Quality is without doubt one of the most important factors that we consider when buying bikes, parts, accessories or clothing. As you’d imagine it’s especially important when buying Tyres. Let’s take at a look at the sort of things you can look at when trying to ascertain the quality of Continental Gator Hardshell Road Bike Tyre. The Gatorskin is usually more lightweight at 240 grams, while the Hardshell weighs 270 grams or so. While the GP TL was better than many previous tubeless tyres for ease of fitting, there were still rims it didn't quite fit easily. We've found the GP S TR is better still, but you might still run into not-quite-compatible combinations. Hardshell: Puncture protection and mileage are the strengths of Hardshell protection. A wider PolyX My regular commute is about the same length as yours, but leads to an infrequent train and the time is dominated by traffic conditions, so most days I take the bike with the toughest tyres - a puncture makes me an hour late if it delays me 5 minutes. So marathon plus (or ice spike winter tyres). But I don't worry if I take the other bike so I can have a ride on the way home. Punctures on the gators are still very rare. I fitted mine in August, swapped them for something more rugged in late December, and did 3-4000km in between with no punctures. I'd rather have tougher tyres on that bike than faster ones. I don't race, but don't enjoy fixing punctures in the dark and wet, many hours into the ride - which is when I get them.

It’s hard for most people to determine the difference between Gatorskin and Hardshell tires at face value. One way to tell the difference between them is to feel their weight. NOTE: As of 2021, we've improved the puncture resistance tests and now provide 'Total Puncture Score' as the main puncture resistance indicator.One is the traditional size like 700x28c or 27.5x2.2. The first figure is the tyre diameter(size). The second is tyre width. Note: road bike sizes are in mm, MTB sizes are in inches. The Continental GatorSkin has two special features, which are Polyx Breaker® and a Duraskin® Sidewall Protection. Polyx refers to a highly resistant, crosswise woven polyester fibre that, originally, has only been used for car tyres. This high density fabric makes the breaker more resistant without affecting the fastness of the tyre. The Duraskin external mesh, then, adds another layer of lightweight but durable protection. It effectively shields the tyre from harsh weather conditions and rough roads, which might otherwise cause cuts and abrasions. Cheap Road Tyres The first thing is material. Looking at what Continental Gator Hardshell Road Bike Tyre is made of will give you a really good idea of the quality overall. Take a look at the specs above and you should be able to see the material. It’s then up to you to decide if it meets your expectation. The wheels are smoother and less rigid. Gatorskin scores 19.3 watts at 120 psi while Hardshell scores 19.5 watts.

Gatorskin vs Gatorskin Hardshell? First up, we have a Continental Gatorskin Hardshell review which is popular among cyclists for its incredible durability. Welcome to the latest edition of road.cc’s buyer's guide to Continental's road tyre range, in which you’ll find everything you need to know to find the right tyres for you, plus a comprehensive guide to all clincher and tubular tyres in their range.

Brace yourself, our comparison is about to get heated. 1. Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Clincher Bike Tires Here is a comparrison chart for traditional and ETRTO sizing to help you choose the correct tyre size. ETRTO Number

I’m currently using Continental GP 4 Seasons on my travel cyclocross. In the city I have about 2 or 3 punctures per year (2*6km commute). I can live with that. In this updated version of our guide to Continental tyres we've added the new Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR. The maxxis crossmark 2 vs ikon comparison reveals some key differences between these two mountain bike tire models. The Crossmark 2 offers improved traction and cornering control with its aggressive side knobs, making it suitable for technical terrains. On the other hand, the Ikon prioritizes speed with its lower-profile knobs and lightweight build, ideal for fast cross-country riding. Ultimately, riders should choose based on their preferred riding style and terrain. ConclusionOtherwise it pretty much boils down to personal preference. Both are high quality tires with their own strengths and weaknesses. Personally I can live with patching a tube every month or so. At the same time I like to go fast/far and light. The Gator Hardshell is pretty much the heaviest, slowest tire I would even consider using. The Schwalbe Marathon plus is way too heavy and slow for me.

So the first aspect of price that we’re going to look at is the price of Continental Gator Hardshell Road Bike Tyre. It's still available from some retailers but the Grand Prix 5000 TL has been nominally replaced by the Grand Prix 5000 S TR. We'll keep these details until retailers run out. The entire tire is covered with a carcass of 60 TPI in each layer. Therefore, the tire has no impact when used on urban roads. You don’t have to worry about slipping when making sharp turns thanks to these tires. It’s covered in a layer of Dushkin protection for all-season applications. The tire can handle anything, from mud and rain to dirt and debris.If you’re looking for durability, Hardshell is the way to go. Even with regular and rough use, the tire will have minimal wear. Sharing the bead-to-bead protection of Duraskin, the tough Hardshell casing of these Continental Gator Hardshell tyre wraps further into the sidewall with the extra-wide PolyX Breaker covering the entire tread strip from shoulder-to-shoulder. They’re great for Winter use. There are so many significant differences between the Grand Prix 5000 S TR and its TL predecessor that Continental could easily have designated the new version Grand Prix 6000. The headline changes are: