The #1 Most Underrated Fixed Gear Upgrade

One of the most common questions I get is, "what crankset/wheelset/frameset should I upgrade to?" While these are fun to talk about, they're far from the most impactful upgrades to your bike per dollar. Rather, the most underrated upgrade that should be towards the top of more riders' lists is the humble tire.
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#fixedgear #fixedgearbike

[@dln97]

"The roads are paved with stray nails, staples, broken glass, screws, and dead cats." Never heard a more accurately humorous description of our "good-old" American streets

[@neelsahay5227]

I actually think tires have a huge aesthetic appeal, particularly on cx/tracklox/gravel bikes where they are much more visually pronounced

[@BigBikeCop]

I love bread too 🍞

[@tabledeka]

yo Zach, my fixed gear IQ rating was just skyrocketing from zero to "i know now how to choose best frame, parts and components for me" just by watch couple of your videos in three hours straight. Thanks man for still doing this. Shoutout from Indonesia!

[@boof76yt]

I'll throw the Panaracer Gravel kings into the mix. For a fixed gear, the slicks are really great. Don't let the name fool you. They're just about bullet proof. (almost).

[@smallaxe12]

@john jones ran them for two summers now , love them .

[@Ming3r]

@john jones I had a few punctures on my 28's when I had a single speed, but running them tubeless 650x48 and 42 on my gravel bike and they've been amazing for the last 7 months. Might be luck, might be tubeless.

[@jakubpu]

Good value, too.

[@mattmatthews5414]

Same. The only flats I’ve gotten on them are pinches from running too low of pressure (32mm 40psi) for my weight (165) & my tendency to ignore road hazards. 45psi and I’m golden.

[@rollinrat4850]

I'm diggin Soma's Supple Vittesse EX. Very fast tires, similar but cheaper than Compass. Somas are also made by Panaracer. They make some excellent quality tires! The Supples are pretty tough so far. I ride a good amount of dirt on them too, no flats yet. Even some kinda rocky trails. Large air volume high quality tires are still very fast and very comfortable on long rides. I use 700x33&38. They make a huge difference.

[@leonardoserrano4135]

Hey bro, thank you so much for your videos! Ive been riding for about 10 years and I'm still learning a few things here and there from you.

[@rayzur2ndchannel617]

I had a gator skin for my rear wheel for about three months before the rubber wore out and punctured my tire. I skid a lot and have 8 skid patches, I’m not an ambidextrous skidder. I have since upgraded to thickslicks and they work pretty well for me.

[@moosedude]

I love the story telling of getting a flat. Very relatable

[@ME-hm7zm]

Agreed on the Gatorskins; I use them on my skinny-tire bike and they're pretty great (I run Marathon Plusses on wider tire bikes) - no flats yet in spite of all manner of road debris. Apparently that brown polyester stuff is supposed to be sidewall protection against kerb scuffs and it...seems to work, from what I can tell.

[@geraldfisher6475]

personally i love the schwalbe durano dd (all variations), they just have that crazy durability and they perform great in the rain. gone back and forth but the durano always made me feel safe, probably even ride them with snow in winter this year.

[@peterbaskind9872]

I have Gatorskins on three bikes. 2 bikes have 28mm; the other is 32mm. Generally, I like them. But I get flats. Between all my bikes (not all GatorSkins), I have had 18 flats this year. A few Gatorskins flats were glass which tends to hide in the tire. A couple of other flats were hair-fine wire that, I’m told, comes from car tires. But I can say that I found found foreign bodies in the tire that would have punctured others. Those just popped right out with a stick or some other object and no puncture resulted. I just replaced the rear tire on the bike with 32mm tires. This time, I tried Gator Hardshell. They felt great on a 90 mile ride and brought no issues. So, we’ll see over time.

[@arturoruiz139]

You have earned my subscription. I've been riding 700x25 Gatorskins with a rear Hardcase for over 12 years, and they've never let me down. Daily riding as a NYC messenger and they're the best tires for the abuse the streets can dish out. Ride safe, ride hard!!

[@rferstahl]

After trying a couple different brands, I'm sticking with Schwalbe for commuting. Their reliability well counters the extra weight.

[@hfdcjiirjmcfi]

My schwalbes have lasted 2k miles!

