Originally Posted by Kojak

"GatorSkin is just a flat resistant as the MP"

I don't believe this statement to be true. The two tires are strikingly different in their compound and construction, and are not really aimed at the same market. The Conti is more of a roadracing tire, at least in its initial incarnation. The Marathon Plus is an Expedition/Touring/Commuting tire.

The MP can be a bear to mount (some people have no problems at all) and no, they are not supple tires. The Conti Ultra G is a really nice tire, I've used them in the past, and yes they ride nicer than the Schwalbe MP. But in terms of flat protection, the Schwalbe MP tires are so far unparalleled.

Originally Posted by PaulRivers

Sure, no, it's totally possible. Spend enough time on the boards and you'll hear all kinds of crazy anecdotal experiences from people.

I would be interested in other people's experiences with Gatorskins vs gp4000.

However, while the gatorskins are theoretically tougher, that's not the first time I've heard someone say they've used both and they thought the gp4000's were just as flat resistant as the gatorskins (to be fair, I've also heard the opposite). There are other things that differentiate the 2 tires as well - the gp4000's are far more expensive, and apparently they wear out sooner than the gatorskins. And you could be right that it's a matter of riding style and the road they ride on - I've personally never gotten a flat from a puncture since I got my Panaracer TServ tires (I've gotten a pinch flat, and 2 bad valve stems, but no flats the tire could have prevented), but I have no doubt (just like you said) that if I was riding on really terrible roads I would be able to tell the difference in number of flats between my tserv's and the Schwalbe Marathon Plus's (or the Specialized Armadillo's).

Just sayin' - just because marketing says they're different (and actually, I'm not sure Continental really makes any claims about the difference between the gatorskins and gp4000's) doesn't mean that real world experience will end up being different.

Marketing can be tricky. Schwalbe for example (*cough*, *cough*) gives both the Marathon, and the Marathon Plus a 5/5 for "Protection" (aka puncture resistance), both in the main rating and in "puncture" and "sidewall". (NOTE - I just looked it up to check, I guess now they give the regular marathon a 5/5, and the "plus" a ... 6 out of 5 in the main rating. If a tire gets 4/5, there's an empty box for the 5th one. For 6/5, they don't give the "5" one an empty box, but they add an additional box for the 6 and make it blue...how would you describe that? 6/5? 6/5 "blue"? Marketing...sheesh.)

Originally Posted by Ziemas

True, but in my real world experience of commuting extensively on both they both offered excellent flat protection. There might be some cases where the MP is better (riding through a field of thumb tacks or drawing pins for example) but I have yet to encounter anything like that.

I ride through lots of glass (stupid drunk tourists like to throw bottles), rough roads, and cobblestones. In these conditions the GatorSkin is a far superior tire than the MP due to the ride quality. In my opinion of course.

That being said, when are you guys going to make the Marathon Supreme in 700x28 or 25! My wife loves hers, and I'd like to also give them a try some time.

Originally Posted by Kojak

The Marathon Supreme should be available in a 700x28 sometime this fall. I've seen one, so I know they're going to happen, I just wish that it was sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by Ziemas

Excellent news, thanks!

Are you able to tell us if they are a true 28mm or run a bit small?

Originally Posted by adlai

that strikes me as false. More pressure = when you jump a curb the sides of the tube get even more pressure on them.

I've blown out a number of 23's but very rarely have I blown out 32's.

Originally Posted by Kojak

If past experience means anything, then in most applications the tire will be a bit on the narrow end of the spectrum. Schwalbe sizes their tires so that on the widest acceptable rim, at full inflation, a tire will not exceed the stated tire width. A cynic might argue that this is just a means to keep stated weights down, and the cycnic could be partially right. But there is value in knowing that if one has certain clearance constraints, they can know that a particular tire will work.