ContinentalSprinter GatorSkin Tire - Tubular
Item # CON0041
For the big rides.
Gluing and peeling tubulars is a (serious) labor of love, and many will only bear with the hassle when it comes to their race wheels. But if you ride tubulars all year long, there's no better training tire, especially for the off-season, than the Continental Sprinter Gatorskin Tubular Tire.
The secret to their durability on bad roads is twofold and is due to Continental's materials technology. They use Duraskin anti-cut fabric to give the sidewalls extra protection against cuts. It's a polyamide (nylon) mesh that is bonded onto the sidewall plies. It acts like the ripstop material you'd find on ultralight jackets or tents. In the event that you do encounter a sharp object with potential to cut the sidewall, the Duraskin mesh will resist and most importantly limit the extent of the damage. The second line of defense is a puncture resistant layer under the tread called Safety System Breaker. It's a dense layer of tough Nylon interwoven with Kevlar and designed to add serious protection.
With the tread and sidewall bolstered against hazards, you'll worry less about grit and gravel on the edge of the road and more about enjoying your ride. Otherwise, the Sprinter Gatorskin has the same 180 tpi casing found on the Sprinter tubular tires. The last difference has to do with the tread. The rubber tread layer on the Gatorskin tubular is thicker, and while furthering the puncture resistance, it also gives the tire a longer service life.
The Continental Sprinter Gatorskin Tubular Tires are available in 700 x 22mm only. They're Black with a Black Duraskin sidewall.
- Duraskin sidewall
- Safety System Breaker
- 180TPI casing
View more Road Tubular Tires
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ContinentalGrand Prix 4000 S II Tire - Tubular
What do you think about this product?
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August 9, 2019
Works fine for its Price
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
Need to be stretched before 1st use, good resistance to punctures but wears out after 1,000 miles +/-
Victor C.
August 17, 2017
yes, butyl tubes
I like that it does not have the finicky silk like vittoria's to access the tube to fix; which allows for easy patch and re-sew. I have also found the tread wears significantly faster at higher road surface temperatures. I too would like to see the tire produce higher mileage. (170 lb, 400 mi/wk)
Andrew H.
November 25, 2016
Very durable, need to be stretched
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
Gold standard for durable training tubulars. They last a long time and resist punctures really well, but they are SMALL. They need to be stretched for 48 hours on a non glued rim before they get installed, otherwise they will be impossible to get on without making a gluey mess.
Luke Dordai
June 12, 2016
just wondering if u buy gator its came in a pair or single ?
Hieu N.
March 30, 2016
The old standard
Been using this tyre for a long time, it's the old stand by. Great rolling, long lasting.
Mitchell S.
February 12, 2016
not a good high mileage option
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
like some of the other reviewers, i have not been able to get too many miles out of these. i weigh 140 pounds and ride 500-700 miles per month -I see thread by 1100 miles on the rear and they are completely unsafe by 1200 miles. I've burned through 3 pairs of these tires and the wear-out point is consistent. On a positive note, they are very round and it is quite easy to get the center line of the tire installed correctly (they are snug to get mounted though). And I have not had any issues with flats. I've been using them on carbon rims at around 120psi.
Eric C.
September 4, 2015
Surprisingly Bad
I have loyally ridden Gatorskin clinchers for many previous years and been happy with them. However, I just switched back to tubulars, tried this one, and it was a total loser. After 1000mi, I had a 2-inch patch worn through the middle core layer, and the wear layer was gone over the rest of the tire's center. Never again. Need to find a new favorite brand.
James M.
Gregory B.
April 7, 2020
I have also been riding tubulars for a long time, and think that Continental tubulars are absolutely the worst on the market. The Gatorskin tubular is just plain bad.
February 11, 2014
Very fast, wears out very quickly
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
I had two of these on my Cervelo S5 VWD last summer, with valve extenders in a set of Williams 58 wheels. Valve cores remove, for installation into the end of the extenders. They were Really Nice when new. After just over 900 miles, I was down to the cord. Never again.
Ian Duff
Alan
October 6, 2014
How much do you weight? I am 175 and get 2000 miles out of my rear gatorskin, and a two or three years out of the front.
Ian Duff
October 9, 2014
I weigh about 190. I've got Conti Sprinters now, at about 800 miles, and they look to be wearing far better. Might have been a crummy batch? Might have to give them another go, after this positive experience with Sprinters.
December 5, 2011
GatorSkins
Eric L.
December 5, 2011
GatorSkins
I've ridden sow ups all my life. This has been a great tire. No flats. I run them at 140 psi. Very happy.
Eric L.
November 21, 2011
Do the tires have removable core valve...
Do the tires have removable core valve stems?
John M.
Kevhogaz
October 1, 2014
Yes they do.
October 28, 2011
are the valve core removable on these so...
are the valve core removable on these so that that you can use extenders?
Martin G.
Albert J.
June 22, 2012
Yes
March 11, 2011
What inner tube type is used?
What inner tube type is used?
Jerry R.
Albert J.
June 22, 2012
While I haven't taken them out, they seem to keep the air pressure over long periods of time so I'd put my money on a conti butyl
Kevhogaz
October 1, 2014
I'm pretty sure they're butyl tubes. They don't leak down as quickly as a tire with latex tubes in them.
Gregory B.
April 7, 2020
Stretching tubulars beyond mounting dry and inflating for a day is out of vogue. Too much risk of injury to the tire. The problem with Conti tubulars across the board is that they are just too hard to mount. There are so many better options.