Looking for a new pair of 25c tyres for my Giant Defy. Conti GP 4000s seem to be the go to tyre but before I press the button should I also consider Schwalbe Ones ,or the new Michelin Power? I’ve also seen some good deals on the Pro 4 endurance.

I’ve previously had Michelin Lithions, which were OK but not so nice to ride as pro 3s. The Pro 3s rode nicely,supple and fast but cut easily. Previously also had Schwalbe Ultremos which were nice but again cut easily.

Thoughts from those of you that have experience of any of the above appreciated.

Schwalbe pro ones are great.. Even more so if you can go tubeless

+1 Pro One tubeless, or One tubeless if you want it a tad tougher.

Bike discount.de are doing a pair of 25mm GP4000s with 2 inner tubes for £55, if that is if interest.

Vittoria Corsa G+ here.

Love ’em.

I just ordered a pair of GP4000S II from Mantel. Few pennies over £50 with free shipping. I went for the old man’s 28mm model.

Vittoria diamonte here cos they were cheap.

Never had a conti tyre that didn’t look like it was fitted by edward scissor hands after a few rides.

Big fan of Michelin Pro4 Endurance, previously the Krylion. Roll well, comfy, fairly puncture proof.

Big fan of Michelin Pro4 Endurance, previously the Krylion. Roll well, comfy, fairly puncture proof.

Same here. Superb tyres and some good prices on them now! 🙂

25mm GP4000’s II’s on my Defy – second set I’ve had and hard to fault.

Vittoria Rubino Pro Slicks…fantastic in the dry.

Maybe not so great in the wet.

I’ll get my coat… 😳

Just bought some 25c Vittoria Open Corsa cx from Ribble with big reductions. Never used them but they seem to be well thought of. They’re replacing Michelin Pro 3s that while light and fast are not very puncture resistant and both have failed on the sidewall after around 400 miles.

Schwalbe pro ones are great.. Even more so if you can go tubeless

Yep. I’m not sure I’d bother unless going tubeless though – there are lighter options and they’re not especially tough.

I had a puncture seal itself last week with the loss of about 20 PSI, so good to know the system works.

GP4000SII vote from me. 25c definitely. (it comes up larger)

When you feel how supple they are you’ll realise why you are paying so much money

Puncture protection is very good (really, very good)

Cornering grip is outrageous (this is the highest selling point)

Rolling resistance is marginally lower than normal (what are you expecting here? it’s almost so negligible – as long as you’re comparing to other ‘good’ tyres – that it shouldn’t be considered as a point)

Very comfortable and smooth

Durable

Michelin Pro4 Endurance or Pro4 Service Course are a bargain. 25mm is more like a real-world 27mm

Schwalbe Ones recommendation here too, saw them yesterday at Ribble for £46 a pair in 25mm.

The ones, pro 4s and GPs are all really good. I have them on various bikes/ wheel sets and can’t really say one is better than another.

I’d just be tempted to buy whatever is on special offer at the time of needing them.

One thing which may help you is that in my experience, the pro4s are a slightly looser fit so go on easily without levers.

I’m using One pros and think they’re brilliant. Very fast feeling and very comfy, plus I can really lay the bike down on the bends. Replacing old worn tyres with new nice ones always is always a factor in the great tyre feeling but I am impressed.

Using them tubeless as it means I can use a lovely fast tyre on my commute into Manchester with wet roads, covered in glass as well as gravel bike tracks without fear of losing precious minutes puncture fixing.

People have different tastes and like different things, I like fast tyres and like them to feel good, lifespan and punture resistance don’t come into my thoughts, so that will undoubtedly make my list inappropriate for others. For me:
Good
Schwalbe One – Quick and not too fragile
Vittoria Corsa CX – Quick and an astonishing amount of grip
Veloflex Master – Grippy, look great, feel brilliant but fragile.
Hutchinson Atoms – Tiny, thin, fast things for smooth roads only.

Bad
Michelin Pro 4 – Noisy, not great grip, didn’t feel that fast
Conti GP4000 – Just didn’t get the hype, they felt vague and didn’t grip well
Conti Gatorskin – No grip, not that puncture proof and made a good bike feel very average. Horrible tyre.
Vredestein Senso Xtreme – Great winter tyre, tough, very grippy and pretty fast too. But, I’ve had 2 pairs split so they’re a now.

Michelin Pro 4 – Noisy, not great grip, didn’t feel that fast

Completely the opposite of my experience! I thought the cornering grip was superb, and they roll well. Once they’re worn they get puncture prone but that’s true of many tyres.

With you on the Gatorskins though.

I love the Vittoria Open Corsas, but at 75Kg, I find that their life span is a bit low. I run 25mm Open Pavés on my race bike all year with Michelin latex tubes.

Lots of useful reccomendations there.
Thanks all.

Conti GP4000

That’s because you want the ones with the S on the end, using the Black Chili compound: It makes a difference.

Vittoria Open Pave for me, they roll astonishingly quick, they are chewing gum grippy and make a great sound on Tarmac “there’s a sentence I thought I’d never say” the sound on Tarmac bit I meant.

Not sure how or why they roll so fast but they do, done about 500 miles on mine and the rear file tread pattern is just smoothed off, I’ll leave it a few hundred more and swap front to rear.

27mm come up at 26 with vernier gauge
25mm seem a bit pointless unless they come up short at 23 or 24?

That’s because you want the ones with the S on the end, using the Black Chili compound: It makes a difference

Just checked, 4000S’s, still not for me.

Not sure how or why they roll so fast but they do

They’re basically the open corsa with slightly thicker tread. They roll well because they have a supple cotton casing.

27mm come up at 26 with vernier gauge
25mm seem a bit pointless unless they come up short at 23 or 24?

I have the CG 3 version in 25mm and they come up at over 25mm on my vernier. That’s on a rim with 17.5mm internal width.

Ooooops, just been out to check, on a HED Belgium+ rim outside width 25mm inside is 19.7mm they come up at 27.7, slightly embarrassed, the 26mm claimed was instantly measured after fitting and as soon as inflated so I’m claiming they have grown a tad. 1.7mm to be precise.
About the size of a gnats cock.
The 320 TPI casing and the isogrip compound make for a very comfy tyre, having dwarfed from 32mm to 28 and now to 27’s I can see the 25’s next up.

I’m a bit disappointed with my Schwalbe Ones – just don’t feel all the grippy. When climbing out of the saddle they sort of skit around a bit, not quite slipping, but it isn’t remotely confidence inspiring. Used to use Hutchinson Fusion 3s which I liked.

I recently got some Schwalbe Durano Pro’s for my Defy as an all-round tyre that is very puncture resistant in 25c. I’ve completed a sportive and 200 miles of riding in the southern Alps on them so far. They’re great. I’ve not tried GP4000’s or many others, but they work just fine.

Can’t say i’ve really noticed any difference going to 25C from 23C though.

Impressed by the Specialized S Works Turbo 26mm and the Turbo Cotton 24mm on my two road bikes – but have also squirelled away a pair of 25mm pro ones to run tubeless when the 26mm Turbos die.