[@sketchy0078]

I currently have schwalbe G-one gravel tyres on my rebuilt tracklocross fixed gear. Living in Devon, UK, there are hills, crap on the roads and so many fun trails so needed something light and grippy off road. I have used also gatorskins for two years and they lasted so long with no flats, They wore so well on the rear even with a serious amount of skidding. Only issue i had with them was how tight they are on the rims. Major issues getting them on and off the rim if you need to change the inner tubes. Great video Zach

[@J0eyDosSant0s]

Love my Gator Skins, rocking those beautiful 28mm on my Haro. Highly recommend

[@Ragnarok1881]

Ive been using the Continental grand prix 5000 for 2 years now and they have been the best light weight tires ive ever had. I get compliments on them too like "hey man, love your "slicks"

[@amsTECHandGAMING]

@Bebo factual

[@Fre1maurer]

My favourite is the WTB ThickSlick. Very durable and forgiving tires, they survive most of the sh*t you encounter on urban streets. I ride my bike daily for the way to my workplace, never had an flat tire during the last two or so years since i use ThickSlicks. And they are also pretty fast.

[@briangrondin1978]

Agreed. The ride very nicely and I’ve only had one puncture flat in about 11K miles. Though I tried Conti 5000s, I came back to Gatorskins, and intend to stay with them. Oh, they are on my Wabi Classic.

[@joshwaggoner1301]

Gatorskins are the only ones I use. Granted mine don't last quite as long because I weigh in the 220lb range, so every skid and skip eats up just that much more rubber, but I've never had a flat on them. And even replacing them as soon as they get their first bare patch they still pay for themselves compared to any others. I even wrote them into a series of mine where this cantankerous old man is trying to screw with the main character and throws a bunch of broken glass into the road to blow his tires. I think the line was "Ha! Gatorskins you crotchety old bastard!"

[@joshwaggoner1301]

@Andre Calvit It's one of my favorites.

[@mikesmith883]

Made me laugh when you mentioned a rusty nail in your tires. Because ive had that happened to me while I was flying and that was scary as heck my back wheel started swerving. And for that I ended up framing it and putting it on my wall with the story of the day a nail almost killed me.

[@SurlyFly]

Run both Gators, really love they're Hardshell's with just Abit of sealant for any surfaces and I run higher psi on TCX with 32's and 28's on Pista.

[@Smitoons]

Great video. Sometime I hope you'll do a post on frame geometry.

[@trackrat440]

Do you pair them with an extra thick tube? I find it a great combo

[@kostyafedot551]

Ha! I just installed GS tire on my rear wheel yesterday and can’t get off from my fixie. What a difference it made!

[@iamshake7778]

I’m 38 and I’ve been riding fixed gear since 2011 and yup! These tires is I. My arsenal for a decade. I used it everyday commuting to work (20 miles a day for 2 years in the street of L.A) and 8 years 5 miles a day)

[@TheArtOfB]

yeah, love gator skins!

[@BikeEatRepeat]

Yep love it too but they are a pain to mount and remove on wheels.

[@MrSmartlyDressed]

@@BikeEatRepeat agree on the pain to mount. But I definitely don't love the tyres.

[@BikeEatRepeat]

@@MrSmartlyDressed why?

[@MrSmartlyDressed]

@@BikeEatRepeat I think that there are varied groups of people who ride fixed gear bikes. Some just run with the standard go to's, like the gators. But I can assure you that if you're cornering at a speed that you know you've got to be 100% committed on, a tyre that's designed for commuting doesn't feel great. Not everyone uses a fixed gear for cruising or commuting. Didn't see any people at velodromes using them.

[@Kowolski01]

@@BikeEatRepeat I myself prefer the grand prix classic. Nice grippy and fast tires. And I never had a puncture with them either. Gonna try some gravel kings next.

[@mofomartianp]

Tires generally are the most underrated component on any bike. Pay the extra money for high end tires, your bike will be faster, handle better, feel more comfortable and puncture less. A couple more recommendations (all in 28mm): - Conti GP 4 Seasons are robust all weather tires with equal puncture resistance to gator skins. I've picked plenty of glass shards out of the those tires yet no punctures in over 2000 miles. They also handle great in wet and slippery conditions. - GP 5000s are also great, superfast race tires but slightly less puncture resistance. - Pirelli Cinturatos are bombproof, comfy, roll and handle really well in all but the roughest terrain, but also a little heavier at about 320g per tire. And remember, always ride with correct tire pressure.

[@event4216]

And correct tire pressure isn't one printed on sidewall. It depends on total weight, surface and weather conditions.

[@jag2871]

Yeah with GP 4 Seasons i had no flats in 2 years and really good control on wet and cold conditions. I also rode GP5000s but unfortunately I got lot flats In Berlin there are so much Glas and other stuff on the road that leads to flats... But maybe the pressure was to high I pumped up to 110psi....

