I run the Continental Grand Prix S II road tire on three of my four road bikes. They simple are the best tire for the money. Good rolling characteristics, puncture resistant and long lasting. I have tried other brands with no where the success of these fine tires. Highly recommended for your road cycling both racing and training.
Conti GP 4000 S II, great all around tires. I've been using these for racing and riding for the past two years. I would say I get about 2000-3000 miles out of a tire, so they do last a good while. They handle great and are nice and fast.
They also provide very good puncture protection for a high performance tire. I know there are other 'racing' tires on the market, but they are very light and thin and certainly put you at risk for flats. From my past experience, there are few things that take you out of a race as fast as a flat tire.
If you balance price, performance and protection I don't think there is currently a better tire on the market.
This tire has just the right amount of road-gripping firmness while delivering a very comfortable ride. I'm very happy with the feel and handling. Its a big improvement over what was on my road bike previously.
Have ridden on this tire for 18 months in 28 width. Have always ridden 23 to 25 but after doing some more research decided to try the 28's. As with many things in life it's hard to admit that everything you thought you knew was right is proven wrong when you finally give in and try. These tires are not slower, they might be a little heavier but not enough to make a difference for most riders. Their toughness is amazing. I finally decided after a summer of riding to buy another set in preparation for spring. The current set has multiple slices that would have flattened other tires.
Like many cyclists, I've tried a lot of different high performance tires looking for that one tire that excels at everything. In the end, I use GP4000's on all of my wheels. A few tires have a more supple ride, a few corner better. Other tires are miserable to fit or have weak side walls or get lousy mileage or are prone to flats. GP4000,s just inspire confidence. They corner well in wet and dry, I get excellent mileage, (3,000 mi. plus), average about 1 flat per year, never had a side wall problem and they have relatively low rolling resistance. I've hammered these tires on So. California roads and the GP4000.s always get me home safely.
If Spider-Man rode a bicycle instead of using webs he would be on a set of Continental GP 4000's enough said!
GP 4000S II inflates to wider than sidewall spec. After blog search, purchased GP4000S II to ride in Tour of Flanders Sportive. Blog recommendations were to use wider tires inflated to lower pressure to take out some of the harshness of riding on the Flemish cobbles. Measured width of forks, chain stays, and seat stays (eight year old Fondriest carbon frame and Easton fork) and determined not wide enough for 28mm but 25mm should fit. Purchased and mounted 700x25 GP4000S IIs and inflated to 95 psi. Measured width of inflated tires (digital micrometer) was 27.75mm leaving about 1 mm clearance each side between tires and fork and stays. Tires rode well on the cobbles - comfortable, good traction in the damp, and most importantly NO PUNCTURES. Remounted 700x23 other brand tires that had been removed to mount the GP4000s IIs to regain tire-to-forkstays clearance and will use the GP4000s IIs on another bike with greater forkstay widths. Great tires, next time this bike needs tires will probably buy another set of GP4000s IIs in 23mm width.
a very well handling, light, responsive tire. I am using the 25C version and they actually measure out to 27 mm when inflated to 98 psi which is what I run the rear at, the front I run at 92. I weigh an even two bills and have found these tires to be ideal for all seasons as they also provide excellent puncture resistance with the high strength belt Conti uses. Durability is also good, you do want the tire to show wear over time as this indicates the suppleness of the tread. Check 'em out.
I use these for riding, racing all of it. I've never found a tire that performs this well and also holds up to regular riding on imperfect roads.
There are many tires that perform this well, but none are as flat resistant and durable as the GP4000SII
I love this tire for a number of reasons. First, it's one of the few I can find that come in the 700 x 20 size. While I have read and understand the logic behind the physics of a bigger tire, I'm a firm believe in the 20s and will continue to use them until I cannot purchase them any more. These Continentals are consistently reliable and I am always confident when riding on them. I race with these as well as do high mileage distance rides and really get a ton out of these tires. I rarely have blowouts which gives me an even greater confidence to ride hard when racing. I've found 20s in other tires that haven't lasted nearly as long as the Continentals. It's a solid, consistently well performing tire that I will continue to purchase.
