Am I changing my mind about Conti GP4000 tyres?

Bianchi Boy · June 2007

After having fitted my GP4000's a few weeks ago, and being very pleased with them, today I had my first puncture[:(]

First time on a damp and gritty surface, and a front wheel puncture[:(]

Examination revealed a couple of nasty cuts in the tread[:(!]

I know I've read bad reports about GP4000's, but can the compound be that soft, or was it just bad luck?

What do people use to fix cuts in tyres? I've used superglue before, but wondered what other people use.

Celeste is best

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monty_dogcp · June 2007

Water weakens the bond in superglue, so trying to stick cuts in them is pretty pointless IME. My concern with GP4000s is their lack of grip in the wet - they slide when other tyres I use are still OK.

Unknown · June 2007

Ichanged to 4000s last summer - within 2 days 2 punctures, but Ive then had nothing since.

I guess if you ride over needle sharp shards of glass no tyre is going to save you.

Ive also just looked at my 4 seasons on my winter/commuter tyres, covered in cuts and slashes (one 10mm long) and yet never had a prbolem

giant_man · June 2007

I wouldn't change from ProRace's for anything, especially 4000s.

SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.

JWSurrey · June 2007

Loving my 4000s. Bought some 4000-S for the new ride.
The 4000s have survived flint tracks, riding past the local farm, riding from Jan 1st on them in pretty much all conditions, on lumpy Surrey back-roads.

The tread is soft, which is what helps stick to the road - So after each ride I pick out any debris with a jeweller's screwdriver, and if the holes are big, dab some Bostick universal glue in it - It comes in a black tube and is recommended for fixing shoe rubber, amongst other things.
The "canvas" is made of Vectran, which seems pretty tough - I even found a sheared slither of glass embedded in the rubber the other day after unavoidably running through a large patch of it in the road - didn't manage to p*ncture though.

I carry a "VAR tool", which makes bead re-seating a doddle - light and small enough to carry - available from SJS cycles and Bikeplus online.

EDIT: Just checked - It's Unibond Extreme power glue.

Fab Foodie · June 2007

Bianchi Boy
WEet weather washes flints into the roads and tyres pick them-up.
Last Friday 8 of us set-out to ride the 100 miles form Kings-Lyn to GT Yarmouth. It rained, lots. 3 miles from the hotel, 1 guy on an MTB had a punctured. 10 miles later somebody else had a second puncture, by the time we hit the flint infested back-roads punctures were very frequent. By the time we got to Gt. Yarmouth, our group of 8 had suffered 17 punctures and 4 written-of tyres, 1 mtb, (1 hybrid and 2 road).
2 bikes suffered no punctures...they had puncture-proof tyres.

The next day in the dry on A and B roads we did 80 miles...not a puncture.

A lot is spoken about tyre reliability, but conditions play a waaaay bigger part than tyre make after that experience.

The pessimists of this world are rarely disappointed....
Fab's TCR1

daowned · June 2007

Went over a smashed bottle of Lucozade that was thrown on the road the other week with my GP4000S, got a flat on the front tyre and a cut right through I only got them new last month.

I superglued mine m8 no way I am spending another 25 quid because a ned tossed a bottle on the road, will replace them after the summer but untill then...

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fenlandplodder · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bianchi Boy

I know I've read bad reports about GP4000's, but can the compound be that soft, or was it just bad luck?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Sounds like bad luck. I have used GP4000 since March 2006, cycled over 4000 miles with just one puncture.

Unknown · June 2007

I liked the GP3000 so replaced with the 4000 thinking I might like them even more. I didn't. I wrote off a new pair on one 100k audax. Cut to buggery, front and rear. 2 p*nct*r*s. My mistake for getting a tyre not suited to my riding. Replaced with Conti 4 Seasons. Happy now.

Ravenbait · June 2007

I've done, er, heaps of miles on mine on my fixed gear Pompino, including last year's Dun Run and am very happy with them. Only one mishap so far, and that was a ribbon of swarf that nothing would have resisted.

Sam

The cross product of Tank Girl and Ellen Ripley:

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Eat My Dust · June 2007

But they come in such pretty colours!!!

I've done several thousand miles on GP's, yes the fairy does visit but then it always will. I've never had even a little slip on them and I've used them in the snow!!

SNAPS

Unknown · June 2007

reading these forums for some time, and through personal experience with Contact Sports, it seems to me that Conti tyres have a soft rubber compound and construction that makes them very susceptable to punctures, including the (strangely) revered Gatorskins.

Paul Lavery · June 2007

A front end puncture? I'd be made up!

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peterbr · June 2007

1200km on my 25c GP4000s - no punctures, very little wear, performance very good. Feels tougher, if not as fast as Pro Race

Destroyed a DT Swiss RR1.1 rim in that time though!

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thebigbrazilian · June 2007

I always use Mr Tuffy tyre liners, so get very few punctures.

But I don't really like my GP4000s as they let go on a wet corner when I had a big off last year. My Michelins were a lot better.

Some of my mates swear by Vredestein Fortezza Tri-Comp. And they will inflate to 170 psi.

Any comments? What's the best for wet weather cornering?

Manc Ronnie · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by thebigbrazilian

I always use Mr Tuffy tyre liners, so get very few punctures.

But I don't really like my GP4000s as they let go on a wet corner when I had a big off last year. My Michelins were a lot better.

Some of my mates swear by Vredestein Fortezza Tri-Comp. And they will inflate to 170 psi.

Any comments? What's the best for wet weather cornering?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Vredesteins Tri-Comps are great. Superb wet and dry performance, good longevity and excellent puncture resistance for the a race/training tyre. Have 'em on my geared and fixed bike and one puncture this year. œ15.95 from Ribbke an' all.

JWSurrey · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by peterbr

...Destroyed a DT Swiss RR1.1 rim in that time though!.....
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Let me guess - spokes pulled through?

fossyant · June 2007

Rember they are very high performance tyres like Pro-races - just unlucky I'd say.

Had my first puncture in my Pro-Races after about 4 months, hit a mahoosive pothole - no way over/round it, got a snakebite !

wildmoustache · June 2007

it's not bad luck. The GP4000s are vulnerable in the wet. they cut easily. much more so that pro races or vreds. you can kind of guess that just by looking at the soft compound that you almost cut into with your fingernail.

Ravenbait · June 2007

I just did Dumbarton to Kirkcaldy overnight in torrential rain on GP4000s, fixed, with no mishap. No slipping, grip was fine, no problems at all. I have nothing bad to say about them.

Sam

The cross product of Tank Girl and Ellen Ripley:

http://ravenfamily.org
"You might remember that 'annoyed' is my natural state!"

http://gentlemencyclists.org/clubhouse
"Ya'd think we could just attract ants, like normal people."

wildmoustache · June 2007

the other bad thing about them is the high rolling resistance.

richardjallen · June 2007

Had 2 punctures in 2 weeks with 4000's. One was a sliver of glass and another was a rough chunk of glass so big it left a hole in the tire. My new ride came with 4000S and I got a puncture in the first 20 miles. I lined the with flataway and have had no problems in over 700 miles.

FOGcp · June 2007

I bought a new 4000 for the rear on the recommendation of a guy who does a lot of very competitive miles. I had 2 punctures first day out and swapped to pro race. I would like to say that ended the puncture plague but it didn't! At least there not as common now.

Am I changing my mind about Conti GP4000 tyres?

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