Should I change my tyres? GP 4 Seasons

drlodge

I bought a set of 25c GP 4 seasons to replace the Gatorskins on my Condor, since the Gators are a little slippy in the damp. However I got a puncture on the Rourke on Sunday, which has GP4000S tyres, it was a metal staple so I don't think a better tyre would have stopped me getting a puncture.

Now I don't go out when the weathers wet i.e. raining, but some roads on Sunday were flooded and there was a fair bit of cr@p on the roads generally. Wondering whether I should swap the GP400S for the GP 4 Seasons that I have sitting on the shelf, save the GP4000S for when the weather improves.

Someone else had a puncture with GP4000S tyres, and I could see the tyres were in a bad way with various small slits....seems they might be a tad delicate?

Hoopdriver

Punctures happen.

I happen to like the GP 4 Seasons very much and I must say I have not had any mishaps or flats with mine and I have been using them on my road bike for about 5 years now.

Whether you should change your tyres on the basis of one puncture from a staple you say would have given you a flat anyway, regardless of tyre, that's up to you but it seems a bit hasty.

TakeTurns

Keep your tyre pressure topped up.

drlodge

TakeTurns wrote:

Keep your tyre pressure topped up.

I am running at 110 psi.

drlodge

Hoopdriver wrote:

Punctures happen.

I happen to like the GP 4 Seasons very much and I must say I have not had any mishaps or flats with mine and I have been using them on my road bike for about 5 years now.

Whether you should change your tyres on the basis of one puncture from a staple you say would have given you a flat anyway, regardless of tyre, that's up to you but it seems a bit hasty.

Pretty much my thinking...the Sunday ride was on roads that are more narrow, wet and dirty than I would normally ride on, and I think I was just unlucky. I will keep an eye on the condition of the tyres, may be try out the GP 4 seasons on my "winter" bike, and keep the Rourke on cleaner roads!

nferrar

Yeah if you have a winter bike then stick them on there and use that when it's wet or there's lot of crap on the roads (like now following high winds and floods). I like them a lot as winter tyres but I don't think I'd bother changing out a GP4000s after one puncture for them, especially for something metal.

charlie_potatoes

drlodge wrote:

Someone else had a puncture with GP4000S tyres, and I could see the tyres were in a bad way with various small slits....seems they might be a tad delicate?

I have tried to run my GP4000's through the winter and regret it.

1 sportive I got a puncture and spent an hour the next day winkling out small bits of stone that had embeded in both tyres.

1 club run with two punctures and one tyre cut up so bad it had to be replaced.

I have replaced with 4 seasons so will see how they work out.

The trouble is with tyre recommendations is that its all subjective. Maybe I have been unlucky? If I hadn't had a puncture then I would be singing their praises.

I still think they are a great tyre for the summer though.

Omar Little

My experience with 4000s (and 4seasons as well but to a lesser extent) is that they are more prone to punctures in the wet than decent tyres from other brands. Which is a shame because are both excellent handling tyres in the wet and have decent puncture resistance in the dry.

I think tyre choice is also a bit geographical too - riders in certain parts of the country will be more prone to punctures from certain types of road debris - like flint / hawthorn / glass (etc) than other areas and different tyre compounds stand up differently to each type of debris.