HardShell:**Puncture protection and mileage are the strengths of Hardshell-ProTection. A wider PolyX Breaker®, the specialist against punctures under the tread centre and shoulders provides for great reliability. The three-ply (each layer with 180 TPI) carcass covers the entire tyre and makes it a real bastion against urban detritus. The outer sidewalls of the tyre are reinforced with DuraSkin® fabric providing even more reliability due to the casing being so well protected. Hardshell tyres are the puncture-resistant flagship amongst racing tyres – produced exclusively in Germany Brace yourself, our comparison is about to get heated. 1. Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Clincher Bike Tires In theory that means sealant isn't required, but Continental recommend you use 30-60ml of sealant to protect against punctures. Everything else being equal that extra layer also means increased rolling resistance, but it seems everything else is far from equal. According to Jarno Bierman at bicyclerollingresistance.com, the tubeless GP 5000 has very low rolling resistance, second only to the Vittoria Corsa Speed Open TLR, which has thinner tread. The Road Bike section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. The puncture resistance tests are the natural habitat of the Gator Hardshell. When compared to the Gatorskin that already has a very good puncture resistance, puncture resistance of both the tread and sidewall has been increased by 10-15% to 20 points in the tread puncture test and 8 points in the sidewall puncture test.

It's also good to mention that the Gator Hardshell has twice the rolling resistance of the Grand Prix 5000, but it also has twice the puncture resistance of the Grand Prix 5000. NOTE: Grip test data is only available on tires tested after November 2018. You can find more information about our grip test here: Introducing Grip Testing Static Grip Test Results NOTE: As of 2021, we've improved the puncture resistance tests and now provide 'Total Puncture Score' as the main puncture resistance indicator. If the text below mentions puncture resistance, we're referring to 'Puncture Force Sharp Needle' which was our original test.

We then wanted to get a bit more specific and only look at Continental products that are listed in the Tyres category. Use the tyre chooser below to help find the perfect Continental tyre for your riding style and budget. These clincher tyres are designed for different types of road cycling from sportives to time trials as well as racing and training. Continental tyres are available at different performance levels from entry level Sport tyres right up to Premium tyres with pro level features. Puncture Force Sharp Needle: Pre-2021, this score was known as 'Puncture Resistance'. On some tires with weakly bonded casing wires, the sharp needle can split the casing wires resulting in a lower score. Here are the first two options on our comparison of the Continental Gator Hardshell vs Gatorskin bike tires. 1. Continental Gator Hardshell Folding Bike Tire How did we determine what the best options are? We used the following criteria which you too should use. Rolling Resistance

It’s at this stage of the buying process, when you’re looking at different options, that you should set a budget. Do some research to understand how much roughly you can expect to pay for the sort of level of product that you’re looking for. Then match that to your own personal circumstance and how much you can afford to spend. This will really help you in narrowing down the right product for you. Price of Continental Gator Hardshell Road Bike Tyre 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. Conclusion At a glance differentiating the Hardshell and gator skin can be tough. It is when you lift them up that you feel the difference.

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. The GP5000 boasts two new features: Lazer Grip texturing on the shoulder of the tread and Active Comfort Technology. Lazer Grip is a slight roughening of the tread intended to improve cornering grip, while Active Comfort is an elastomer embedded in the tyre to damp vibrations. The Continental Gator Hardshell Folding Bike Tire takes the cake on the Gator Hardshell side, while the Continental GatorSkin DuraSkin Clincher Bike Tires is the best of the Gatorskin type. Add this to the Duraskin anti-tear mesh on the outside of the casing and you are presented with a tougher commuter which is also fast and is available in 700x23 up to 32 plus 27 x 1 1/4. Taking the Gatorskin as our base, we've added a third Polyamide layer in the sidewall to make a unique 3-ply casing for the Gator Hardshell.

