I have Just been looking at the grand prix, from what I can tell it’s the same carcass as the gatorskins I currently have but with “blackchilli” rather than “duraskin” rubber, For near enough the same price.

Are the grandprixs a good compromise for winter vs laying out almost double for a pair of GP4000?

More grip, good wear rate, reasonable puncture resistance, sensible price is sort of what I want… (moon on a stick?)

You want the 4 seasons version….

GP 4 seasons, Paves or schwalbe ones for winter..

GP4 Seasons uses the same black chilli compound, with all the puncture protection.

Well yeah I want the GP4 but will I die using the plain old grandprix at half the price?

I haven’t had a flat in nearly 1500 miles on the gatorskins, it’s just the rubber compound I lack faith in, the GP4 IS 330TPI rather than 180 that probably makes the carcass more supple too I guess, but will an unrefined nodder like me really notice?

tyres are the bit of the bike that provide the interface between bike and tarmac, I’m done with skimping on midprice tyres. I’m trying a Michelin Pro4 endurance on the front of my roadbike that I use for commuting, supposedly on a par with the GP4seasons
[edit forgot to mention]
I’ve got a gatorskin on the rear, wider and softer pressures help but you’re right about the rubber compound, I don’t trust them on the front

Hmmm, maybe I just try a GP4 on the front to start with and then consider my options for the rear, possibly try a Grandprix just for that blackchilli compound… Cheers

Forget the others …these are the best http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/vredestein-vredestein-tyres-road-tri-track-folding-vredestein-fortezza-senso-xtreme-weather-twinpack-2/vredtyrf618

cheekyget speaks the truth above. Vredestein Fortezza Senso Xtreme, grippy, reasonable puncture resistant, wear well and sooooo much better than Gatorskins. They really are very good tyres.

I have used Michelin Pro4 endurance for about a year and seem like a really good tyre. Only got puncture once it had worn right down. Replaced with service course version (think it was because they were reduced)

have used Michelin Pro4 endurance for about a year and seem like a really good tyre.

+1 Been using the 25mm versions on my bike. 2000 miles odd and they still look good.

I just started using the Grand Prix on the rear, gonna stick another on the front to test properly.

Feels a bit slower and duller than the Pro 4 SC it replaced obvs, but grip is on another level to gatorskins.

Can’t comment on durability yet

I’ve been using GP 4 Saesons on my commuting bikes for a good few years, 28mm on the wet weather bike and 25mm on the other. I’ve tried lots of other tyres before settling on these, great tyre and I’d thoroughly recommend them.

I can’t recommend GP4s for commuting.

I went through a set fairly quickly (6 months of 3 days a week), the rear had a few cuts down to the carcass and had 3-4 punctures in that time.

I’m currently on HardShells which aren’t Black Chilli, so aren’t as grippy but no punctures yet – which I prefer. Will find out in the next couple of months if I feel as confident in the wet…

Well it’s not my primary commuter bike so most of the mileage will be at the weekends but daily trips vs longer trips they still need to last, like most people (I assume) rear tyres seem to wear at about twice the rate of fronts for me so perhaps fitting something more durable and flat resistant at the back and gripper to the front makes sense.

I will look at the Vredestein, Ribble have 25c out of stock (my preference), 28 won’t clear the frame… I shall shop about.

Interesting the mixed take people seem to have on the GP4, I am still interested in how you get on with the cheaper Grandprix, chapaking… I found a review that basically describes them as race tyre grippy rubber on a training tyre carcass, which is about what I thought I needed… STW is swaying me a bit towards pushing the budget a bit…

I have standard Grand Prix on my commuter – gets used in all weathers and through London all the time and rarely get a puncture. V comfortable too.
I have GP4000 on my winter bike. Grippy and ok but had more punctures. Not sure whether it’s the tyres or the rims but it doesn’t feel quite so comfortable

I’m going to give the Continental Grand Prix GT a try this winter –

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/tyres/continental-grandprix-gt-39-95

GP 4 Seasons here, can’t fault them, even on the mud and grit covered rural lanes I ride on

I went through a set fairly quickly (6 months of 3 days a week), the rear had a few cuts down to the carcass and had 3-4 punctures in that time.

