Fifty Plus (50+) - Gatorskin Sidewall Problems?

Has anyone else out there had problems with crappy sidewalls on Continental Gatorskins? The last three failures I've had w/Gatorskins have been sidewall failures. The most recent being a 700x25 that I tried in the hope that the larger tire would hold up better.

I don't have any complaints about tread life, or puncture resistance, but the sidewalls on these things are so bloody awful that I'm not getting a chance to really wear them out.

Also, can anyone recommend another brand/model that is durable and reasonably fast?

I've ridden for years on Gatorskins and have never had any problem (23, 25 and 28's). I think they are great tires.
Could there possibly be a problem with your wheels and rims?

I hope that you're wrong because I'm using Gatorbacks on the two bikes that I ride most. Through the years, I've had bad experience with Continental sidewalls. I used to say that I'd never worn out a Continental tire because the sidewall always ruptured first. I've been using 28mm Gatorbacks for about 3 years on my tandem with excellent results so far - no punctures and no sidewall cuts. I don't use a ton of air pressure 100/110psi.

I've ridden for years on Gatorskins and have never had any problem (23, 25 and 28's). I think they are great tires.
Could there possibly be a problem with your wheels and rims?The wheels are new Mavic Ksyrium Equipes. They seem to be in good shape. Also, the failures are well out on the sidewall, closer to the tread than the bead.

The problems have all been with rear tires. I suspect that when Conti designed the tire, they put extra material in the tread area and lightened the sidewalls to keep the weight down. This may work great for lighter riders, but it may not be strong enough for clydes, especially on crappy pavement.

Whatever the reason for the failures, I'm done with Gatorskins. I just can't get enough mileage out of them to justify the price.

. I don't have any complaints about tread life, or puncture resistance, but the sidewalls on these things are so bloody awful that I'm not getting a chance to really wear them out.

Also, can anyone recommend another brand/model that is durable and reasonably fast?


I ran Continental 'Gatorskins' for years and I liked them pretty good. But there were several times where I split the sidewall and ruined an otherwise good tire. I agree, the gatorskins sidewalls arent very durable, and usually got around 1300-1500 miles out of them with my 240 lb carcass.

In my honest opinion the Vittoria 'Rubino Pro' tire is a better training tire than the gatorskin. Not very sticky in the wet (of course neither were gatorskins), but the 'PRB' kevlar belt was very effective, and I got 2000 miles out of them before they started showing any significant wear. Right now I'm using Michelin 'Krylion carbon' tires just to see how they fare. So far I like them pretty good too, but if they're not up to snuff I'll be sure to go back with the Rubino Pros.

Also, I had much less punctures with the Rubino Pros than the Gatorskins. They just simply held up better.

No problems here. I've worn out several pair, but never a sidewall issue. They sure last a long time.

I've killed 4 gatorskins (hampsterskins), all death by sidewall. One of them in less than 500 metres (that was annoying).

This is an interesting post. I am a big gatorskin fan, I have used them on my Simoncini, they seem to last a long time without any issues. I did notice recently that one of my gatorskins should be considered for replacement due to some loose threads noticed on the sidewall, but these have at least twice the mileage my previous tires would get.

Has anyone else out there had problems with crappy sidewalls on Continental Gatorskins?

I've used Gatorskins on my commuter bike, a Bianchi Volpe, for about a year (a few hundred miles) without any problem. Previously, I had tried using 700x23 Armadillos on a Specialized Sirrus commuter. Had loads of flats, always on the back tire, apparently pinch flats. My LBS guy and I talked about it and decided the 23 tire was too narrow for an upright bike like that. I'm 175 lbs but that was too much weight for the narrow back tire, even though filled to appropriate psi. Changed to a wider tire (not kevlar) and did not have any more trouble with pinch flats.

No problems here...yes, I did experience a few flats (who doesn't), but no sidewall issues. I ultimately wore out my first set. The only reason I didn't run out and buy another was the fact that I bought another bike first. ;)

The problems have all been with rear tires. I suspect that when Conti designed the tire, they put extra material in the tread area and lightened the sidewalls to keep the weight down. This may work great for lighter riders, but it may not be strong enough for clydes, especially on crappy pavement.

I rather suspect that they are trying to keep the sidewalls more supple for better performance and ride characteristics. Either way, if you don't feel they are working for you, I guess that it doesn't matter.

I have Gatorskins on 1 of my bikes and haven't had any problems with them at all. I was going to put them on my new bike, but went with the 4 seasons. While I was looking at which tire to buy, I noticed that they upgraded the Gatorskins. Maybe they knew they had a problem and fixed it.

