Conti GP 4 seasons don't get enough love
DonDaddyD
Posts: 12,689
Nearly everytime I mention tyre or read a tyre thread Continental GP 4000s are often highly recommended and rightly so. They are fast, supremely grippy in the wet or dry and highly puncture resistant.
I've had my bike since August 2008 and have gone through two GP4000s on the rear tyre. I fully believe that these tyres are fanstastic. However, I wanted to try something a little more harder wearing for my commute so bought 4 seasons.
IMO they are equally brilliant and though sacrifice speed and incur an increase in weight for additional puncture resistance (and it has tons of it) there isn't t that much difference in terms of grip (in the wet or dry) between them and the GP4000s. The tyres aren't exactly slow either.
I think these may be the unsung road bike commuter tyre champion!
I've had my bike since August 2008 and have gone through two GP4000s on the rear tyre. I fully believe that these tyres are fanstastic. However, I wanted to try something a little more harder wearing for my commute so bought 4 seasons.
IMO they are equally brilliant and though sacrifice speed and incur an increase in weight for additional puncture resistance (and it has tons of it) there isn't t that much difference in terms of grip (in the wet or dry) between them and the GP4000s. The tyres aren't exactly slow either.
I think these may be the unsung road bike commuter tyre champion!
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
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
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These are the exact tyres I've opted for my new fixed commuter. Glad they are good - never heard any issues with them.0
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I've got one too, with a promotion on and an extra discount, I got a 25 section for £23! Need a 28 for the back (to help cushion the pannier) but they are a big step forward from the Bonty XXX tyres (440g) I had before, they are a lot lighter too. GP 4 seasons are pretty light, 225g for 25 section and 250g for 28 IIRC - that is good for a durable and resistant tyre. I also swapped out my slime filled tube for normal tube, so I think I saved about 300g in the front tyre and tube combo alone!0
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How do they go on(/off)? Tyre lever benders or slide-on(/off)?0
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they were fine with my park tools plastic levers, not the easiest, but no problem0
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Anyone had these and the conti gatorskins and care to comment?
I'm about to get a new steed and was offered a choice of pretty much any mainstream conti, and went with the gatorskins by default.
Might ring up the LBS and ask to switch to these if they are a better bet puncture proof wise
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Anyone used the Vittoria Rubino Tyre ??
good p* resistance? want yellow tyres....0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:IMO they are equally brilliant and though sacrifice speed and incur an increase in weight for additional puncture resistance (and it has tons of it) there isn't t that much difference in terms of grip (in the wet or dry) between them and the GP4000s. The tyres aren't exactly slow either.
More thinking of trying out the 4000's than the 4 seasons, so how much fast in your honest opinion (IYHO?) are the 4000's then?'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....0 -
I run 23C 4 Seasons on my road bike, and 25C gatorskins on my fixie, which I commute on during the winter.crosstowncommuter wrote:Anyone had these and the conti gatorskins and care to comment?
I'm about to get a new steed and was offered a choice of pretty much any mainstream conti, and went with the gatorskins by default.
Might ring up the LBS and ask to switch to these if they are a better bet puncture proof wise
The 4 seasons are lighter, grippier and have a bit more 'zip'. I feel like the gatorskins are a bit harder wearing, and more p resistant. I haven't actually suffered any p's with the 4 seasons, but I generally ride that bike in drier weather on cleaner roads.0 -
Funny thing, I was just thinking the same thing over the weekend when I changed the chain on my fixie. I've been running 4 Seasons on the fixie for over a year now, and they are great, no problem at all. I can be a bit of a nervous rider sometimes, but I find them very grippy even on the slimiest roads, and they are nice and light.
I was going to put gatorskins on my roadbike for a light tour over the winter. I was put off by a few comments on the forum here - seems that if you don't keep them very inflated they are unreliable. I went for Specialized Pro's instead, which are supposed to be very tough - they are certainly quite heavy. I had to dump them this weekend, the beading on the front tyre went - I doubt if I did more than 1500km on them, and that was on nice smooth roads in Taiwan.0 -
chuckcork wrote:DonDaddyD wrote:IMO they are equally brilliant and though sacrifice speed and incur an increase in weight for additional puncture resistance (and it has tons of it) there isn't t that much difference in terms of grip (in the wet or dry) between them and the GP4000s. The tyres aren't exactly slow either.
More thinking of trying out the 4000's than the 4 seasons, so how much fast in your honest opinion (IYHO?) are the 4000's then?
Its hard to give a comparison or an example that can be used to sufficiently measure the two tyres in terms of speed.
GP4000s feel faster than 4 Seasons, they roll along the road further and they are much easier to sprint with in my very honest oppinion.
I'm putting 4 Seasons on my commuter and GP4000s on my good bike, which is what continental intended I think.
One thing I have found noticable after 100miles on the 4 seasons the surface of the tyre is virtually intact. On the 2 previous 4000s there were chips all along the surface of the 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 Game0
