Vittoria rubino pro or continental gator skins?

[jj12]

Which ones should i get? Anyone have some insight to this matter? I'm leaning towards the gators....

[AlW]

I've used both. As to which ones to get, really depends on the intended use.

I use gatorskins on my winter bike which only sees the crappy weather when road hazards are more prevalent. A solid durable tire with good puncture/cut protection. On the downside, they're heavier (at 280g) and don't corner all that well.

Used rubinos for training and racing last spring/summer. They're lighter (220g) and I think the tire compound is a lot softer since they corner better, but appear to cut a lot easier (learned this the hard way)

[John D]

I can only look forward to the day when a combined savings of 120g makes a significant difference to my speed!

[AlW]

It didn't help me much either

[jj12]

I don't care about the weight in fact the more the better come race season since these are going on the winter bike anything that will hold me down in the winter will let go in summer

[norman marcy]

Used the skins on my summer bike last year for all the training and long Fondo like rides No flats and saved me loads of time on the ride to whistler compared with the TS crew at the side of the road and there were few, with grease and other black stuf cause they didnt have the blue gloves

[4827north]

For racing, I'd use neither. I'd go with either:

Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 (180g)
Continental GP4000
Michelin Pro Race3

I've ridden all three. The Schwalbe's are my current favorite. They tend not to puncture too easily, have tremendous grip and predictability in all conditions. Michelins very similar. The Conti's seem to have better wear, of the three.

I pretty much concede to buy new tires once per year, minimum. And the Schwalbe's seem to last a season just fine. They come in lots of colors too.

I have a stock pile of Schwalbe Ultremos so if you want to try a pair before you buy, I can lend you a pair for a ride.

Reducing wheel weight at the perimeter.. rim/nipple/tyre provides the greatest benefit to performance cycling. So no sense buying a 280g+ pair of tyres for racing or performance cycling. Leave those for training rides in the wet/cold days we have now.

[4827north]

I don't care about the weight in fact the more the better come race season since these are going on the winter bike anything that will hold me down in the winter will let go in summer

Ah, now you tell us.. get the cheapest tyres you can, that will have puncture resistance. Hutchinsons are okay choice too. No sense fretting over winter tyres. 300g, 250g, doesn't matter. Just something that won't puncture every ten metres should do.

When you said Rubino Pros I was thinking you were talking high end race tyres.

[sylvan]

I've been running $13 Schwalbe Luganos all winter and doing ok, only a couple of flats over maybe 3000 miles. I somehow ended up with 5 of them and have been swapping them around between wheels, keeping a nice one on the front. They're pretty beefy at 325 grams. I just picked up a set of Michelin Krylion Carbons for the rest of the winter (240g and supposedly mega durable) and a pair of Pro 3's (200g) to hopefully go faster when it gets nice out. Tyres are one thing I can't resist buying online. I got the Pro 3's for $23 each and the Krylions for about $27 each. I also got 3 Kenda Small Block Eight DTC 'cross tyres for $13 each, for a 'cross bike I don't have yet. What was the question? I say get the Rubino Pro's. Light but rated super-high for puncture protection. You could keep them on and race them no problem.

[Alan]

Sylvan, do tell where you go online to get your tires. The Krylons you quote at $27 are $59 at MEC.
Nothing like two flats this morning scream louder than "new tires!"
you can send me a note off the list: cassels@uvic.ca

[jj12]

Thanks for the info everyone. I ended up with the gators just cause of the puncture resistance.