I've never yet found a Conti that didn't have fragile sidewalls. Even my Sport Contact, which has rather substantial-looking sidewalls, managed to acquire a half-dozen holes around the rim, well before the tire was worn out.

I've never yet found a Conti that didn't have fragile sidewalls. Even my Sport Contact, which has rather substantial-looking sidewalls, managed to acquire a half-dozen holes around the rim, well before the tire was worn out.

Same here. I've been using Conts off and on since they became widely available in the US about 17-18 years ago. I rarely wear the tread out before the sidewall. That doesn't make them bad tires, just the opposite of most other brands.

While I was looking at which tire to buy, I noticed that they upgraded the Gatorskins. Maybe they knew they had a problem and fixed it.



Yeah I noticed that too, and they do look pretty good, but dont know if they strengthened the sidewall any over the old gatorskins. Like I said in my previous post, I really liked them. I went thru four sets commuting to work in all sorts of conditions, but the Vittoria Rubino Pros were just plain better. I only had one flat with them, and that was at the end of their life when they were really starting to get worn.


just my opinion:)

I've never yet found a Conti that didn't have fragile sidewalls. Even my Sport Contact, which has rather substantial-looking sidewalls, managed to acquire a half-dozen holes around the rim, well before the tire was worn out.

From MTB's- Every Conti I used caused a problem due to the sidewall being TOO thin. Threads coming off the tyre- Snakebites at what I would call high pressure and Even had a sidewall blow out on me. When I went road- No conti's were considered- except on the Tandem where I sometimes use the Sport Contact for durability.

I use Michelin Pro Race 2's but have very limited road experience. Only done 2,000 miles on them and so far no punctures and no problems. AND best of all- No sign of wear on the front and the mould marks have just gone on the back

I've had several sidewall failures on gatorskins...especially on the rear of the tandem. I think it's pretty well known that they are susceptable to failure, but I've never really had one fail before I thought I had gotten a good life out of it. I've gotten to the point where I begin watching the sidewall and replacing them based on it's condition rather than on remaining tread.

I consider them a pretty good all round tire. The kevlar lining is very effective at preventing flats, so I keep going back to them for the tandem.

+1 on the Vittoria Rubino Pros. 2500 mi on them so far, showing some wear, but I'm 190 lbs. No punctures nor any other issues.

Has anyone else out there had problems with crappy sidewalls on Continental Gatorskins? The last three failures I've had w/Gatorskins have been sidewall failures. The most recent being a 700x25 that I tried in the hope that the larger tire would hold up better.

I don't have any complaints about tread life, or puncture resistance, but the sidewalls on these things are so bloody awful that I'm not getting a chance to really wear them out.

Also, can anyone recommend another brand/model that is durable and reasonably fast?

Can you elaborate on the problem you've been having? I realize a lot has been said here, but can you clarify, first what was the failure - split, blowout, wear-thru? Was there any sign before it failed? what was teh inflation pressure, what do you weigh, how was the bike loaded, and do you ride fast over sharp pothole edges, or are you fairly gentle on wheels?

Road Fan

Can you elaborate on the problem you've been having? I realize a lot has been said here, but can you clarify, first what was the failure - split, blowout, wear-thru? Was there any sign before it failed? what was teh inflation pressure, what do you weigh, how was the bike loaded, and do you ride fast over sharp pothole edges, or are you fairly gentle on wheels?

Road Fan I've had 2 fail due to cuts/splits in the sidewall. The most recent one, I caught before the tire went flat, but there were two "bubbles" where the tube was exposed. On one the sidewall "frayed" (threads coming loose) to the point where I didn't care to trust it at 30+ mph.

All failures have been on the rear. The front has been ok.

I weigh about 205. Bike is a Lemond Tourmalet carrying nothing but me, a small seat bag, a topeak mini morph, and a couple of water bottles. Wheels are relatively new Mavic ksyrium equipes. I've never had a pinch flat with them. I try to keep around 110 psi in the rear (700x25). Some of the pavement I ride on is pretty crappy. I'm not "gentle" on wheels, but I do try to avoid the worst bumps.

My tandem came with Gatorskin 28's and have 200 mile on the rear with not a scratch. Things to consider are rider weight to tire pressure. If you distort the tire too much the sidewall at the tread is taking abuse.
Other suggestion is to look out for stuff. Don't know what the roads are like in OK but I've ran over glass and thought the worst only to find nothing damaged, and that is a tandem with over 325#'s of team weight.
I run 115 to 120 in the tandem.

I've had 2 fail due to cuts/splits in the sidewall. The most recent one, I caught before the tire went flat, but there were two "bubbles" where the tube was exposed. On one the sidewall "frayed" (threads coming loose) to the point where I didn't care to trust it at 30+ mph.

