Why so much hate for Gatorskins?
09-05-20, 01:35 PM
#151
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Make of it what you will, but today I was passed by a group of very young elite juniors and one of them was on Gatorskins.
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09-05-20, 02:43 PM
#152
Senior Member
I was in a bike shop today and they had some Gatorskins (among others) in stock. I felt the Gator rubber, and it was *quite* sticky. It felt identical to the Ultra Sport. They had an old non-addix Pro One on display and the Pro One felt way, way harder than the Gatorskin.
So at least one of the following must be true:
1) continental changed the Gatorksin compound to something *way* softer (my current assumption)
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
Any thoughts?
So at least one of the following must be true:
1) continental changed the Gatorksin compound to something *way* softer (my current assumption)
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
Any thoughts?
09-05-20, 03:20 PM
#153
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Any proper fitting and working road tubeless with better crr than the Gator is a better solution.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
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09-05-20, 03:21 PM
#154
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09-05-20, 04:51 PM
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I was in a bike shop today and they had some Gatorskins (among others) in stock. I felt the Gator rubber, and it was *quite* sticky. It felt identical to the Ultra Sport. They had an old non-addix Pro One on display and the Pro One felt way, way harder than the Gatorskin.
So at least one of the following must be true:
1) continental changed the Gatorksin compound to something *way* softer (my current assumption)
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
Any thoughts?
So at least one of the following must be true:
1) continental changed the Gatorksin compound to something *way* softer (my current assumption)
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
Any thoughts?
09-05-20, 04:52 PM
#156
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09-05-20, 07:20 PM
#157
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I want to know how while being passed you can see what rotating tire is on somebody’s bike.
That’s real talent.
That’s real talent.
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09-05-20, 07:53 PM
#158
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09-05-20, 07:55 PM
#159
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09-05-20, 07:57 PM
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Any proper fitting and working road tubeless with better crr than the Gator is a better solution.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
Uh, I forgot what I was going to say next. Mother, where are my bifocals? Oh crud, I'm still wearing them? I've been using Gatorbacks on my IROC since the 80's.
09-05-20, 08:17 PM
#162
Senior Member
Bontrager Hard-Case tires, while nothing great, are a MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT over Gatorskins, IMO.
09-06-20, 04:20 AM
#163
Senior Member
Any proper fitting and working road tubeless with better crr than the Gator is a better solution.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
I really don’t get the love.
MTB guys get it. Cross guys get it.
I would put a GP5000 tubeless with Orange Seal sealant up against a Gator with a butyl tube.
Whatever. It must be an old man fixed in your ways kind of thing.
Not to mention the wildly exaggerated claims that robust puncture protected tyres ride like frozen garden hoses. Its just not true. Maybe there is a slight difference at the same pressure, but you can lower it a bit to compensate and ANY tyre can ride like a block of ice, if you inflate it hard enough.
Im betting half the "haters" came from old school 90-100 psi 23-25 mm gators to 60-70 psi 28mm+ "some thing else" and made the false assumption that it was the make/model that made the difference and not the lower pressure. Just saying :-)
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09-06-20, 05:43 AM
#165
Senior Member
That is not really an answer to what you quoted, but wanting to go faster on behalf on other attributes is just fine. There are pros and cons to all tyres, including price. However the hyperbole and nebulous claims are tiring and inaccurate.
09-06-20, 09:09 AM
#166
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Except it's not hyperbole, nor is it nebulous. It's quite concise and clear. Its assertions like yours that attempt to negate not just the experiences of so many, but the actual science related to its rolling resistance that are so tiring and inaccurate.
Ride what you want, but don't pretend like everyone else is wrong.
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09-06-20, 10:28 AM
#167
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09-06-20, 10:29 AM
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It's definitely an answer and a huge reason (along with the terrible feel and grip) that contributes to its overall awfulness.
Except it's not hyperbole, nor is it nebulous. It's quite concise and clear. Its assertions like yours that attempt to negate not just the experiences of so many, but the actual science related to its rolling resistance that are so tiring and inaccurate.
Ride what you want, but don't pretend like everyone else is wrong.
Except it's not hyperbole, nor is it nebulous. It's quite concise and clear. Its assertions like yours that attempt to negate not just the experiences of so many, but the actual science related to its rolling resistance that are so tiring and inaccurate.
Ride what you want, but don't pretend like everyone else is wrong.
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09-06-20, 01:24 PM
#170
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1) continental changed the Gatorksin compound to something *way* softer
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
2) The Gatorskins I had hardened up rapidly. Mine basically felt like plastic when I took them off (within about 6 months, stored indoors). I don't remember how they felt when new - but I definitely don't remember them being that soft.
3) I am crazy and the Gatorskins have always been a grippy tire with a pretty soft compound, and any memory I have of "plasticky" gators is just my delusion.
4) I am stupid and the Gators I felt in the bike shop today are actually quite hard and my sense of touch is crappy.
The Gators actually felt quite familiar. I don't think it's a new compound anymore. I'm changing my hypothesis from #1 to #2. Let's call it the garden hose hypothesis. The Gators are actually quite sticky and even somewhat supple out of the box. But the rubber compound rapidly hardens in the sun - just like a garden hose. Due to its vulcanized construction (as opposed to the open tubular type), this doesn't just affect the grip levels. It also makes the tire overall stiffer and slower. Which would explain a lot.
This makes the Gators seem even worse than I thought. They're not even designed to be that slow or hard. They're just so crappy that they degrade into the Gators we know and hate.
Last edited by smashndash; 09-06-20 at 01:29 PM.
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09-06-20, 01:25 PM
#171
Senior Member
It's definitely an answer and a huge reason (along with the terrible feel and grip) that contributes to its overall awfulness.
Except it's not hyperbole, nor is it nebulous. It's quite concise and clear. Its assertions like yours that attempt to negate not just the experiences of so many, but the actual science related to its rolling resistance that are so tiring and inaccurate.
Ride what you want, but don't pretend like everyone else is wrong.
Except it's not hyperbole, nor is it nebulous. It's quite concise and clear. Its assertions like yours that attempt to negate not just the experiences of so many, but the actual science related to its rolling resistance that are so tiring and inaccurate.
Ride what you want, but don't pretend like everyone else is wrong.
I even conceded in #165 that the gators are not fast. What more do you want ... Still you felt compelled to comment as if I denied it.
(please dont answer!)
Last edited by Racing Dan; 09-06-20 at 01:30 PM.
09-06-20, 01:32 PM
#172
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What a BS answer. YOU were the one changing the subject from ride quality to speed in #164 and now reframing the references hyperbole (rides like a frozen garden hose) and nebulous from ride quality to speed, making me look like a fool. F U very much!
I even conceded in #165 that the gators are not fast. What more do you want ... Still you felt compelled to comment as if I denied it.
(please dont answer!)
I even conceded in #165 that the gators are not fast. What more do you want ... Still you felt compelled to comment as if I denied it.
(please dont answer!)
09-06-20, 01:35 PM
#173
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So, to summarize after 171 posts:
- One troll likes Gatorskins.
- Nobody else does.
Draw your own conclusions.
- One troll likes Gatorskins.
- Nobody else does.
Draw your own conclusions.
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