint. This was especially true of the back wheel where most of the weight is. After installing the Gator Hardshell I have found flint stuck in the tread, but have yet to have a flat. My latest find was a 4mm shard stuck straight into the tread. There are those who will say "well just get tubeless tires and you won't have to worry about it". I've ridden on tubeless tires on a mountain bike and had a puncture that was troublesome to fix. I also tried to help someone that had a flat tubeless tire that ended up calling someone to pick them up because the tire wouldn't hold air. That said, I think I'll stick with what's worked best for me and these tires.

Dave E

Great tires!!!

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Fit:

True to size

These will last me for quite some time!!!

Hina P.

Maui Rider

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

700c x 25mm

Height

6` 1"

Weight

228 lbs

Great training tires and impervious to all except this:

Andrew B.

I'm a believer for Multiple reasons

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

700×25c

Height

5` 9"

Weight

170 lbs

I've use Continental Gator Hardshell forever as long as I am in North Florida. Why? Simply they work, 100% of the time "No". But enough that you will forget the last time you were on the side of the road changing a flat tire. I recently purchased a new bike and Continental GP 4000 was the tires that comes with the bike, I rode them for less than a thousand miles experienced two flats in a week. I now have switched to Gatorskin hardshells. Love the ride of the GP 4000 & 5000 tires, but they can hold up under debris that litters the roadway in North Florida.

Rickey G.

If most miles will be on a bike path are these still recommended? i seem to hear they are great for wear and tear but not best ride. what would a comp be if ride quality is at least as important?

JOE

Not entirely puncture-proof but almost

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I've used these tires for several years and have had far fewer flats with them and they last longer than any other tire I've used. I have had a few flats, every time from tiny pieces of sharp metal that manage to pierce the hard shell and remain stuck in the tire, so I always check the inside and outside of the tire thoroughly when changing a tube. I give the tires five stars, and zero stars to those drivers whose uncovered and unsecured loads litter the roads with metallic debris. I check the tires after every ride and often pull out thorns and tiny bits of junk that get stuck in the rubber but don't make it all the way through to cause a flat.

ciclistatoscano

Trust Your Equipment!

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This has always been, and will probably always be my go-to tire. I have avoided so many flats while on a ride strictly because of how Continental constructs their tires, the Gatorskin in particular. Not terribly difficult to change upon actually somehow magically getting a flat, but the protection is phenomenal across the board. The other great quality of this model is that given the puncture resistance that it has, it's surprisingly light weight and has fantastic grip in the corners. It's not a race tire by any means. But it's the only tire I'll use for base miles and training.

Zack Foley

I hate flats

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

they're not the fastest or the easiest to change but then you don't need to change them often. l ride the streets of north Florida and have gotten good at changing flats but who wants to do that on the side of the road with no shade and 108 degrees with the heat index? picked up a nail yesterday but the tire saved my ass, nail missed the inner tube. these are worth the money and time

BENJAMIN M.

no flats yet

Ridden 100 or so miles on it and no problems. Probably too soon to be writing a worthwhile review, but it feels good so far.

Alex Bass

These Stand up to Anything

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

With all the goatheads (not talking about all the wonderful goatheads here at backcountry, but the Tribulus Terrestris aka Puncture Vine) here in Utah these tires are a must in the late summer and fall. My only complaint is that the comfort of your ride will suffer.

Dustin Hegy

Great tire

Swapping out some old 23s for these 'fatties'....I'm sure they'll work great, ride fine and keep flats away.

Mike Newberry

Puncture Resistance

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Perfect road tire if you hate changing flats. I've mainly used this tire in the winter when the weather in Utah allows for outdoor training, all kinds of junk on the road in the winter. You can certainly tell that these tires are much harder and don't ride quite as nice as other tires.

Karissa Lamb

Hate Flats, Love the Tires

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I mainly commute and ride through a good amount of road junk, regardless of how hard I try to avoid it. And nothing ruins a ride to work more than a flat - which is why I love these tires so much. I've had the 32s on two of my bikes for over a year now and have had just one flat between them in that time. They're not light, but if avoiding flats if your first priority, I give these two thumbs up.

Clark Smeltzer

puncture resistance yes, ride ??

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I got these in 28 mm size for my commuter bike. I bike thru all manner of road detritus.... glass, nails, staples, rocks etc. They have been outstanding from a puncture resistance standpoint...one flat in ~ 1500 miles. but the ride is bone jarring. I expected them to be like the gatorskins but they are much harder/firmer. I will either go to a 32 mm tire or back to a regular gatorskin next to get a little better ride quality.

James C.

A Tale of Two Cyclists.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity..." You get it, some of us were having fun, while others were not. That's Koty (pictured right) The guy wearing a helmet, the guy with Continental Gator Hardshell Tires, the guy having fun. That's me, (pictured left) the guy not wearing a helmet, the guy with insufficient bike tires, the guy that's about to learn a tough life lesson. You see, Koty and I decided we wanted to ride our bikes to the local MLS game utilizing a riverfront trail known by locals to be rank with goat heads. Koty thought ahead and brought a patch kit and a Lezyne Trigger Drive CO2 Cartridge System, and his Continental Gator Hardshell Tires. I brought a backpack full of beer. Koty brought some sandwiches and a water bottle. I brought a flask of Sailor Jerry's...YOU GET IT, I'm an idiot. Anyways, not 10 seconds after this picture was taken, I got my first flat tire causing me to fall to the ground and my friends to say "you should've brought a helmet" what's worse, I spilled a perfectly good beer. Again, I'm irresponsible, thankfully Koty offered me a patch from his patch kit an one of his two co2 tanks to refill my tire. Not long after that my rear tire went flat, after some negotiating Koty offered me a second patch and co2...The third flat was a bit more contentious as it was getting down to game time and we were out of co2 tanks. Fortunately a nice German lady rode by with a bike pump, I offered her a beer, she said "no thanks," pumped up my tire and moved on with her day. After arriving at the stadium I noticed I had a fourth leak in my tire, Koty had no leaks, EVER! Look, I'm not gonna get much more responsible, but I tell you what, the next day I went out and bought new tubes and a pair of Continental Gator Hardshell Tires and it was the best decision I've ever made. I'm going on a year strong with no problems, you could ride through a glass fight with these things, they're tough, they're durable and they're perfect for the irresponsible commuter. I will say they're a little slick, so if you're riding in the rain, just be mindful.

Vincent Mauro

Hard, but reliable.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Hard ride (as the name might imply), but I love these tires. For how hard they are, the tires are extremely compliant during turns at speed. My last pair lasted over 2,000 miles.

Brock Stewart

Tough tire

I've only put about 200 miles on these tires, but so far they have held up and shown very little wear. Definitely hoping to get a couple thousand out of these. I use them for road biking, a bit heavy for my use, but durability is my priority and these shouldn't disappoint!

jordan emery

The Best

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I have been using the Gator Hardshell and the Gatorskin (http://www.backcountry.com/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tire#wall-solicitations) on my bike for roughly 2 years now and it is the best combination for a single speed commuter set up. Easy to put on and they last. I have this on my fixed gear trek and so I skid regularly on it. They last for so long even under the abuse of skidding. Great gear allows you the confidence to not have to think about it while using it. I never worry that these are going to fail on me and that makes for great rides.

James Ronnow

why no 28cc?

cookie monster

Great even after puncture

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I commute through DC. I had about 1500 miles on this tire before flatting, even after hitting glass, rocks, you name it. One morning, I hit a roofing staple, it went through the tire, and the tube instantly blew, obviously. However, I threw in a spare tube and the tire continued to hold (going on about 250 miles).

Trevor M.