All failures have been on the rear. The front has been ok.

I weigh about 205. Bike is a Lemond Tourmalet carrying nothing but me, a small seat bag, a topeak mini morph, and a couple of water bottles. Wheels are relatively new Mavic ksyrium equipes. I've never had a pinch flat with them. I try to keep around 110 psi in the rear (700x25). Some of the pavement I ride on is pretty crappy. I'm not "gentle" on wheels, but I do try to avoid the worst bumps.

Well, you actually sound like me, as a rider, but I'm more like 185. We have two bikes set up with Gator 28s, and no problems so far.

My tandem came with Gatorskin 28's and have 200 mile on the rear with not a scratch. Things to consider are rider weight to tire pressure. If you distort the tire too much the sidewall at the tread is taking abuse.
Other suggestion is to look out for stuff. Don't know what the roads are like in OK but I've ran over glass and thought the worst only to find nothing damaged, and that is a tandem with over 325#'s of team weight.
I run 115 to 120 in the tandem.Mine look great until the sidewalls give. The tread holds up fine, and very little gets through the kevlar belt. But I never leave home without something to boot a tire with.

They may work great for some people, but I've had only bad luck with them, and I'm done with them. Based on my bad experience with Gatorskins, and the other negative reports on Contis, I wouldn't use Continental tires for any application, including my car.

I've never used them, but I do like the idea of skinning gators. WOOF WOOF! (http://www.bulldawgs.com/images/DawgWithGator.gif) :D

28's on the tandem (320+ lb load) 3+ seasons no problems

25's on the ride-to-work bike - on some pretty awful (through the middle of downtown and usually some construction detours) multi-use path surfaces. Again no problems. It must be a certain combination of rims/tires.

Yup. I had one fail out of the gate. I returned it to Performance for another one. They replaced the tube that exploded also.

Mine look great until the sidewalls give. The tread holds up fine, and very little gets through the kevlar belt. But I never leave home without something to boot a tire with.

They may work great for some people, but I've had only bad luck with them, and I'm done with them. Based on my bad experience with Gatorskins, and the other negative reports on Contis, I wouldn't use Continental tires for any application, including my car.
Just what tire in the same weight range HAVE you had good luck with?
Conti Gatorskins on the tandem soon to go to GP-4000's in 25c.
Conti GP-4000's 23c on road single over 10000 miles a year avg.
Even got Conti's on my wifes car.
Good luck if you want to call it that with all.
What is it that you hit that gives you all these terminal sidewall cuts?

Somewhat concerned with this thread. I just put a pair of Gators (28s) on my bike ( 3 days ago) so I'll be keeping a better than normal eye on them now. I have heard of problems of people getting into gravel etc. and damaging the threads on the sidewalls, but nothing like what has been in this thread. I keep them at about 110psi and find them to be a nice ride. I only have a couple of miles on them, under 100, so thanks for the extra heads up.

I have used Specialized Armadillo tires and Panaracer Pasela TG tires as tough, puncture and cut resistant tires. I had good results with both but prefer the Panaracers due to lighter weight and smoother ride. How do the Gatorskins compare to these?

I have used Specialized Armadillo tires and Panaracer Pasela TG tires as tough, puncture and cut resistant tires. I had good results with both but prefer the Panaracers due to lighter weight and smoother ride. How do the Gatorskins compare to these?



I've ridden both (Gators in 25, Paselas in 28 & 32). I prefer the Paselas for their feeling of "lightness" as you mention. I don't believe the Paselas are as puncture proof or durable as some others in their class, but for me they're a nice balance of feel, weight, cost, life, and puncture resistance. The Gatorskins worked well enough, wore at about the same rate as other 25's I've used and, given a staple, radial tire wire, piece of glass, or goathead.....which all penetrate belted tires....were reasonably tough. Didn't experience particular sidewall problems.

Someday must try Scwhalbes. FWIW, I was disappointed in Rivendell Ruffy Tuffies.

FWIW, I was disappointed in Rivendell Ruffy Tuffies.

What about them disappointed you?

What about them disappointed you?

More structural than performance (my ruffies cornered true to high expectation-- there is something to that round shape). After 500 miles the rear tire had developed a problem within the casing and a noticable bump on the tread the width of a dime rose up. Thump, thump, thump.... Before that I'd gotten two sidewall cuts in the front tire taht were deep enough to expose frayed threads. I had bought a front replacement ruffy and picked up several deep cuts in the tread within a few hundred miles. I said phooie to replacing the rear thumping tire............and went with Paselas TG.

Same roads I'd ridden cheaper tires on with no such problems. Same roads I'm riding Paselas on with nothing more than usual wear and tear. Many people love them, maybe I just got some from a bad lot. They, like the Paselas, are made by Panaracer.

