RE Gatorskins

[Ralph]

The other day I made a post about how hard some 700X25 Ultra Gatorskins (just Gatorskins for 2011 according to web site) were to get on some Campy rims on my daily rider a while back, and how I was looking to use something that maybe was easier to install.....like maybe Michelin Krylions, or something else in 700X25.

Yesterday I decided to rotate them and get a few more miles from them before replacement and.....they came off easily with an old blunt plastic tire iron, and went back on with only my fingers. So guess they stretch with use. Sorry Continental for accusing you of making them too tight.

So now....no complaints with them. Sure they ride hard with all their protection layers (that's the kind of tire they are), but they don't flat and wear a long time. And at 85-95 PSI, ride no problem. And BTW....they (700X25's) measure 24 MM wide on my rims. I'm happy with them now on that bike, and would recommend to others if goal is max flat protection and long life.

I do have the last of my supply of 700X23 Michelin PR2's on another bike. They ride nice, almost like tubulars, but wear fast and flat easily. They will be replaced with something more sturdy soon. But again....that's not a complaint with Michelins....they are just designed for another use than mine.

[97CSI]

Found the same 'tight-fit' with Conti tires on my Proton wheels. Could hardly pry them onto the rim with a pair of plastic tire irons. They came off the same way. However, after reading some good things about Campy's newest rims I bought a set of Vento wheels. After busting a couple of finger-nails using the tire irons to get the Conti 700x25 4-Season (flat-resistant) tires off the Protons, was able to mount them on the new Vento rims with my thumbs. Was so impressed went out and bought a new set of Zonda wheels and was able to installed a new set of Conti 700x25 GP4000s with my thumbs on them, as well. So, am guessing it was more a problem of the rim design than of the Conti tires. All my Proton wheels and spares are gond. Just hoping that the new Vento and Zonda are as durable.

[Aaron O]

Sheldon on tire rotation:

It is common for a front tire to outlast a rear tire by as much as three to one. Rear tires have more weight on them, and also have to deal with drive forces.
This disparity in tread life is exacerbated in the case cyclists who rely on their rear brake (you shouldn't! See my article on Braking and Turning.)

Well-meaning cyclists, even some mechanics who don't know any better, sometimes try to deal with this by swapping tires, putting the less worn front tire on the back wheel, and moving the worn-but-usable rear tire to the front. The idea is to equalize the wear on the two tires, but this is a serious mistake, don't do it!

The only time tire rotation is appropriate on a bicycle is when you are replacing the rear tire. If you feel like taking the trouble, and use the same type of tire front and rear, you should move the front tire to the rear wheel, and install the new tire in front.
The reason for this is that the front tire is much more critical for safety than the rear, so you should have the more reliable tire on the front.

If you have a blowout, if it is on the rear tire, you have a very good chance of bringing the bike to a controlled stop. If your front tire blows, you can lose steering control, and a crash is a real possibility.

[Ralph]

I understand how the above advice might be good for a bike shop to follow.

But I can check my tires for rot, cuts, abrasion, wear, etc. And make a decision about their safety. I'm not afraid to rotate some tires after inspection. Like many....I'm a fan of Sheldon Brown. Wish he was still with us.

[rdparadise]

Regarding tight fitting Conti's, it has nothing to do with the rim size, roundness or any of that at all. It has to do with the ability to stay clinched at 120 psi and more. The last thing you want is for your tire to blow off because it's slightly too big for the rim, extra supple rubber or other reasons.

Typically, any good, new road tire, is going to be challenging to mount the first time. Once it's been filled with air, it stretches and expands making remounting much easier.

I hate to admit it, however, I had a pair of Hutchinson tires I bought on a deal one time. $30 each for $50 tires so I thought they were a good deal. Anyway, I've been riding seriously since 1994 and never had an issue mounting tires until I met this pair. After trying a couple of times for 20+ minutes and pinch flatting 2 different tubes, I gave up and went to the bike shop to have them mounted. They used a cool tool, which I ended up purchasing. Forget the name, however, with that and the two of us working the tire, we got the pair mounted in about 20 minutes.

Just my 2 cents.

Bob

[FlashUNC]

First time mounting Contis is always an exercise in pain and frustration. I remember the rage of just trying to mount them on a set of DT Swiss 1.1 rims. The Mavic Open Pros were slightly easier, but not by much.

Cake to change if you get a flat or are pulling off the old ones though.

[R2D2]

... They used a cool tool, which I ended up purchasing. Forget the name, however, with that and the two of us working the tire, we got the pair mounted in about 20 minutes.

Just my 2 cents.

Bob

Most likely a tire jack.
VAR made a compact version that also servers as dual levers for removal.
It is a dull gray super plastic. I say super because the one I've owned since 1985 still works great. I think you can still by them if your search archives or online.

[bike22]

I've never had any sort of issue mounting any continental tires, folding bead or wire bead...

that said, there are some tire/rim combos that are a bear...

i've also never come across a tire i couldn't completely mount with just my hands, no tire lever needed.

[rustychisel]

I've never had any sort of issue mounting any continental tires, folding bead or wire bead...

that said, there are some tire/rim combos that are a bear...

i've also never come across a tire i couldn't completely mount with just my hands, no tire lever needed.

I may have thought that once, so I'll set you the challenge.

Brand new Veloflex Pave on Campagnolo Eurus 2005 wheel. Report back when you're done. :)

[97CSI]

I've never had any sort of issue mounting any continental tires, folding bead or wire bead...
that said, there are some tire/rim combos that are a bear...
i've also never come across a tire i couldn't completely mount with just my hands, no tire lever needed.You just need to order yourself a set of 2008 or older Campy Proton or Neutron wheels and a pair of Conti GP4000, 4-Season or Gatorskins and give it a go. Make sure you take a video so we can watch your frustration and raw fingers. :)

[Marz]

I concur as I did just that the other day wondering how to get GP4000s on Protons. Tore valve pulling off Silca pump just before going for a ride and was dreading changing the tube, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much easier it was the second time around. Yes folks they do stretch.

[bike22]

I'll take you up on the challenge. Send me the wheel tire/combo, or buy me the combo and I'll give it a go.

FWIW, in the bike shop I used to work in we NEVER used levers to mount tires, but, as stated above, there are some tire/rim combos that are harder than others though..sounds like the campag/conti combo is a bear.

we didn't see much campy gear come through the shop though...don't know if I've ever worked on a set of campag wheels.

[97CSI]

I'll take you up on the challenge. Send me the wheel tire/combo, or buy me the combo and I'll give it a go.Send me your e-mail address and I'll send them over as an attachment. ;)