A lot of people on here seem to rate the GP 4 season as a much nicer tyre than the gatorskins… Are they comparably puncture resistant??

I had Gatorskins from 2006 to 2013 on a series of 26″ and 700c bikes, before switching to GP 4 Seasons. I’ve not had a puncture on either tyre, but I’d say that the GP4S feels nicer (28c).

about the same puncture resistance but the black chilli compound and the nicer carcass make the GP4season the better choice

but if you are on a budget, have a look at the vredestein fortezza senso all weather, or the michelin pro4endurance

I’m not sure of your priorities, but I have used Schwalbe Durano 28mm (the normal ones, not the extra puncture resistant) on my commuter since last Autumn. I regularly pull out shards of glass that have not penetrated the tube and ride along a stony track.

I was going to swap back to summer tyres, but there is no need.

They have 2700km on them and are still going strong.

I can’t fault the GP’s.

ran them on all my bikes, winter included for 3 years now. a very generous estimate for punctures is 4. for about 14,000 of riding. By the way, most of that is crap Northumberland roads.

I change them once a year

GP4S are black chilli and supposedly just as puncture resistant as Gatorskins.

I’d be happy with either during winter but some say the Gatorskin rubber is a bit slippy. I wouldn’t be laying it over too much in the winter anyway, so not an issue.

I had my 25mm gatorskins up and down canal towpaths without issue before my bike got nicked.

GP4S are black chili and supposedly just as puncture resistant as Gatorskins.

This is what always attracts people to the GP4S and the Conti site features a Black Chili logo but the description is:

Black “Max Grip Silica” compound optimised for wet weather adhesion, low temperatures and extended tread life

They certainly feel different to GP4000SII for example and the description for this tyre is more blatantly Black Chili

The legendary GP4000S tyre has been updated to include a broader range of sizes which now also benefit from the latest cutting edge rubber compounding available in the bicycle tyre industry – BLACKCHILI….

…..Advanced Black Chili compound for an even faster, safer ride

There isn’t a great deal between the Gatorskins and GP4S in use for me. Both are pretty puncture resistant but quite harsh and not particularly nice to ride in the grand scheme of other tyres… but it isn’t a surprising price for the puncture resistance which is usually more important in the real world. Speed/ resistance-wise, the Gatorskins come out at 19.3W, GP4S are 17.2W and GP4000SII 12.2 so there is a bit of a gap from either to a *proper* race tyre (again not much of an issue to most of us in the real world).

Best advice would be to go with whichever is on offer and buy the biggest size that fits your frame (they come up a bit small IMO and small doesn’t help the harsh feel) 😀

I’ve ran GP4000s1&2 for 2 years on my winter bike. I’ve had one pinch on a 4 wheel drive track and no punctures. I’m obviously now doomed

I personally can’t use 4 seasons, just find the compound too slippery in the wet, but for many it is a good compromise tire for better puncture resistance in bad conditions. Just not one I’d recommend on a race bike ridden in anger