I do 40 miles a day, at least 3 days a week, a set last longer then 6 months for me.

More like GP 3 seasons IME, mine died due to the side walls cracking apart presumably due to sunlight over a summer of fairly light use!

Gone back to cheaper tyres and don’t have the same problem. At £30+ a tyre I was expecting better.

Isolated incident I would guess.

I’m going to give the Continental Grand Prix GT a try this winter –

This is the tyre I was talking about BTW, to avoid any confusion.

I found a review that basically describes them as race tyre grippy rubber on a training tyre carcass, which is about what I thought I needed..

I’d agree with that so far but putting one on front will be the real test.

this happen on the wifes gp 4s less than 200 miles light use I would guess, the tyre just delaminated along the side then burst.

makes good tubeless patches now though 🙂

GP4 season and Pro4 on my road bike . Pro4 would get my vote as the carcas is softer and appears to be grippier than the conti.
I did find the tube hard to get in as the tyre seemed sticky on the inside. The conti doesnt pick up as many flinty micro barbs as the Pro4 does though .
I tend to deflate and clean out the tyres every other week

Michelin Pro4 Endurance here. Maybe one flat every 2000 miles probably. Not crashed on them yet either.

Commuted just over 6000 miles in the last year, been through 3 GP 4 seasons on the rear, all suffered fatal deep cuts (tube sticking through). About to change them and moving onto something else.

The gp4 are fairly light, give reasonable feedback, have pretty good grip and are ok puncture resistance. There an all rounder, i just wish they would wear a bit better, it seems once they wear past a certain point they give up.

The problem is theres not many all rounders like them, I might try the Pro4 endurance.

Funnily enough that happened to my GRand Prix. Gone through 3 rear tyres this year in 11000km 2 GP4000s and a Grand Prix. All cut, one massively.

Was thinking of going back to Duranos for my training tyres. Not sure if the tyres are weak or if it just that I’ve stepped up my miles and am riding harder , doing more racing.

If you want longevity and bullet-proof puncture resistance then check out Schwalbe Durano Plus.

As requested…

Review: Continental Grand Prix GT tyres

Difficult balance is the commuting tyre, especially if its for longer distances.

My commute is 30 miles round trip which I try to do most days. Most of the time I ride fixed which I find a bit harder on tyres than a geared bike. Currently running Vittoria Open Pave in 25’s, super comfy and no punctures yet (handy on a fixed rear hub) but MAN ALIVE to they wear quick. My brother has the tub version on his summer best bike and he’s lucky to get 500 miles out of a set. I’ve tried the Conti GP GT and had numerous punctures so gave up on them. I’ve got a new set of 28mm GP4000’s but they’re just too nice to ruin on the commute. Personally I’d stick with Gatorskins – I’ll be off back to a set when I’ve killed the Pave’s

Durano are certainly puncture proof but horrible to ride (IMO).

Conti GP 4 Seasons for me this time of year.

If you’re budget conscious, go for the wired GPs (‘poly x breaker’) . You still get Black Chili and they aren’t really too heavy. And they’re about £14 a go. Black Chili was a revelation for me. The bike instantly gripped better, went over further with more confidence and was faster. In my opinion it really is the wonder rubber for road tyres. Puncture wise, the GPs were pretty good at twenty mile days five days a week and lasted well. Nearly a year to hit the tread warning (the strange dimples that look like faults in the tread- when you’re level with the bottom of the dimple it’s time to change) .

So I made the switch from 28mm GP4 Seasons to 28mm PRO4 endurance and I am really disappointed.

I’ve had more punctures than I normally would have had and they give a noticeable harsher ride. I’ve had 2 punctures on the front which was unheard of on the GP4 seasons.

Still in search of the perfect tyre.