I've yet to get a failure with this tire and I am on my second set. I change my tires roughly every 3,200 miles to be safe but could get substantially more had I wanted to. The 4000s kept getting sidewall failures so I gave up on them. The 4-Season is much more durable and gives an equivalent ride to the 4000s. I was told if durability is your main priority then go with the Gator Skins but if you want solid tires that delivers performance then the 4-Season is the best option. For added protection, I also suggest adding Stans sealant to your tubes and make sure they have removable cores. Careful not to remove the valve cores when taking off the pump nozzle like I did and got 2 ounces of sealant in my face. (Pumps with pressure release buttons will avoid this. )No flats since doing this in over a year and I now ride with peace of mind.
These came highly recommended for my somewhat rough country roads and occasional gravelcaliche segments of rides. Never had a flat on them. They are, however, a noisy tire, more so than Michelin, Vittoria, Hutchinson I have used. Grip was on par with other tires. Good tires but there are equally good tires that do not have the road noise.
Only had a few dry rides on these, but road use is great and smooth. Needed replacements for the stock tires on my 10 year old used bike purchase. Easy to mount using a couple tire levers (not my first rodeo however). Bought for the extra protection after getting almost a flat per ride on my other bike.
The tires feel great. They roll great. However Ive had sidewall failures on both front and rear. Id recommend them for how they feel but cant as a result of the sidewall issues. I have less than 500 miles on the pair. Perhaps it was just a bad day at the factory.
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.
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.
These are great tires. I got the 25's and am running them at 100psi. Currently at about 600 miles and no flats and no sign of wear. Super happy with these tires and consider them my new go-to tires for all riding conditions.
I put these tires on my bike at the beginning of the year, and they have held up really well. Hopefully not jinxing myself by this statement, but I have not had a flat since I have been using them. (My previous tires seemed to be very susceptible to flats.)