[@elijahxiao9591]

I use Schwalbe Lugano 2 tyres, and they’re great and have a lot of grip on em, i can corner pretty well, but i do wish to have a pair of continentals :)

[@MrSmartlyDressed]

After using gatorskins for years, I then bought some rubino pro then gp4000's. For high speed riding, riding on the rollers and especially for cornering they make a difference compared to the hard gators. Treat yourself to some racier tyres, don't follow the crowd.

[@neilchatterjee7644]

Seconded. My gp5000 700x28c tires are incredible. So supple.

[@flwtheleader]

Continental Grand Prix Classics,are the best and the most coolest looking tires

[@spreadhead4656]

when you do pump your tire, what psi do you use

[@Quasar222]

Love Conti Gatorskins but I also love the Specialized Armadillos.

[@a_donut_]

I have in the front a Specialized turbo (currently around 6000 km and no flat) and at the back the gatorskin.

[@sssnrrr]

The Continental Gator skins are a good all-rounder tires but I prefer the Schwalble Marathon Plus! I hate dealing with flats 😤

[@Moonprism93]

I agree, I got them with my first bike and no flats so far 👍

[@LowTensionSocialClub]

Excellent tire

[@FreeUpTheWeed]

Yup Schwalbe>Conti flat protection from my experience. And those Gatorskins are more of a cunt to remove, when you do get a flat! Never again will I recommend them

[@charlesjohnson2345]

I also went in on schwalbe after gator skins. I do miss the feel but now I'm punture free, so an acceptable tradeoff

[@charlesjohnson2345]

@@FreeUpTheWeed yep

[@Re-cycles408]

I like a lot of different premium tires , i particularly like the way continentals roll and grip the pavement, i dont care if they wear out quick .❤

[@tbone7844]

I picked a puncture by a hair pin in the road and wondered whether it be one of my work colleagues or not. I have just picked up Gatorskins and done away with thick slicks which are alright in the front for me however puncture every minute in the rear!

[@danielmorales-wh9ib]

In my opinion armadillo tires are the best for their value, they’re really thick and can last a long time even while getting skidded on a lot and this is from personal experience, I’ve tested them a few times ok rough roads under low pressure just to test how they’d hold up and even then they didn’t get any kind of trespass from a sharp objects, potholes, etc. gator skins used to be my go to but it really depends on people’s likes but armadillo tires don’t disappoint.

[@samwilsmore5733]

Hey Zach, I have ordered a wabi classic. In a few months, I'll be returning to racing, and plan on racing the wabi once or twice for fun at seasons end, SS so that the bike is legal. If you had to upgrade the standard wheels, what would you opt for? (Wheels have to have a brake track).

[@adibzailan5596]

This is honestly such a brilliant review man. The shots are legit amazing too. Thanks man, Gatorskins here I come!

[@Santiaqo2115]

Hey Zach could you do a review of that swift saddle of yours? you must have put tons of miles on it.

[@maisondav1d]

Do you have a video on coaster brake hubs?

[@MS-kl4hf]

What you use to clean your chain?

[@justamelancholy]

Hey Zach, what`s your opinion on solid tires? Have you ever considered those?

[@albericteilhard2036]

How do u know what size tyre to get tho?

[@TheFriendofnight]

Have you tried the conti 4seasons ?? A little faster than the gatorskin, better grip but maybe not quite as long lasting.

[@napesenong7635]

Riding these. Amazing

[@ZOB4]

Continental tires are great - I prefer the GP5000s set up tubeless over the Gatorskins, but either way you can't go wrong. Schwalbe Duranos are also a great choice.

[@deanrindlisbach3259]

Good video! No flats for me here in Utah where the Goat Head weed eats tires for lunch! Traction is an issue at times like you say!

[@Amused_bat]

I use the panaracer ribmo and those tires are exceptionally well, and I'll recommend it (700x28)

[@LeKacker]

how do the gatorskins compare to the thickslicks? I'm thinking about swapping after I will have skidded through my first oair of thickslicks.

[@robdogracing]

Love my Pirelli Cinturato Velo 700x26 on my CAAD 10 Track Mavic Ellipse

[@jazztronaut_]

What are you using for your inner tubes?

[@TimJapan]

I walk 3 hours in the rain a couple of weeks back. It's always raining when you get a flat.

[@dancelman]

Hardshells and Rando are my go to’s

[@aaronrobles3466]

I’m currently riding 80psi in rear and 60 in the front. I did a tire pressure calculator and it said I should pump my tires to 35psi. I was really thrown off but I’m going to give it a try today

[@davidburgess741]

They've been my choice for years. They aren't that fast, but the alternative is the ultimate in slow!

