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Rolling Resistance--Gator Skins--Help me please !!


limosine

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On a thread here on the hub 99% of the people say that Conti Gator Skins is a fantastic high mileage punture proof tyre but sh@t for racing because it has a very high rolling resistace compare to say a Conti GP 4000 which is a racing tyre. NOW---my question---For example I am your everyday cyclist doing the Argus in say 3hrs15min on Gator Skins. So I am not to bad but do not fall in the sub 3hrs group. Say I  swap the Gator Skins wih GP 4000's what do you think will my time be ? Will it make such a big difference. ?

PLEASE HELP !!!
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Would be interested to see the response from ppl who have raced on a range of tyres as well. I'm in the same position. +-3hr Argus and riding on Gatorskins. Doubt I'll be cycling off the front of my group when I change my tyres, but might make life a little easier???

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I experienced Gatorskins quite the opposite. It felt that they gave me great speed pumped to 120psi but damn I got alot of punctures. One the day before the Argus and a second the next day 20km before the end. And no, it was different wheels so it was not the previous day's intruder that caused the second puncture.

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I got some Gatorskins for free. Went for one ride on them and felt like I was pulling a goods train, or three. Took them off after the ride and put them on my IDT bike. Previously I had used the Bontrager tyres. After the Gatorskins I got the Continental GP Force/Attack set. If I remember correctly from the website they are labled as a racing/training tyre. So light and fast for racing but still with good puncture protection. I am yet to have a puncture from them I have recently put on a new set because the first set got a few cuts and indents which would have caused puncture to other tyres but didn't to mine. First time I used the Attack/Force I could notice a difference. It also has the Black Chilli compound for puncture resistance. Personally I would recommend them.

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when you are racing for seconds and milliseconds, then start worrying about rolling resistance and wind resistance and milligram weight.  As you are not pushing for the sprint win, don't stress yourself out.  Rather stop at the Brass bell for a beer and enjoy the ride.

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when you are racing for seconds and milliseconds' date=' then start worrying about rolling resistance and wind resistance and milligram weight.  As you are not pushing for the sprint win, don't stress yourself out.  Rather stop at the Brass bell for a beer and enjoy the ride.[/quote']

 

Fantastic advice.!  Thumbs%20Up

Let's see which tyres offer the least resistance after of the beers ...

 
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when you are racing for seconds and milliseconds' date=' then start worrying about rolling resistance and wind resistance and milligram weight.  As you are not pushing for the sprint win, don't stress yourself out.  Rather stop at the Brass bell for a beer and enjoy the ride.[/quote']

 

jip, wont make more than 2 seconds difference. Buy the cheapest ones.

 

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I've raced and trained with both. Gatorskins make sense for the average rider who would rather finish without puncture. GP4000S with Black chilly is lighter, rolls and handles better, but has shorter life.

I enjoy being able to change tubes on GP4000S without the use of tyre levers.

Good option in the middle is "normal" Grand Prix with polybreak, from Conti. Try 24mm if you can find. 

 

Can't find article now, but tests have proven, slightly wider (24mm or even 25mm pumped at recommended pressure gives rolling resistance same or better than force and attack sets at 22mm and 23mm. I have incidentally also used these, but that little rubber scares you when sprinting and it shifts from side to side.Wink

 
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I suspect that after the beer the only rolling resistance will be the ride going through the pub door.

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I believe the Conti Gatorskins are great. If your going to race with them, at least you know they are reliable, and more than likely going to get you home without any hassles.

If your going to get a racing tyre, then use them only for racing so that you feel the difference. Dont ride them everyday.

 

In all honesty, I ride Gatorskins most of the time...and my racing wheels have been equipped with Schwalbe ULTREMO's. Pumped nice and hard, they give a great ride. But its only a racing tyre as they seem to perish quickly.

 

But as for them cutting your time by 15minutes, I doubt thats going to happen!

I also believe that the best upgrade you can do on a bike when looking for extra speed, are the wheels. Good hubs, a decent lightweight wheelset with good tyres goes a long way...but expensive!
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I've raced and trained with both. Gatorskins make sense for the average rider who would rather finish without puncture. GP4000S with Black chilly is lighter' date=' rolls and handles better, but has shorter life.

I enjoy being able to change tubes on GP4000S without the use of tyre levers.

Good option in the middle is "normal" Grand Prix with polybreak, from Conti. Try 24mm if you can find. 

 

Can't find article now, but tests have proven, slightly wider (24mm or even 25mm pumped at recommended pressure gives rolling resistance same or better than force and attack sets at 22mm and 23mm. I have incidentally also used these, but that little rubber scares you when sprinting and it shifts from side to side.Wink

 
[/quote']


I haven't experienced any scaredness or shifting from side to side. In fact for me my cornering confidence has increased. I prefer the handling characteristics of the Attack/Force. I have heard from another hubber, Slave, that he had bad handling on his Gatorskins.
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Here're some rolling resistance tests from 2005 tyres:

http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-1503651.html

 

The Gatorskins have a lower rolling resistance than the Attack/Force combo and GP3000s (no 4000s around at the time). Interestingly, they also have a lower Crr than a number of tubbies, including the Conti Competition tubulars.

 

To put some perspective on this, compare the Gatorskins (GS) with a low Crr, puncture resistant tyre: the Michelin Pro Race 2 (PR2).

 

GS requires 40.3W to overcome RR, PR2 needs 29.2W, so you save 11.1 W by using the PR2 over the GS.

 

If you shelter in the bunch and average, say, 180W for the race then switching to PR2 saves you 6% of your total energy. You will still get the bunch time, but it will be easier to stick with them.

 

 

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