My Continental GP4000s - how long should they last?

DonDaddyD
DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
edited February 2009 in Commuting chat
I bought my bike in August and upgraded the tyres in September to Conti GP4000s. I've mostly commuted 7 - 10miles each way throughout the Autumn and Winter and coupled that with an ever increasing frequency of weekend rides that could be anywhere from 10 - 20miles.

My back wheel is mostly flat though the wear indicators are still present. I've also noticed small slashes in the rubber (had these for a while) that are now starting to show through to the inner tube (identifiable because the tubes are green).

I've had my tyres for 6 months, have I had an expected amount of usage or should they have lasted longer?
Food Chain number = 4

A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game

Comments

  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I don't think this is unusual. That's over 2,000 miles, including through autumn and winter, and on tyres that are more geared to racing than commuting on London's roads. If the inner tube is now visible, get yourself some new tyres.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Of course most people don't growl when they're riding - it might be that :)
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I've slashed lots of conti's on the MTB and various road bikes, I considered binning them but given the cost and low miles (one ride) I just super glued the cuts, so far so good.

    Clearly if you had a large cut or hole then they'd need changing.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    I've been meaning to change them since January.... A combination of being tight and not being able to decide what to change to has meant me running them into oblivion.

    It's a tough decision, I want to try something new but the GP4000s served me well, I've never had an off on them and they are incredibly grippy in wet or dry. Its a shame they don't sell them in red. I'd like to have red tyres around the same quality as GP4000s....
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    thats not bad really, the marathon pluses on mine and my wifes town bikes have a number of slashes though the casing into the blue smartguard and lots of nics etc and they are far more robust heavy weight tire.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    2000 miles doesnt sound like a lot to me really ? Are you running at the right pressure ?
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I've been meaning to change them since January.... A combination of being tight and not being able to decide what to change to has meant me running them into oblivion.

    It's a tough decision, I want to try something new but the GP4000s served me well, I've never had an off on them and they are incredibly grippy in wet or dry. Its a shame they don't sell them in red. I'd like to have red tyres around the same quality as GP4000s....

    I'd go for GP4000S' not the 4000's. The 4000S' only come in black though - they are a huge improvement on the 4000's. (have I written 4000 enough times now)

    If you want red at a similar level of quality then Michelin ProRace 3's come in red. I'm running them on the Prince and have been impressed so far.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    jashburnham wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I've been meaning to change them since January.... A combination of being tight and not being able to decide what to change to has meant me running them into oblivion.

    It's a tough decision, I want to try something new but the GP4000s served me well, I've never had an off on them and they are incredibly grippy in wet or dry. Its a shame they don't sell them in red. I'd like to have red tyres around the same quality as GP4000s....

    I'd go for GP4000S' not the 4000's. The 4000S' only come in black though - they are a huge improvement on the 4000's. (have I written 4000 enough times now)

    If you want red at a similar level of quality then Michelin ProRace 3's come in red. I'm running them on the Prince and have been impressed so far.

    Pedant at its best :lol: . I have GP 4000S (I should have made that s a capital S, I apologise) they come with a special black chilli compund, which I don't fully understand except that the tyres nearly never lose grip whether the road is icy or wet and on a flat road the rolling resistance is in and of itself is an example of self-perpetuated motion...

    Regarding the Mich Pro 3, what's the puncture resistancy like and the grip in the wet?
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    jashburnham wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I've been meaning to change them since January.... A combination of being tight and not being able to decide what to change to has meant me running them into oblivion.

    It's a tough decision, I want to try something new but the GP4000s served me well, I've never had an off on them and they are incredibly grippy in wet or dry. Its a shame they don't sell them in red. I'd like to have red tyres around the same quality as GP4000s....

    I'd go for GP4000S' not the 4000's. The 4000S' only come in black though - they are a huge improvement on the 4000's. (have I written 4000 enough times now)

    If you want red at a similar level of quality then Michelin ProRace 3's come in red. I'm running them on the Prince and have been impressed so far.

    Pedant at its best :lol: . I have GP 4000S (I should have made that s a capital S, I apologise) they come with a special black chilli compund, which I don't fully understand except that the tyres nearly never lose grip whether the road is icy or wet and on a flat road the rolling resistance is in and of itself is an example of self-perpetuated motion...

    Regarding the Mich Pro 3, what's the puncture resistancy like and the grip in the wet?

    Ah I see! - surprised your tire has worn out so quickly. Mine are doing very well.

    I have no idea of the ProRace's pref in the wet. The Prince hasn't seen rain since July - he doesn't get taken out in bad weather! I would assume that they are excellent though. The ProRace 2's always had a good rep.

    No P*'s yet, but type the entire word in again and I will come round and slap you :shock: :D V bad luck to write that word!
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    jashburnham wrote:
    No P*'s yet, but type the entire word in again and I will come round and slap you :shock: :D V bad luck to write that word!
    And don't quote it either ;) It's 'unscheduled deflations' people.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    @ Jash, maybe writing the P-word out in full is what I've been doing wrong.

    I may try a thicker, heavier rubber to deal with my additional weight. Put the waifer thin tyres on the better bike I hope to get...
    cougie wrote:
    2000 miles doesnt sound like a lot to me really ? Are you running at the right pressure ?

    I run them at as close to 120 Psi as I can. I'm 15stone (no matter how hard I try not to be), probably 15.5stone with my bag on.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Well I can heartily recommend the Kenda tyres that came on my Bowery and (not quite teh same ones) on my rubbish roadie. Both have done thousands of miles without a single unscheduled deflation.

    No idea what I'm doing right.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    I have 25 mm Gatorskins for commuting and they show little sign of wear with about 2000 miles and are grippy in all conditions. 1 visit from the P Fairy so far. Horses and courses really.
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  • homercles
    homercles Posts: 499
    cougie wrote:
    2000 miles doesnt sound like a lot to me really ? Are you running at the right pressure ?

    I don't think 2,000 miles sounds at all bad. I'm quite a big bloke (6ft, 14st-ish) and, logging all my mileage as I do, know that I only get around 1,500 miles out of a tyre (especially the rear) around London, Surrey. That's commuting in all weathers and so on, and includes (so far) Hutchinson Equinox, Pro3s, Vittoria Rubino.

    So probably changing tyres every 4 months or so.

    Am I just a fat b*stard?!
    Nail Trail
    Pompino
    CF SLX
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    I've not used them, but the GP 4 season looks like a very similar tyre but with a slightly tougher casing and more puncture resistance.

    I can vouch for Conti Gatorskins, to the extent that I've never had a p*nct*re in about 2000km (uh-oh, shouldn't have said that...). They are definitely not quite as quick as a race tyre though.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    I think it's the awsome torque that's wearing the rear tyre isn't DDD?

    Probably heat doing the from one in :D
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    It was absolutely the sheer tons of awesome I laid down that has worn away the rear tyre - on further inspection the front is flat at some points with an angle created on the side wall....

    I better get the bottom bracket checked out as well, it's making a clicking noise again....

    May go for a pair of 4 season or another GP4000s, just for the back tyre.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    4 seasons will just slow you down!
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    It was absolutely the sheer tons of awesome I laid down that has worn away the rear tyre - on further inspection the front is flat at some points with an angle created on the side wall....

    I better get the bottom bracket checked out as well, it's making a clicking noise again....

    May go for a pair of 4 season or another GP4000s, just for the back tyre.

    A pair for the back?! Might be a bit overkill. :shock:

    The power's probably crushed the BB BB's too.

    I hate bikes they always need fixing and when they don't they keep looking at you asking for shiney things :?
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017

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