[@skuzzking]

Every time I've purchased a gatorskin tire, the tube blows on the first ride. 3 times now. Any reason why? I ride mag wheels at 110psi.

[@Errk2G]

Was the first thing I replaced cause the Kendas that came with my bike were super skinny. Gatorskins foe life!!

[@rumotokitsune9548]

Hey zack what do u think about the manila animal jeprox

[@charliepi]

Rewind back to 2010, and 23c tires in the most loud, obnoxious colors were very popular on fixed gears. My bike was so flashy and color coordinated, but I got flats like every week on my commutes. I'm so glad that trend is dead for the most part. I've had a set of 28c Panaracer RiBMos now for a few years with no flats. Once I wear them out, I might switch to another tire, but there's a good chance I'll just get another set of RiBMos.

[@frithholland9041]

I actually specifically don't like the gator skins. The reason is the name. I cycle so much and as you said one thing that can ruin your fun is a puncture. With this in mind puncture resistance is the most import aspect of a tire in my opinion. The name gator skin implies it will be very puncture resistant but in my experience i regularly got punctures with these tyres. My tyre of choice in the Schwalbe marathon pro plus. The only thing that can puncture these bad boys is a pin or nail in the road. i regularly pick sharp rocks and bits of glass out of my schwalbes and each and every one of these little objects would have given me a flat when riding gator skins. Sure they are not the fastest tyres due to the thickness, traction and weight, but in my mind that just means i gotta pedal faster and my legs will be stronger for doing so.

[@aveennagpal3048]

4:04 "BREAKS, oh"

[@KosmoKool]

My tires are the " Schwalbe Marathon " and after a few thousand kilometers I did not have a single flat so far. And there is a " Marathon Plus " which must be almost impossible to get a flat with. The only thing what bothers me is that they are really hard to skid with, because of the good grip I guess? Does anyone have experiences with them?

[@markevinlagsac3252]

is gp5000 tire good for fixie?

[@1slow_gto]

I got 2 flats on my new gatorskins Not because of the tires but because of improper tube installation on my part

[@jesus-xr9yo]

What is more of an upgrade is finding more expensive tires for less, like last year's model, search and find... Getting a $40 mrsp tire is my go to. Also, get tire liners, that is something to get extra since it doesn't come with new bike

[@billiam911]

Anyone know of a set of gumwall tires with a similar durability of gatorskins?

[@joshuastaroselskiy2524]

Hey Zach. I want to become a new fixed gear rider but I don’t know if I want a steel frame or an aluminum frame. I don’t really have time to upgrade parts so I would like a good complete bike that is fun to ride and costs no more than 700$. Any recommendations?

[@techrvl9406]

Grabbed a pair of gatorskins 700x25, shits super cash. They're a bit easier to handle if you cinch on the rim without a tube a few times to "soften" them up. I was riding ridetours before, they're super, super excellent for long distance and puncture protection, but they roll a bit slower and are significantly heavier, as they're rated to work with Ebikes.

[@ashokcaptain4088]

Totally agree about mounting new Gatorskins a few times on the wheel without tubes. Talc on tubes and inside tyres also helps.

[@BikeEatRepeat]

Had gatorskins since I bought my bike, only need to buy a new pair after 3 years

[@sir_jerhyn]

I slipped on Gatorskins years ago on car grease in the rain, I need something with grip. I just avoid any shiny surfaces in my vicinity, regardless of those damn tiles.. Oh, I would never ride on anything like that.. Not even walk on them! Maxxis Refuses are one of my favorite tires, they're training tires, but they also do have a lot of grip and foldable. Durability wise, if you skid a lot, they'll last 3 weeks, give or take. I don't skid anymore, I hop stop or slow the hell down.

[@williamdiego7218]

Been thinking about getting gatorskins

[@GooseWurkz]

Subscribed once you told me to, I love these tires!

[@event4216]

I wonder if people wearing out Gator Skids by locking wheel have considered Conti Super Sport? It has thick anti-puncture layer and plain rubber like GS. Probably that would be same ride just cheaper.

[@Disrtict6]

different ride, but I prefer super sport to gator skins, esp in the rain. Gatorskins have a bit nicer road feel - but not worth the price increase or loss of traction in the wet.

[@successfu101]

If you can have only 1 gravel ss - what would it be?

[@renatafloriomunoz]

you should make a video talking about all your bike gear and components!!!

[@thiagovilarinho937]

How the hell do your tires last so long? I go back and forth from Gatorskin to GP5000 and the rear tire never makes past 6 months (2k miles). I ride single speed coaster because it doesn’t take too long to lose chunks of tire after skidding.

