Can of Worms - Continental GP4000S

sagefly

Are these tryes better than Gatorskins in the wet or are there better options.

Many thanks

p9uma

sagefly wrote:

Are these tryes better than Gatorskins in the wet or are there better options.

Many thanks

Yeah. Dont go out in the wet. *


*I apologise for the smartbottom remark I know its not helpful and was provided for entertianment purposes only.

rick_chasey

I've heard Gatorskins are particularly slippery in the wet.

I'm a big fan of GP4000s.

I know some people feel continental tyres generally leave much to be desired in the wet.

In my experience - I hurtled down the Tourmalet on a pair of GP4000s and I felt like I was cornering on rails - so much so I got told off for being too risky.

graeme_s-2

I had GP4000S on my nice bike all last year, and use gatorskins on my fixie in the winter. I'd say the GP4000S give better grip in the wet (at the expense of wearing more quickly and cutting up more easily), but I've never really found my gatorskins to be particularly problematic in the wet.

Generally I've found that a tyre that's grippier in the dry will be grippier in the wet too.

sungod

gp4000s are good in the wet

but as others mention, the downside of the soft grippy rubber is that it cuts much more easily, especially when the bits of glass/flint/whatever are lubricated by water

sagefly

Cheers guys, maybe I'll just pedal more "softly" in the rain.

P9uma, the forum needs more laughter,

prawny

I've had both, prefer the 4000s. If I was short of cash the Gatorskins would do. Used to commute in all weathers on the gatorskins and didn't fall off so they must be ok.

My 4000s are holding up surprisingly well too, about 1000 miles and no cuts to speak of and the front looks practically new.

sagefly

Cheers Prawny I've done abot 1200 on the gator and they are getting bit squared off. MIght be worth the investment, had a couple of big, unwarranted slides yesterday and also took a pedestrian out.

prawny

I can't remember how quick my gatorskins squared off, it didn't take long but I was doing 200 miles a week on them. I couldn't say that the 4000s were better or worse.

The advantage though is the 4000s have little pits like slick tyre's for a kart (or car propabably) so you can see how low the tread is getting. I didnt realise how worn my gatorskins had got until this happened

sagefly

More snakeskin than gator skin!

I'm doing 150+ week so we'll see how they go, as long as it stops raining I find them pretty good

ddraver

Recently swithced from a knackered pair of 4 seasons to GP 4000s - Have been very impressed in all weathers so far. I certainly don't notice a significant difference between the 2 in the wet.

That said, I tw@tted the rear wheel into a kerbstone trying to be cool while riding to work (entirely my fault) and they have got a rip in the sidewall - Now this was also certainly made worse by me trying to ride home a semi inflated tyre after I ballsed up the CO2 cartridge!

Thus far, I ve put a bit of duck tape over the hole on the inside of the tyre and they ve been fine! Therefore, if you were thinking of commuting on them, or you ride on paths/roads wioth lots of debris, I'd consider a 4 seasons for the extra toughness.

Again - this is not the tyres fault, it's mine for trying to ride a road bike like my MTB - and cocking it up!

napoleond

A cracking option is the 24mm Grand Prix, they are 19.99 at planet X at the moment. They have the Black Chilli compound, the PolyX breaker puncture system and roll better than 23s.

I love my Vittorias for the way they feel but I keep coming back to contis...

The conti GP4000S come out top in tour magazines wet weather test. Granted it's old and quite limited in choice but, well, it is what it is.

http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... ghters.pdf

wishitwasallflat

NapoleonD wrote:

I love my Vittorias for the way they feel but I keep coming back to contis...

Whoa NapD don't let me down now I just bought a set of Open Pave's (not completely but in part) on the basis of your review - surely you are not changing allegiance on me ??? :shock:

ddraver

Well, we got properly soaked tonight and my GP 4000S' were fine. (The guy with Vittorias punctured 3 TIMES!!! )

One of those rides where it stops being fun...

napoleond

wishitwasallflat wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

I love my Vittorias for the way they feel but I keep coming back to contis...

Whoa NapD don't let me down now I just bought a set of Open Pave's (not completely but in part) on the basis of your review - surely you are not changing allegiance on me ??? :shock:

The vittorias feel much better than the contis IMO and they do seem damned fine in the wet but the contis are stronger.

Crack on with the open paves, you'll love them!

secretsam

Got Gatorskins on one bike, generally ace although useless on snow

Also got Michelin Pro-Race 3s as an upgrade on the road bike, well pleased with them, especially at £22.50 each!

sagefly

Thaks NapD, one othere thing for the moment waht is the difference between a foldig and a "round" tyre and do they fit on the same rims?

ddraver

Yep...different designs, same fit

sagefly

Thanks draver

napoleond

Wire rims tend to be heavier and not roll as well as folding tyres.

sagefly

Great news will give then a spin so to speak thanks again for the help.

pilot_pete

I've got GP4000s clinchers and overcooked a couple of narrow downhill S turns last winter, going in far too fast in the wet, racing back to the pub with a few mates who knew the road better than me. Part way round the first I thought 'oh dear'. I was banked over almost as far as I would be in the dry and just praying. I made the first corner and then the second also, seizing my advantage to get the first pint in before my mates! They couldn't believe my cornering ability and the size of my balls....I couldn't believe the tyre's cornering ability and just how far up in my throat my balls had ended up!!!

So, conclusion is that the GP4000s tyre is pretty grippy in the wet.

PP

sagefly

Pete is a clincher the "round" tyre as opposed to folding?

Or is that the sphincters job on those hairy corners? :-)

ddraver

No, clincher refers to how it sits on the rim...your thinking of tubular tyres that just have a flat/dished surface onto which the tyre is glued...

Folding tyres have a lighter Kevlar bead which sits under the clincher.
rim, as opposed to a more ridgid, heavier, wire bead. The "foldability" is a by-product, but not significant...