Have used for years. Continentals are dependable, love the wear indicator dimples & roll & corner efficiently.
Do wish access to longer stem presta 60mm tubes was easier. Why don't more manufacturers make such? With the increase in carbon wheels, longer stems is necessary. And I prefer non-threaded smooth stems so the grommet in my air pumps are not worn out by the thread abrasion faster. Please consider this.
Last summer I rode the Conti GP 4000 25mm tires and they lasted for ever (4000)mi. I changed them out to see if I was missing on the sprints because of the slight extra weight. I switched to the new GP 4000 2 which road very smooth and handled very good. Now I have just switched back to the 25mm in the new version and they are so smooth the bumps are easier the high speed cornering feels so secure. I'm flying without seeming like I'm putting in the effort. Because they handle so good you can fly with much more confidence. Second day on them and I just topped my best top speed on a little hill by hitting a hair under 47mph my old best was just under 44 mph. Day before I collected 3 KOM's on strava.
I have been around the block a few times and this tire rolls with the very best. It is very durable to the point of being bullet proof on training rides. It is remarkably long lasting regardless of road condition (even chip seal) and grips the road providing the needed confidence in race situations. It is the ONLY tire I buy these days.
Disclaimer Road conditions are something that are difficult to convey details about in simple words rather than pictures andor actual experiencing them yourself.
I also will say that customers (myself included) have different expectations about mileage limit for tires. I believe due to variance within one variable noted previously (road conditions), that manufacturers don't really specify the typical mileage range of tires. All I know is that these tires on the road conditions I ride on, did not last anywhere near as many miles as other tires I've used before (Bontrager Racelite Hardcase & Schwalbe Marathon Supreme).
I don't recall the exact mileage range, but it wasn't much more than 1,000 miles if I recall correctly. I did no real experiments (as in took notes, mental or otherwise) but they seemed to be a tad quicker, perhaps in part due to shorter width. However, I ride where small concrete fragments I presume from the road and otherwise (like small rocks the size of a pea or smaller) are not uncommon as well as glass (to a lesser extent) are present.
A tire that runs over a small piece of glass is rendered virtually useless on a tire like this. These are marketed as more of road tires so that is one difference.
I switched back to Schwalbe Marathon Supreme in 2019, no flats in over 2,000 miles riding on the same roads on the rear tire (or back)
I have bought and used this tire for years and recommend to the regular road enthusiast. It resists flats and rides smooth.
I've owned Continental Grand Prix 4000 S tires for a number of years. I don't remember how many I've purchased but these are not my first pair. They deliver on everything that they advertise. I specially like their handling on wet surfaces and resistance to punctures. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I had a flat while riding them. I have found that installing the new tires requires very strong thumbs or a friendly bike shop mechanic. But you're likely to only have that problem once so it's not a big deal.
Enjoy the ride.
This tire has low rolling resistance (bicyclerollingresistance.com) and good grip. It also wears well. The one weakness I have experienced is an occasional sidewall failure as it does not hold up like a Gatorskin to cuts from pinched rocks or debris like sticks or branches. Use these if you need the speed. If you are a commuter, you might do better with a slower but sturdier tire like the Gatorskin. Get these while you can as the Grand Prix 5000 is replacing the GP 4000 at higher cost.
We all have tires that are our go-to tire. Sure, new ones come along that are great, but we always go back to the tires that have given us miles and miles of hassle-free memories. This tire has been a great tire for me for years. For road racingtraining it's my go-to tire. Great puncture resistance, long lasting, and subtle road feel.
I like the 4000 S II 700C tires well enough that they're the only ones I buy. I bought two on sale at half price to keep in reserve for when the others wear out-eventually. The price was too good to pass up on tires I prefer.
All tires involve trade-offs, but these require very little sacrifice in road feel and handling to get good flat-protection and respectable longevity. When they're discounted, they're a steal.