And now in our Continental Gator Hardshell review, we’re going to recommend the best Gatorskin tires available on the market. The tubeless GP 5000 is available in 25, 28 and 32mm widths, plus a 28mm wide 650B version. Our samples of the 25mm versions weighed an average of 302g each; we've seen reliable reports of 295g samples too. That's heavier than some comparable tubeless-ready tyres (a 25mm Schwalbe Pro One weighs about 255g) because Continental has gone for a fully tubeless construction with an airtight rubber layer on the inside.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. As we said in the pricing part of the review, brand is a really important consideration, but especially so when looking to buy Tyres. But as you’re probably already aware, you’re on to a great choice if you do go with Continental, as they’re a fantastic brand, making amazing products. At Chain Reaction Cycles we found 158 products from Continental, of which 125 were in the Tyres category.

Description: Continental Gator Hardshell Road Bike TyreA tyre that sets the standard for durability and grip quality, Continental’s Gator Hardshell model is a high mileage rider’s dream tyre. Constructed with a Duraskin® edge-to-edge protection, the hard shell casing extends into the sidewall. This is combined with a PolyX Breaker that covers the tyre’s entire tread for even better puncture resistance.Features¬† Puncture resistantPolyX BreakerDurable¬† Casing: DuraSkin protection¬† Tyre Type: Clincher¬† Bead Tyre: Folding and wire bead options¬† Tubeless Compatible: NoSpecifications:¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ETRTO¬† ¬† ¬† Size¬† ¬† ¬† Weight¬† ¬† ¬† Bead¬† ¬† ¬† Technology¬† ¬† ¬† PSI – Rec.¬†¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† Inflation¬† ¬† ¬† PSI – Max¬†¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† Inflation¬† ¬† ¬† Ply/TPI¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† 23-622¬† ¬† ¬† 700×23¬† ¬† ¬† 250g¬† ¬† ¬† Folding¬† ¬† ¬† PolyX Breaker, DuraSkin, Hardshell¬† ¬† ¬† 110¬† ¬† ¬† 120¬† ¬† ¬† 3/180¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† 23-622¬† ¬† ¬† 700×23¬† ¬† ¬† 330g¬† ¬† ¬† Wire¬† ¬† ¬† PolyX Breaker, DuraSkin, Hardshell¬† ¬† ¬† 110¬† ¬† ¬† 120¬† ¬† ¬† 3/180¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† 25-622¬† ¬† ¬† 700×25¬† ¬† ¬† 270g¬† ¬† ¬† Folding¬† ¬† ¬† PolyX Breaker, DuraSkin, Hardshell¬† ¬† ¬† 95¬† ¬† ¬† 120¬† ¬† ¬† 3/180¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† 25-622¬† ¬† ¬† 700×25¬† ¬† ¬† 330g¬† ¬† ¬† Wire¬† ¬† ¬† PolyX Breaker, DuraSkin, Hardshell¬† ¬† ¬† 95¬† ¬† ¬† 120¬† ¬† ¬† 3/180¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† ¬† 28-622¬† ¬† ¬† 700×28¬† ¬† ¬† 410g¬† ¬† ¬† Wire¬† ¬† ¬† PolyX Breaker, DuraSkin, Hardshell¬† ¬† ¬† 95¬† ¬† ¬† 116¬† ¬† ¬† 3/180¬† ¬† ¬† Buy¬†Continental Wheels & Tyres from Chain Reaction Cycles, the World’s Largest Online Bike Store. In this updated version of our guide to Continental tyres we've added the new Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR.

Polyx Breaker and Duraskin

Somebody could argue that arriving 5 minutes late at work is alone a reason to go for more predictable commute time with high puncture resistance and high rolling resistance tire, but then again 5 minutes is the difference of headwind and no headwind, so you have to be prepared to be 5 minutes late anyway. 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 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. The GatorHardshell is a faster tire then the S-Works, Vittoria whatever. The ride is not quite as plush as the S-Works but it is faster. I like my tires on the higher pressure side. The polyamide fabric sidewalls of the tires prevent scratches and scuff even if you’re one of those people who likes to take your bike on off-road terrain. It also comes with puncture protection which helps to prevent tire damage when you’re riding through rough terrain with sharp objects.