grand prix 4 seasons or ultremo dd

silver2789

currently i'm on durano plus tyres, which have been great all rounders, but now i'm looking for an alternative to offer a bit more speed whilst still still keeping some puncture protection, I've been looking at the conti grand prix 4 seasons and the ultremo dd tyres.

anybody have experience with these tyres as to which is the better tyre in terms of durability puncture protection and speed

mikenetic

Can't comment on the Ultremo, but I run GP 4 Seasons year round on my bikes. Weekend bike has a pair of 25s and the puncture resistance is very good (only one puncture in a couple of thousand miles) and they are quite supple, so provide a decent ride. I run the 28mm version on my commuter bike.

slowbike

and I've run the 23mm GP4 seasons on my roadie since last Sept. Great tyres - but if you want something more racy then think about the GP4000s model

Monty Dog

The DD is a fast training tyre, more like a Michelin Pro 4 Endurance, Durano S whereas the GP4S is a heavier, all season training tyre - but the ride is dead and heavy in comparison. Depends on whether you want a fast, supple ride or fewer punctures? I've run DDs for a couple of seasons - reasonably good puncture protection but not very durable. GP4S lasted 4 years in comparison.

silver2789

i'm not a racer and don't think I ever will be, I do about 25miles a day round trip to work and back in all conditions and go out on weekends doing anywhere between 35-100 miles. I also like to take part in charity events/sportives. i have a specialized rbx sl3 so the frame makes up for comfort so the effect of the tyres isn't really an issue, i just want to push myself harder/ go faster whilst not having to change a tube every few miles lol. looking at a lot of reviews and forums the ultremos seem to get a lot of mixed opinions a lot good and a lot bad but the conti's seem to be consistant with positive reviews and recommendations so think i may give them a go.

bigpikle

The drawback of the Ultremo is the lack of durability so if you want piece of mind and less hassle etc its probably the GP 4 Seasons as they don't suffer from these issues as much. Mind you, commuting every day through all the crap on most of the roads in the UK means all bets are off really!

Tom Dean

Monty Dog wrote:

The DD is a fast training tyre, ... whereas the GP4S is a heavier, all season training tyre - but the ride is dead and heavy in comparison.

The DD is actually 20g heavier per tyre according to the Schwalbe and Conti specs. I would like to give them a go - you are right to say the GP4S (and contis in general)feel like hose pipes.

silver2789

got my 4 season tyres a few days ago and just thought i'd comment on how I've found them compared to my old durano plus's. to be honest I was quite disappointed with the gp4s, I have been riding them all week and put roughly 100miles on them. I would say the only place where these shined was the grip in the corners which is a vast improvement over the durano+. but that's it, I found them a bit more comfortable on the whole but to my surprise I found that the durano + tyres roll a lot faster even though they are heavier. according to strava my average speed has dropped about at least 2-3 mph overall since changing to the 4 season tyres.

my verdict, the 4 seasons are a cracking set of tyres but not worth nearly as much as the asking price. I think once these have worn out I wouldn't be in a rush to buy another set for a very long time. I think i'l give the ultremo dd tyres a shot next time

Hoopdriver

Suit yourself. I've been running Conti 4 Seasons for several years and find them to be worth every penny

roscorla

Just as I'm in the process of replacing a set of Ultremo DDs, I thought I'd share my experience. Despite my high hopes, they weren't that great, at least where puncture resistance was concerned. Mine lasted roughly a year and now the rear has a big hole in it where something managed to penetrate. My commute is urban, with a very short stretch of towpath. I generally used to puncture once every 6 weeks or so, which was an improvement over my Rubino Pros. Will be trying the GP 4 seasons next, as there's nothing worse than being stranded by the roadside on a dark winter night.

keef66

When I bought my Racelight Tk I knew I'd be riding all year round; Epic recommended 25mm GP4Seasons. Although I have nothing sensible to compare them with, I always thought they rode nicely. And if you exclude a brief Bambi moment on a diesel spill on a roundabout, I was impressed by the grip in cold and wet conditions. The rear lasted 4000 miles and the front 5000, and I rode both until patches of the tread disappeared revealing the carcase. In spite of that, they very rarely punctured. I can't blame them for the javelin-like thorn that went through the sidewall, or the pinch flats as a result of me not being arsed to pump them up. When they wore out I bought more of the same.

When I built up my CR1-SL I tried to do it as cheaply as possible, and I ended up with wire beaded Rubinos. Which were fine in the warm and dry, but on the second wet ride succumbed to a shard of flint that shredded the inner tube.

I think given their combination of longevity, puncture protection and winter grip, the GP4S are reasonable VFM.

kajjal

I have the 23mm 4 Seasons and they have been fine so far. I mainly do longer rides and there are no grip or comfort issues. They seem fairly puncture resistant as only a one inch nail and thorny branch have punctured them so far.

buckles

Bontrager Racelite Hardcase