TomD77

Really? I've had Gatorskins and Gatorhardshells in folding and wire but haven't seen the dimples. Come to think of it, you've got a different tread pattern too. There's enough of the tread on my original picture to show that. Maybe you have a newer or older lot than I've been getting, or maybe made in a different facility.

rekmeyata

I never got much miles from any Conti tire including the Gatorskin, so I'm not surprised, the most I ever got was 2800 miles on a Gatorskin, most of the other tires I ever owned would do at least a 1,000 more. It could be their using thinner tread nowadays too.

If you haven't gained much weight and haven't moved then there is an issue with the way Conti is building the tires.

tsl

Now that I think about it, the last time I bought Gatorskins was in 2007. There's no doubt been a change or two since then. I know the name has changed. Mine were called Ultra Gatorskins.

Sorry about the old news.

Bikey Mikey

Don't know about a different facility(say made in Germany and I'm on the Southeast coast), but I doubt it was older stock than you had. I got my first set when I purchased the bike in March 2012--the second set was about late 2012 I guess(6300 miles on them)--the latest set was earlier this month, Sept. 2013. I know the LBS I've used got new shipments in for the 3rd set and probably the 2nd set as well.

Are your tires inflated properly...although if they weren't it would be unlikely any tire you used was. As I stated, using the Gators on the road(rough asphalt, new asphalt, cracked asphalt, glass, metal, sticks, etc.), in traffic(very light traffic), I get 5000+ miles(6300 on the first set and 5500 on the second).

No need to be sorry at all. I just wanted to let others know that the ones I've gotten have the dimples.

jimmuller 

Harder and more climbing?

rekmeyata

Not to sound like a prick that I am around here, but after 40 years of riding and 10 years of non-pro racing I think I know how to inflate my tires. Besides none of my other tires had those issues so if inflation was an issue it would effect any tire I have ever used and that's not the case.

Bikey Mikey

Didn't intend for you to get defensive. That was definitely not the purpose. I did allude that if you did habitually under-inflate, the same thing would probably happen to other tires you used--meaning, it is unlikely that you ARE under-inflating. I only presented information and had no idea about how much you had as experience--no idea if it was 3 years, 30 years, or 40, as you have stated. Anyway, there was no intention to offend--as well as none in this response. I am saddened that you have had the experience you did with the Gators, but, as I stated, I'm on my 3rd set and the 1st and 2nd sets went 6300 miles and 5500 miles respectively.

rekmeyata

It's all good man. I've never had a set of tires last as long as yours have except for Specialized Armadillo All Condition tires. I do have a set of Kenda Konstrictors that are now approaching 4800 which is the second longest lasting tire I ever had. I do have a set of Panaracer Pasela TG but I don't consider those normal road tires as they are more for light touring, I have about 1800 miles on them and they still look fairly new with no cuts.

A lot of this tire life business is about inflation as you mentioned but also some people live in areas that use a asphalt that is more abrasive than other areas thus tires will wear out faster. For example Hawaii is the most abrasive asphalt on the planet, they use volcanic rock to make their roads and that stuff just eats tires up and then combine that with mountains and sharp turning and you get tires that last less than half as long as they do in other places. And then the last factor is rider weight, a 145 pound person will have tires last a lot a longer than a person 245 pounds.

Bikey Mikey

I ride on secondary roads and much of it is on old asphalt--so a bit rough. Love when I hit recently paved roads as my speed generally can jump up as much as 1 mph. Of course not all asphalt is created equal. I think chip-seal, especially bad chip-seal, might give Hawaiian roads a run for the money, or maybe not. The rider's weight definitely would make a difference. I'm a lightweight and tires will last longer for me than someone 30, 40, 50, + lbs more. I'm only 5'7" and usually hover around 140~142 lately(got to 147 earlier this Summer)--tires will last longer for me.

rekmeyata

I use to weigh 145 range and I was 6' tall! I've been holding at 163 to 165 (depending if the holidays are upon us or not!) for the last 20 years or so. Weight is a big issue, I have a friend who weighs 240 and he does a lot of loaded touring and his touring tires, which far more tread life than normal road tires, last him roughly 2,500 miles touring if he rotates.