**Admitedly, I ride some poorly paved roads that our threadbare county can't seem to maintain well....but then, crumby roads always seem to go to the best places.

Conti Ultra Gatorskins have given me about 2300 miles on my front tire and almost 2,000 on the rear. They still look okay. However, the old rear tire had threads coming off the sidewall after a few hundred miles and I just replaced it. I didn't try to get it replaced by Conti and maybe should have, but I got it on sale anyway. I like them and I plan to keep using them.

I had been a great fan of Ultra Gator Skins until this summer. I hadn't crashed badly in over 30 years until this summer and my GatorSkin had a catastrophic sidewall failure. It split at the wire bead while I was in a descending turn with the expected results. I did notice the reddish threads were splitting but I didn't see any evidence of the sidewall split. May not use the wire beads any longer and stay with Kevelar.
First ambulance ride in 45 years. Concussion, roadrash, and several deep cuts...no broken bones. And from looking at the Giro Helmet I may have been in intensive care or the morgue if I wasn't wearing it.

Deanster, thanks for scaring the you know what out of me. Sorry to hear about that accident, but I would sure hate to be going downhill at 30+ mph and have that happen.

What are you riding now?

Deanster, thanks for scaring the you know what out of me. Sorry to hear about that accident, but I would sure hate to be going downhill at 30+ mph and have that happen.

What are you riding now?

I have had great luck with Conti tires (over 20K miles). I will be using the Conti Grandprix 4000 700cX23for normal road riding and the 4 Seasons 700cX25 for touring and winter riding. In the winter I ride my cross bike about 80% of the time.

To the OP, Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires are very durable and flat resistant. In my case, over 2000 miles, no flats or even cuts for that matter.

This is an interesting post. I am a big gatorskin fan, I have used them on my Simoncini, they seem to last a long time without any issues. I did notice recently that one of my gatorskins should be considered for replacement due to some loose threads noticed on the sidewall, but these have at least twice the mileage my previous tires would get.

My Gators are getting this too - one small spot here or there where the visible light colored threads are fraying - doesn't look like the tube is bulging, but it is still worrisome to me (I am 210#)

Is this a sure sign of imminent sidewall failure?

The tread is still nearly new. They've held up well on nasty city streets, for a couple of seasons now.

Interesting thread. I've always thought Contis were highly overrated due to my experience years ago with GP's. The sidewalls were indeed very delicate. In wet weather commuting they would show signs of rotting and coming apart/wearing thu at the rim, much like a cotton sew-up (typical of rear tires). In hot weather, they would show signs of drying out and then splitting (typical of front tires). As a result, I stopped using them until recently, when I (due to observations of other tandem teams) started using 23mm Gatorskins (both wired and folding) on the back of the tandem, and a 23mm 4-Seasons on the front.

So far, so good, but I've only started using them this season, and the tandem has about 3000 km on it for the year. The wired Gatorskin got a cut thru the tread, which I repaired by pulling that tiny rubber tube that comes in some patch kits thru the hole and gluing it (much the same way tubeless tires are patched). Team weight is 320 lbs and the tires are inflated to 120 lbs front and rear.

I'm seriously considering combining this group's general tire consensus with TandemGeek's tire preference and getting a 25mm Vredestein Fortezza for the back of the tandem. (I think that looking at a 25mm tire on the front would make me feel "fat." The rear tire you never see unless you're the stoker, and she could give two hoots about tires, as long as the sidewalls don't explode.)

So far, the common element I appear to see in this thread is that heavier riders are more likely to damage Conti sidewalls (I weight 175-180). Lighter riders seem to have no problem. So why are Gatorskins so popular on tandems?

L.

So why are Gatorskins so popular on tandems?

I just returned from the Midwest Tandem Rally. Two different vendors were selling 28mm Gatorskins at a frantic pace.

I've got a set of Gatorskin 700x28's on the Coda. Two flats in about 1500 mi. They seem to flat slightly less often than the OEM Vittoria Zafferili's in the same size. But that might be luck. There are some bad places with lots of glass and sharp rocks and other trash where I ride. They are definitely easier to get off and on the wheels than the Vittoria's were.

Still using gatorskins from when I responded to this post last year. I have found that I replace them not due to sidewall issues or tread wear out but because they take so much abuse protecting my tube that they get lots of little cuts in the tread - too many to feel comfortable with so when that happens I replace them. I keep two spares on hand all the time now. I have them on both road bikes now.

As I posted back in November, I have worn out several sets of Gatorskins and love them. In May, I switched to Conti GP 4000s's. I now have 2700 miles on them. One flat (glass). No sign of wear.