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My GT Grade came with cheap & cheerful Conti Ultrasport 2 tyres in 28c and tbh, they have been pretty amazing. Grip wet or dry is excellent, they roll well enough and I haven't had a single flat since I bought the bike in June last year.
Looks like they are coming to the end of their days though, as there are quite a few cuts in them now and I fished out a big piece of glass last week, which luckily hadn't gone right through the casing.
It's new tyre time and I was thinking about getting some more Continentals, but a bit more up-market, however I'm concerned I might waste my money and wish I'd just bought some more Ultrasports...
I was looking at the Gatorskins - a lot of my (road) riding is down back lanes, with the usual mix of grit, mud, sand, potholes etc, but opinion seems divided on these, even if they are supposed to be the best selling UK Conti road tyre. Some love them, others say useless in the wet, poor ride quality and weak sidewalls?
Four seasons look good, but I don't want to pay that much.
Grandsport Ultra look decent too, but a bit more money than Gatorskins.
Any experience / advice welcome. 🙂
I used GP4000s all year round and they've been great for me - grippy and not remotely puncture prone. Give that tyres are the one thing connecting you to the road, I'd be looking at something from the Conti range using the Black Chilli compound rubber which is brilliant wet or dry and surprisingly grippy. Go for 25s or 28s if you're riding lots of backroads as well.
I've used Gatorskins and they were horrible: slippery, slow-ish and nasty ime. I've never got why roadies seem to ride on tyres which don't grip in the wet over winter. It's lunacy. Something like the Grand Prix 4000 makes more sense to me - yes, the top-end stuff's expensive at full price, but there's usually a deal somewhere.
Gatorskins are utterly hateful. GP 4season much nicer, but expensive as you say. I got mine from one of the German sites - try those.
I'd look instead at something like the Michelin Pro4 endurance - good tyres and better value than Conti IMHO.
GP4000's are lovely tyres, really fast and grippy. They are however road race tyres and while they're not super fragile I have sliced a couple on super sharp flint washed onto the roads, but I doubt any decent fast tyre would have survived that. Really depends on how gnarr your gravel lanes are.
Might be worth checking out something like the Challenge Strada ([url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/challenge-strada-open-tubular-road-tyre/ ]here[/url]) which seems to be pretty highly rated on here for gnarmac bikes. Paired with a latex tube I reckon they'd be a super ride.
I'd echo the Gatorskin hatred, I really don't like them at all, in fact, I've yet to find a Conti tyre of any kind that I do like.
For a all round, tough road tyre I;d look away from Conti, Vredestein Senso All Weather are worth a look, I use them on my winter bike and they do a good job. Vittoria Open Pave are well worth a look too, they're a very highly regarded tyre, roll well, tough and grip extremely well too.
GP4000's are lovely tyres, really fast and grippy. They are however road race tyres and while they're not super fragile I have sliced a couple on super sharp flint washed onto the roads, but I doubt any decent fast tyre would have survived that. Really depends on how gnarr your gravel lanes are.
Good point. I'm in the Peak and we tend not to have too many flints round here.
Open Pave is a good shout, has been discontinued though there are plenty still on sale. Replacement coming soon if rumours are to be believed.
Good point. I'm in the Peak and we tend not to have too many flints round here.
I'd still recommend them. Ran them all winter with latex tubes and only had one flat. Better than I expected from a thin supple tyre.
Another thought - does your Grade have tubeless ready rims?
Open Pave is a good shout, has been discontinued though there are plenty still on sale
Indeed, I'm hoping that when the replacement comes out I'll be able to pick up some Pave's dirt cheap.
Just gone from 28c GP 4seaons with latex tubes to 28c schwalbe pro ones (tubeless).
Whilst the gps were excellent.. IMO the pro ones are a step up again.
A bit smoother and faster rolling. Whether its due to the tubeless or faster compound I don't know. Mantel.com were the cheapest..
I've been running GP4000s IIs since last summer and they're awesome. I'd just go with those, tbh. Wil be getting some more when these wear out.
Whether its due to the tubeless or faster compound I don't know.
Faster tyre. The GP 4 seasons aren't the quickest.
I fished out a big piece of glass last week, which luckily hadn't gone right through the casing.
Not a chance a GP4000 would have survived that! Really does depend on how gnarr your gnarrmac is.
Another thought - does your Grade have tubeless ready rims?
Another thought - does your Grade have tubeless ready rims?
It does now. I've got some Hope Tech XC 29er wheels in there.
Just to avoid any confusion - the tyres I'm after are 100% for tarmac. I have other tyres for gravel / off-road.
My GT Grade Carbon Ultegra came with 28mm Conti Grand Sport Race which I've really been impressed with. They seem very grippy and roll well and have had no punctures so far in around 1000 mile use.
I would steer clear of Gatorskins though. Everyone I know that has used them has said never again (including me).
I would consider Schwalbe Durano Raceguard as well. My daughter has them on her commuter bike and they have performed faultlessly. Good grip, last well and no punctures and she has just replaced the rear. They can be had for £20 each from most places as well. That's what I am going to buy next I think.
Just to avoid any confusion - the tyres I'm after are 100% for tarmac. I have other tyres for gravel / off-road.
GP4000's then 🙂
Though be aware that if you run them for a while then go back to something more robust they will feel crap. I ride them through winter and just accept that I might have the odd puncture (I had only one this year) in return for the super ride quality.
GP4000's are a good choice, not as nice as say Schwalbe Ultremo, but not as fragile either.
There's essentially 2 tiers of conti tyres, the made in Germany ones and the ones made in the east.
GP4000, GP4season etc are the expensive made in Germany tyres, and get the best of everything. Ultrasports, Sport Contact etc are the cheaper equivalents. I've currently got 28C Sport Contacts and they're great tyres, indistinguishable in use from the 4Seasons they replaced (the older ones had similar treads, the new SportContact2 has a file pattern).
The German ones are undoubtedly better (lighter, more supple, more puncture resistant for a given weight/carcass), but it's not as marked as the doubling in price between the two ranges.
It does now. I've got some Hope Tech XC 29er wheels in there.Just to avoid any confusion - the tyres I'm after are 100% for tarmac. I have other tyres for gravel / off-road.
In which case buy some Schwalbe Pro Ones...
Michelin pro 4 endurance £21 quid at CRC with free tube.
Those Michelins look good. Great reviews too.
My only experience of Michelin goes back to the old Hi Lite Comp & Super Comp HD and I wasn't impressed. I guess they have come on a way since my old road racing days though...
I'm tempted by the Conti GT which has Black Chili like the 4000S II but with added puncture protection. All of my riding is commuting so the extra weight is not an huge issue but keeping some grip and feel is.
I run 25mm GP 4 seasons on my winter bike and 25mm GP4000S on my summer bike. The GP 4 seasons are miles better than Gatorskins but still not as compliant and comfortable as GP4000S. When they wear out I'll probably run GP4000S all year round.
