Conti GatorHardshell - concern with fitting?

Tiberius007

Hi guys,
recently purchased a set of wired GatorHardshells to put on my new wheels and can't believe how difficult they were to fit. Although they are hopefully fairly puncture proof which is the main reason I made the purchase, my concern is if I do puncture can I get the darn things off or even back on at the roadside? So much so is my concern I am even worried about venturing out too far on them.
Never had a set of tyres like this in my life, so I suppose my quandary is do I just get something like folding GP4000iis which may not be as resistant to punctures but I assume I would be able to get them fitted much easier? I went for as much puncture proofing as I could but maybe that was a bad investment.
Any advice much appreciated , just don't want to spend more money unnecessarily.
Thanks in advance for reading and any advice given.

newton98

I run them on my commuter and on my road bike during winter. You're right they're a pig to fit the first time but appear to stretch (despite the wire beads) once fitted and are easier to mount and unmount subsequently. You should be fine as long you carry levers.

ForumNewbie

I always buy ordinary Gatorskins (folding ones now) which I think are puncture-proof enough. I have never tried the Hardshells which will be heavier and I guess will not roll as well. The ordinary Gatorskins aren't that easy to get off and on, but are probably not as difficult as the wired Hardshell Gatorskins.

If necessary, there are online videos that give some tips to help getting tight tyres off and on, which you may find useful.

Tiberius007

newton98 wrote:

I run them on my commuter and on my road bike during winter. You're right they're a pig to fit the first time but appear to stretch (despite the wire beads) once fitted and are easier to mount and unmount subsequently. You should be fine as long you carry levers.

Thanks, yes got levers albeit a snapped one putting the tyre on, :shock: and didn't want to use the metal ones for fear of damaging the rim itself. think I will try and get the tyres off at the weekend and as you say hope they have stretched. Thanks for the sanity check, much appreciated, really thought I must be doing something wrong or I had a bad batch even though I have changed many a tyre.

Tiberius007

ForumNewbie wrote:

I always buy ordinary Gatorskins (folding ones now) which I think are puncture-proof enough. I have never tried the Hardshells which will be heavier and I guess will not roll as well. The ordinary Gatorskins aren't that easy to get off and on, but are probably not as difficult as the wired Hardshell Gatorskins.

If necessary, there are online videos that give some tips to help getting tight tyres off and on, which you may find useful.

Thanks for the advice, and yes agree slightly heavier. Wasn't overly bothered about the weight when I bought them (don't think my legs will break the sound barrier unfortunately, not these days anyway) that said maybe I should have looked at folding tyre. I got too hung up on puncture resistance. Maybe a more pliable tyre is the compromise and way to go. :?:

ForumNewbie

Tiberius007 wrote:

ForumNewbie wrote:

I always buy ordinary Gatorskins (folding ones now) which I think are puncture-proof enough. I have never tried the Hardshells which will be heavier and I guess will not roll as well. The ordinary Gatorskins aren't that easy to get off and on, but are probably not as difficult as the wired Hardshell Gatorskins.

If necessary, there are online videos that give some tips to help getting tight tyres off and on, which you may find useful.

Thanks for the advice, and yes agree slightly heavier. Wasn't overly bothered about the weight when I bought them (don't think my legs will break the sound barrier unfortunately, not these days anyway) that said maybe I should have looked at folding tyre. I got too hung up on puncture resistance. Maybe a more pliable tyre is the compromise and way to go. :?:

Looking at the weights, the Gatorskin folding tyres are 220 grams each tyre, and the Hardshell wire are 330 grams each tyre - so I would think you would notice the difference in rolling resistance and still get puncture protection from the folding Gatorskins.

sigorman85

Messy but I used talcom powder and it helped

Rigga

Practice loads of times with the tyre, it does get easier. Also as someone else said there is a good video on YouTube on fitting tight tyres.

whoof

Some tyres are difficult to fit. I use Marathon Plus on my commuter and these are one of the worst. However, I've never had to use levers to get a tyre on. I don't have big hands and I am not hugely strong it's just technique.
Try this video from Spa cycles on how to put on Marathon plus tyres. You probably won't need the toe strap.
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/

florerider

I previously found that with gatorskins too, but only on first fitting. Have replaced a Grand Prix folding and found them difficult too, so I wonder if it is a Continental thing. Funnily enough the old ones came off no problem, so suspect it is a first time fitting thing.

iron-clover

As the others have said- don't worry about it. Just make sure you've got a reasonable set of tyre levers with you (they don't have to be metal- just not the flimsy 'emergency' levers you see sometimes) and you'll be fine. Chances are you won't puncture for a long time and they'll probably be easier when the time comes after months of stretching on the wheel.

Tiberius007

Thanks guys, feel reassured now based upon all your advice and I will check out those videos too. Therefore I will save my hard earned cash and instead of new tyres just search out a good set of levers. Happy days.

Much relieved. :-)

Tiberius007

sigorman85 wrote:

Messy but I used talcom powder and it helped

BTW - That tag line is pure genius. How many of us got those lovely bikes for £50 and those accessories for next to nothing :-) If only that shop really existed :-)

Brilliant!

Bordersroadie

It depends on what rims you have, not just the tyres.

My winter bike currently has Gator Hardshells, folding 25c, and they fit easily on Ambrosio Excellight rims, going on with finger pressure even on a very cold day. Other rims may not be so easy to fit them to.

Before I got the hardshells I got some Durano Plus but they were so hard to fit to the Excellights I sent them straight back to Wiggle.

You're right to want to have an easy on/off tyre and rim combo, it's no fun in freezing rain in the dark with numb fingers, wondering if you will ever get a tyre on the rim. Someone will be along in a minute to say it's all technique but it's bullsh1t, some combos are really hard and some are really easy, so why would you not try to have an easy combination?

Wired versions are generally harder to fit than their folding counterparts.

drummer_boy

Putting regular Gators on the wife's bike was hard enough, putting Hardshells on my bike was murder!

4 Seasons went on like a greased weasal though!!

ayjaycee

By coincidence, I also put a set of Conti GP 4 Seasons on yesterday. Having only done about 300miles, they were not brand new but, then again, not exactly old either. They were very easy to put on my Fulcrum R5 LGs but that might also have been thanks to the plastic Campagnolo levers that I used for the job. I would recommend them to anybody looking for some very strong but still light and reasonably priced tyre levers.

craker

A friend swears by this thing for putting recalcitrant tyres on

'Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001AYML7K

lostboysaint

You may want to give up now. You'll very quickly realise once they're on that you really don't want them there and will be trying to get them off again!

freestyle_gus

I've got the dreaded Pacenti SL23s and now Panaracer D Evo2's. REALLY, REALLY hard to get on, especially the rear for some reason.

I swear by the Birzman wedge levers, very strong, but with a good 'lip'.

I've found that the VAR lever/Kool Stop jack or Crank Brothers Speedier lever aren't really up to it when a tyre/rim combo is REALLY tight. Though the speedier lever can 'clamp' the bead so that you're not chasing yourself around the rim as you work it into the recess. It does the job of the toe strap or cable tie.

Tiberius007

Thanks again guys for all your advice. Think I am going to stick out these tyres for the time being and invest in a good set of levers. Probably regret saying that when I try to get them off in the rain :-(
I researched the you tube videos and I have to say I did learn a thing or two, and every mm helps. Probably hasn't helped as I started at the valve rather than the other side, I never realised it is easier (apparently) to start at the other side and work around to the valve side at the end. Wow. Learn something new every day :-)