I got two tires marked way down on sale. I have used them before and was glad to find them at this price. The new ones are performing as expected, lasting and tough, even after riding on gravel roads and rough pavement.
I put these on to replace comp tires on a Cannondale Synapse that I thought was way too slow, and the bike immediately felt better on climbs. Combined with the improved traction and flat protection, for the price, for me they can't be beat.
I've used these tires for a couple of years now and absolutely love them. The 25C is a great size to mute harsh chip seal roads in North Texas especially at about 85 - 90 psi (I'm 155 lbs.) They're durable - I typically get about 3,000 miles out of a rear tire and I love the way they feel and handle. I've never had a flat caused by a thorn, only from pinch flats if I hit a piece of gravel head on at speed. I ride a 2009 Lynskey R330 with Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels about 7,000 miles per year. I'm retired military and ride almost daily.
Started using these as winter training tires for their durability but discovered they grip well and last a long time with hardly ever any flatting problems. Light and grippy enough to race on or take down dirt and gravel with confidence. I've logged 60-70 thousand miles on these tires and I buy them in bulk when on sale. Most of my team mates have started using them as well.
I've had a few sets of these tires. The latest set has about 500 miles on them, no flats as yet. The only problem I had was how they came from the factory. Both tires, on the sidewalls, had these little nipples about 3 apart all the way around the tire. They stuck out about a 14-12 an inch. I'm no speed demon but I'm sure created drag. I finally got fed up and took a pair of finger nail clippers and cut them off
I've been using Vredestein tires for a number of years. These tri-comp Gran Fondos are my go to tire selection that I use on a number of road bikes. They provide an excellent combination of both durability and are reasonably lightweight. The tri-comp construction has a high degree of puncture resistance so you can keep rolling rather than spending time out there fixing flats.
I've been running these for almost a couple of years now and only had one real puncture due to some serious shattered glass strewn about the road, nothing I could avoid with any tire really. I always pump them up to minimum which gives a comfortable feel, I'm not racing or shredding the corners but I'm confident in them.
I've used Vredestein Tri Comps (23 mm) on my Lemond Arrivee for several years and they are a great tire-fast and fairly durable with minimal flatting. So I bought a pair of the Grand Fondo's (25 mm)about a year and a half ago for commuting on my cross bike (20 miles each way) and they have been just what I needed. Durable (no flats despite all of the daily potholes, glass, and a mile long section on a packed, not paved, trail), and faster than the Michelon Krylions that I had on the bike before that. A perfect tire for someone with a long commute where both durability and speed is important.
Last month I took a week long, 550-mile commercial bike tour using my Trek Domane 5 series. I had a pair of 25 mm Conti GP4000's on there that were wearing down. I decided that the Grand Fondos might be perfect for the tour due to their durability and speed. The Grand Fondo's seemed just as fast as the Tri Comps, and in fact my average speed was virtually the same as with the GP4000's. The ride on the Grand Fondo's was cushier than the TriComps, but that could also be because the Domane gives a more forgiving ride than the Lemond. While I thought I was going to keep the Grand Fondos on the Domane only for the tour, they're still on there, and I really don't have any motivation to take them off.
When they are on sale, unless you are looking for a tire for racing (in which case you might want a more specifically manufactured race tire), I would not hesitate to buy these tires.
I'm no professional racer, and at present don't train as frequently as I'd like (fyi always check the bike scene well before you move!), but I've raced, I've commuted, and I still do ride. All of that's irrelevant really except for the fact that over the last 12 years or so of road riding, I've used a few other well-known tires - racing and training - and while many are quite good, nothing beats the durability of Vredestein - racing and training tires - and the dependability of them. These tires grip, they roll smooth, they age well (usage and hanging), they are reliably built, meaning no flaws, no millimeter off so you have to pull out the shop tire tool. Vredesteins rock and they are dependable, all. Durability cannot be beat.
I have been running these tires for several years and at over 20k miles a year I go through tires. These are the best for flat resistance and great handling of any I use. Fairly light with long wearing tread but even better flat resistance!
Bought these when the old Tri Comps were discontinued.
I have more good miles with this on the back than I got on any of the 16 Fortezza TriComps I had back there over the years and it still looks pretty good, they don't cut easily and I've had no flats in the 2300 miles so far. The Fortezzas I accidentally left on for anything close to that mileage were badly cut up, delaminating at the tread and showing cords.
That's all true, however the Gran Fondos feel harder, harsher and less grippy. Don't try the same fast tight badly banked corner with a Gran Fondos that the Fortezzas handled, don't ask me how I know... -O!
So, I'm going to switch back to the Fortezzas, they don't last as long or hold up as well, but I really miss the better ride, handling and grip. YMMV
