As a 71 year old retiree I have the privilege of riding a titanium Habanero crosstour bike with disk brakes for 150 to 250 miles each week. Plus the Continental tired Habanero takes me on 2 or 3 tours of 300 to 400 miles each summer. I pack light (- 40 lbs) and the 4 Season 28 mm tires carry that total 225 lbs over country roads and hard packed gravel with ease. I buy a new set for the summer tours then ride them out in the wet falls and winters of the Willamette Valley. They flat seldom. Unavoidable road debris cuts the tread but the tough core protects the tube. The slight increase in tire weight provides a security tread for all conditions increasing my confidence in cornering at high speeds. Yes, 71 year olds can attain high speeds and corner without causing heart attacks or strokes. I trust this tire more than any (and I have bought and replaced many tires). I could but wont' name a few duds that cost about the same.
I really enjoy riding on Continental tires. Typically in nice conditions I'll be on Conti GP4000IIs tires but, when I know conditions will be poor and the road may not be very nice, I like to slip on these Conti GP4-Seasons.
I've used these tires for when I'm going to do a long ride in the rain or when I'm going to be going over more difficult roads. I feel quite confident taking these tires through a slightly rough gravel trail section without having to worry about a puncture.
I also used these for a criterium which took place in the rain. A few guys fell in a set of technical corners but I was able to get through with confidence with these tires.
All in all, I would recommend having a set of these 4-seasons on hand in case you are going to be riding in off weather. Or if you expect to be riding on mixed roads, they are quite robust in terms of puncture resistance.
I've been riding the 28mm version of these tires in the beating down rain, crud, gravel, branches, rocks and muck on the side of the road in Pacific NW springtime. No flats, traction is very reassuring and the tires feel great. I ride them at low pressures (65-70 PSI) on wide-ish rims. Did I mention the ride feel is great? Comfortable, not harsh. I've ridden other 28mm tires at the same pressure and those others are not as comfortable. Can't speak to long-term durability but so far they are holding up great with a few hundred miles on them.
Note these are muck and grunge training or commuting tires, not racing tires. That's what I rated them as. If you want lightweight racing tires with low rolling resistance, these ain't those. But as winterspring training tires, these are the best tires I've run in years. Very satisfied.
I picked up a pair of these while on sale at a great price. I use them for general road riding/training and for a few gravel-grinder organized rides (Hell of Hunterdon, Fool's Classic). After using several brands/models of tires, these have held up the best for the gravel roads. MUCH better than GatorSkins which I have had terrible luck with tearing the sidewalls on several. This is a much better tire IMO and a better price. Supple enough to use as a daily road tire as well.
I'm 140lb and the 25mm work well for me - I don't like the ride/feel of wider tires. Zero punctures, flats, or tears after many miles of rough gravel.
The GP 4-Season is one of our all time favorite tires. We use them on our wet season hybridfitness bikes, as well as our summer road bikes - mainly on recreational club rides. They really do work well in all conditions, and have a nice ride quality. Not as fast as a racing tire, but faster than any commuter tire. In terms of Continental's model line it has more flat protection and better wet weather traction than the GP 4000 model, but is lighter and has a more supple ride than Gatorskins. It seems to fall in between those two models and as such is a very good compromise. They're not the cheapest tires out there, but the cost is not outrageous either. Why skimp on tires after all? Highly recommended.
I run 28s on both my winter training gravel bike (CX) as well as a tandem. I've ridden on all kinds of gravel roads and even on a few MTB trails with them. On the tandem we've recorded descending speeds of over 60mph and find them totally trustworthy. Logically, they are slightly heavy, but otherwise great handling, super durable, and hard wearing. My go-to tire.
Have always had good luck with Continental tires, and I especially like the GP 4-Seasons for my winter bike due to its nice ride quality, excellent grip on wet pavement, and decent flat resistance. The tread compound does seem fairly soft, which is undoubtedly why they grip so well, so they may not last as long as tires with a harder compound - but for me that's a worthwhile trade-off. I'm happy to get 1,500 - 2,000 miles on a set of tires and the GP 4-Seasons will do that easily.