[@reason2910]

Top tube protector full episode? Finally????

[@richardcarr6493]

WHATS THE BEST FOR 25C TIRES??

[@DasMouse117]

Gatorskins are alright. Bought some awhile back and got 2 flats the first week. They just feel like any other tire for me.

[@co8371]

Yo Zach I was so giddy when you dropped the name of the fame! 😆😆😆 Then damn Gatorskins have literally been the best tire I’ve ever had in my 6 years of riding. I was a bike courier full time riding 500 miles a week and bro, these ones always came through and were the most reliable!! You right man. Some people used to tell me they overrated. Hell na. Can’t Fugg with Gatorskins 🤙

[@richardcarr6493]

l use Life Line CITY 32/700c and got one flat this yr after 4 yrs of yr round use which l believe was due low tires pressure causing a pinch flat on the inside of the tube and later split apart after about 5oookm PS TIRES STILL LOTS OF TREAD LIFE LEFT

[@dawsons3424]

What bag does he wear in all these videos?

[@elichosen3931]

Gatorhardshells are my go to, yeah they're a little heavy but its worth it doesn't matter to me I'm not a weight weenie longevity and durability is more important to me. They last forever I do also use vitoria 3.0 graphene's don't last nearly as long as the Continentals.

[@petersymons7817]

Thanks

[@zachb.6179]

Have you tried Panaracer Pasela ProTite? I prefer them to gatorskins from mechanic perspective. Gatorskins are always harder to get on and off the rim. The rubber is more supple and they /look/ better :-)

[@baker2niner]

The rolling resistance test site lists Gatorskins as slow. Maybe in the lab, but I can't tell the diff between my 23Cs and the 25C GP5000s. And, they do not get flats - they have a really thick 'tire sole'. For the Sputnik, it's the 23C Gatorskins, for sure. The 25C GP5000s are cushier, so I for my longer distance on the road bike, I use them. Not totally convinced that I shouldn't be on the Gatorskins in 25 there, too.

[@baker2niner]

@BeboSaab You might be right. based my comment on getting the same times on the same course on the same bike. I can make anything go fast.

[@owenpotts9697]

2 years!!! i skid through my gatorskins in 3 months

[@jaboneros7540]

thanks for the advice, Zach. If I currently use 700x23C, could I upgrade to 25c or 28c without changing my rims?

[@angelicafernandez9831]

Yes, you only need to buy a 700x25 or 28 tire,700 Is the rim mesure

[@jag2871]

I can recommend the continental 4seasons, i had no flats in to 2 years riding them in Berlin. They are better on wet and cold conditions in comparison to the gatorskins. I also have the continental gp5000, best roll resistance I've ever seen (really fast) but the Protection is so bad 👎 I got a Flat every Week

[@jag2871]

@BeboSaab i used both tires for the same wheels... but maybe i had just bad luck i dont know I can give the GP5000s another try there are pretty unused, rode them less then 200miles

[@thescarp2]

have fun on gatorskins when they get wet. i've had them on my commuter bike and they're shit for commuting.

[@event4216]

Have considered Grand Prix, plain or GT version?

[@thescarp2]

@@event4216 grand prix are ok, but i'd rather stick to vittoria 28s for the grip and comfort

[@dodgethis9193]

Tbh had the same experience with them. Id choose schwalbe or vittoria personally

[@shaunfoster7033]

I usually ride a gator skin for my front tire and then a affordable for the rear... doesn’t make sense to purchase a gator skin for the rear cause they do not last if you are riding brake less.

[@destroctoid]

thanks to this video I will be upgrading to these tires just cus I don't want flats all the time

[@iamslf]

i upgraded to gator skins, and i was legit blown away. i thought it was a fad, but damn was i wrong.

[@jasonbustos2187]

Damn I've never been this early.

[@TuneLabPH]

Subscribed 🥰

[@ashleighmason4982]

I fixed a flat myself today! 👩🏼‍🔧

[@andrewcotton8564]

I have Continental gatorskins the only downside to them is that they come in a form where you barely have grip they suck in the rain any witness on the ground you will skin or slide uncontrollably they're only good for dry weather when it comes down to ripping and taking corner

[@dingdong3053]

Thickslicks are my faves now

[@jag1870]

Threw my Gatorskins in the trash. Got more than my fair share of flats and they were quite difficult to install.

[@chrischris4783]

I use the cheapest ones. They cost $10 at my shop. They last about 4-6months and only have gotten 2 flats