I have been using the Continental Grand Prix tires for several years now. This newest version seems to work well. I will continue to keep buying them. I have used them with Latex tubes in the past and they work very well. Currently I am trying the Tubolito tubes which are working well with these tires. Not quite the same ride feel as with the Latex tubes though.
Better puncture protection for my needs than any other tire I have used that rolls this well. The compound also feels very grippy versus other similar racing/training tires. Tread wear far surpasses cotton casing tires for a tire that isn't very slower in use by my estimates.
I am an avid cyclist of mostly group rides that range between 20 to 75 miles over flat to hilly terrain. Back roads with some countysecondary roads to help connect the dots. I was a long time user of the Continental brand between the GP4000s and the 4Season. I went between the two depending on the season, weather, and the amount of riding where durability was more sought than ride quality. I would trade between the two by switching out the tires. I ride a 500 mile7 day cycling fundraiser every July in the Northeast US so that alone causes some flux as to what tire to use. I recently went off course by trying out the Vittoria Corsa G which claimed to have vastly improved its durability by way of a new material called Graphine. The first two sets where super fast and buttery smooth. The third set which was used over the 500 mile ride rendered the ugly durability head by rendering three flats. I have since switched back to Continental as I was made aware of the 5000s. Of course they are on par with the Corsas in terms of speed and roll resistance but I've been told the 5000s were made with a 20% improvement on puncture resistance. I just took them out for 40 miler and have to say they are impressive from a ride quality and rollspeed standpoint. I did not flat during that ride but honestly its going to take a much larger sample size to determine just how much more durable they are than the 4000s, the Corsas, and whether they're close enough to the Conti 4Seasons which while very reliable deliver a slower ride with greater vibration. Ruins the experience a bit.
I'm very happy with the 5000s but jury remains out on the surviving the rural routes.
The first thing that I noticed was that the two little wear markers in the tread are about one half of the depth on the GP 5000 as compared to the GP 4000, so I'm not quite sure if that means that there is only one half of the tread or not. I cycle 12,000 mile per year for fitness, and don't race because I don't like broken bones and road rash, although I have weekly group rides with racers. I have never actually worn out a rear GP 4000 tire because they always gashed out first from striking rocks or debris. On the front I do wear out a GP 4000. I get about 2,000 miles per tire on the GP 5000.
This was the original tire on my bike, and I had something like three flats in the first week of riding. Thinking it could be a factory issue, I bought a new set, same brand/model. Coincidentally, they did somewhat better off the shelf, but still highly prone to flats. They are crazy fast tires, but the downside of that is that the rubber wears super fast (pretty worn after only 650 km), and is soft enough that just about anything goes through. If you can ride near enough to your house that someone can pick you up, or cary lots of tube and tire patch kits, go for it. The inconvenience was such that I just decided switched to Continental's GP 4-Season tire. The rubber on that one is harder and they are marginally slower, but not overly so. I kept the GP5000 in case I race. I had better flat results from Michelin Pro4 Service Course, and they were faster than Conti's GP 4-Season, and much more puncture resistant and longer wearing than Conti's GP 5000. Even on a commuter bike! May end up going back to them over the Contis. (except they are not manufactured in 28 mm, which I need for my rear wheel), or Michelin's Power Road TS, which I have yet to try.
Been riding the 5000s (regular version) for a couple weeks now and have a few hundred miles on them. 23mm in front, 25mm in rear, latex tubes. I'm 145lbs. I've gotten to do a lot of varied riding on them, including a very wet and rainy crit and gravel. IMO they are excellent tires.
I used to be a die hard Veloflex fan. I rode them for many years for the ride quality. I switched over to GP4000s because they wore better and rolled fast. I could tell they weren't as supple as the Veloflex but I was tired of how easily they cut. I was really excited to try the Michelin Power Competitions, but those were a failure for me. They roll fast and feel good but I got bad sidewall cuts that ruined the tires and made them unrepairable. Bad luck I suppose. I also tried some Vittoria Corsa G for a time, because I got a deal on them. They are okay. They are pretty durable for a supple tire, but they don't really ride that great for me. Not sure why. They definitely don't ride as nicely as the Veloflex. In any case, the 5000s are undeniably fast and IMO feel better than the 4000s, and better than any of the other tires I've mentioned above save for the Veloflex. I haven't ridden them for a few years now so can't really do a direct comparison but the 5000s feel close.
I replaced some training tires on my old road bike with the GP5000 in 700x28c size and could notice an immediate improvement in ride quality, cornering and speed. My average speed on matched rides per Strava jumped 1-2 mph with the GP5000. Ok, maybe I'm just getting a little fitter or maybe the weather conditions are making a difference, but I put a second set in 700x25c on my TT bike yesterday. On a matched 22 mile ride from 2 days earlier that had much nicer weather (20 deg warmer and less wind) I was 0.5 mph faster with the GP5000 compared to the Spec. Mondo Pro in 700x21c. Plus I was able to crack into a leader board on a segment that was dominated by a club rider peloton and had another PR even with the brutal 15mph cross wind. Yes, they are hard to get on and off the rim. It requires tire levers and I would hate to be fixing a flat on the side of the road. But 500+ miles on the first set and no problems so far. I have swapped the tires from my road bike to a hybrid and back, so I'm even getting used to tight fit on the rims. My tire of choice now!
Moved to these tires from the 4000S. These tires seem to be a bit faster (or I am a little fitter). There is an increase in speed with these tires. The black chili rubber is sticky and sticks very well in the corners. I cannot comment on the puncture protection, so far they are holding up well.
I have used Continental Grand Prix 4000 tires on all my bikes since they were first released and I did not think a better road tire could be produced. When I saw that the Grand Prix 5000 was being released, I ordered a pair the same day. The new tire is incredible and has lived up the the claims of faster, more comfortable, and more grip. I am impressed with the improvements.
