After almost 20 years of “neglect”, my old steel roadie is enjoying a renaissance, and I am really enjoying the twitchy, nervous, fast ride that I left behind when I started to do more mtbing…

But, the tyres are original Conti GPs, and every time I clean the bike there are some more tyre threads wrapped around the rear axle… 🙁

Be safe and replace, or carry on and get some more wear?

If replace – what with? Out of touch with road kit

pics?

tyre threads?

I had some conti slick 26″ ‘city’ tyres which were a good 10-15 years old and started to loose their threads. I had them on the commuter, and one ride to work, the tube started bulging out of the side of the tyre, in a gap in the weave.

Not too surprising given the threads are what give the tyre its structure!

I’d replace!!

20 year old tyres??!

20 year old tyres??!

I must sound tight, wanting to get some more wear out of them 😆

Truth is, I built up this road bike not long after I got my first mtb – and then very rarely rode it…

So the tyres are fairly “low mileage”, but my main concern about using the bike again was tyre condition.

Time to be sensible and replace.

What fast rolling, grippy, light, modern equivalent?

Rubish day – Schwalbe Blizzard (cheep, resists punctures, light ebought, grippy enough, comfortable enough)
Everyday – GP4000s (race weight with some puncture protection)
Sunday – Schwalbe ultremo ZX (even lighter, but more delicate)

second GP4000s, incredible tyres.

Had eyeballed the GP4000s – obvious choice to look at given the current GPs, but wasn’t sure how they were regarded these days.

If its like little bits of string then its fine. Conti GP3000, 4000, GP attack and GP force all do it. Its really annoying for such expensive tyres but its fine, its not a structural part, its just a material type strip thats at the bead that they put on to protect a bit more, and the edges of it get frayed and little bits of string come off. Never had a set of the Conti GP series that didnt do exactly the same.

I’ve gone through 2 GP4000s in as many weeks with sidewall cuts

Too much shit has been washed onto the roads, just unlucky I guess but it’s bloody expensive 🙁

That’s why I went to Schwalbe Blizzards,

Fraction of the price and touch wood they’ve been fine. A few cuts in the ‘tread’ but there’s loads of rubber there so it’s not been an issue.

Can anyone offer an opinion on how the GP4000 and GP4000S compare?

I’ve only ever had the S type as I was led to believe that they offer more grip without increased rolling resistance

Can anyone offer an opinion on how the GP4000 and GP4000S compare?

The 4000 is a pretty average tyre, the 4000s an excellent tyre.