You can't help but notice the quality of these tires when you first unbox them, very tight production tolerances with no discernable irregularities - even the excess rubber in the center of the tread is very
consistent. They do feel, stiff but it doesn't translate to a harsh ride. I think it is just a very dense compound. I just gave them a 40 mile maiden voyage on a typical late-Fall New England day with a mix of good, bad and truly horrendous wet roads and came away extremely impressed, such a great ride quality with loads of grip. The active comfort technology must be legit, these might be the best tubeless tires I've ridden to date as far as road feel goes - it's really like riding on clouds compared to many other race tires I've tried. They also feel very fast, honestly I could not detect the rolling resistance from these tires even on inclines and even though they are heavy-ish I didn't notice the weight. I didn't do any categorized climbs of course but a few steep ones anyway. Hopefully they will last me at least a few thousand miles, judging by all the 5 star reviews here and on other websites there appears to be a good chance they will.
I used these in 45mm version for Unbound 200 in 2024 and they rolled noticeably faster than the 40mm version I have used previously. I switched to the 45s to improve the ride and they did, although the North course at Unbound is rough and kicks my butt every time. (I've done it 3X and no DNFs) I did get a puncture on my front tire, but the sealant kept the tire from loosing pressure. Of course getting a puncture at Unbound is pretty much part of the game. I'll use them again in 2025 for the 200. I've finished DK/Unbound 200 6 times now and Terra Speeds are my favorite tire for that course and general gravel riding.
The Grand Prix 5000 tube-type tire in size 700x30 on a 19mm internal rim measure 30mm width and 27mm height, The 700x28 measures 27.7mm width and about 25mm high on similar rims, so the 30mm tire is true. The tires were within 10 to 15 grams of claimed weight. They mounted easily to tubeless ready rims with Pirelli Smart (thermoplasitc) tubes. Changed to these from Veloflex, which are equally nice hand-made tires because I wanted a larger tire without going up to 32mm, which just seem to be overkill for a pavement-only racing tire. 30mm is appreciated on the rougher sections but for most roads with alligator cracks or better pavement, 28mm still seems more appropriate for me (168 pounds). The 30mm provides a very plush ride at the expense of weight and aerodynamics (if you care).
For years I ran the Conti Gatorskin tires as I was convinced that I needed the extra puncture protection. After hearing so many good things about the Conti GP 5000s I decided to try them a few seasons ago. The GP 5000s are now my go to tire.
I run the GP 5000s with either latex or TPU tubes and I inflate according to the SILCA tire pressure calculator. The roads that I ride on are typically either smooth bike paths or pavement/asphault roads and highways that I would consider to be average to good condition (live in Nebraska, so we get our share of pavement break-up).
Over the 3-4 seasons that I have run the GP5000s I have not experienced any more punctures with these tires that I had with any other tire...they are extremely durable and reliable. With the miles that I ride, I will generally get 1 full season out of the tires, sometimes I can extend the front tire farther as it gets less wear. Besides the same durability as other tires, these tires are incredibly smooth and roll extremely well. I don't see any reason to consider changing to any other tires.
