Continental Grand Prix 4000 S

anjasola

I've been a long time user of these and the MK2 version, 700x23c.
Any personal recommendations for alternative tyres ?

alanparsons

anjasola wrote:

I've been a long time user of these and the MK2 version, 700x23c.
Any personal recommendations for alternative tyres ?

Currently using Continental Attack/Force combo.
Same puncture protection, differentiated size for front and rear.

cycleclinic

Vittoria open corsa

Anonymous

Malcolm, do you know all the difference between all the different types of Evo CX? Currently have CX II but about to wear out. Mostly looking at the CX III from p-x or ribble where they have a load of different 2 letter suffix ones.

CxII and CX III at p-x

Just CX at ribble plus a whole load of other ones. Looking at CX III in 25mm for the best bike. Or Durano raceguard.

mfin

Or go for Veloflex Corsa in 25 if you want http://www.wiggle.co.uk/veloflex-corsa-25-clincher-folding-road-tyre/

mfin

OP, if you want something instead of a GP4000s what qualities are you looking for in an alternative?

cycleclinic

I could explain it but it written down here on the distributors website. Watch out for the cheaper version it has a lower tpi casing and inferior compound I. E old stock tyres. The current open corsa has a 320 tpi casing and iso grip compound. Accept no substitute. I love the open corsa sc myself but the CXIII which on the distributors website is just the CX will do nicely.
http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.ph ... b=12&ord=2


Tried the Veloflex corsa twice both rides yes just two I got one mile from house before sssssssshhhhh and I went home. It was wet and flint got the tyre both times. Got a pair of 22mm veloce corsa if anyone wants them I can't trust them myself and will never use them again. Then again recently I have been puncturing tubeless tyres with regularity Just unlikely with where I live.

JC78DSL99

I did 2 years on 23 mm GP4000s, just changed to 25 mm Open Corsas. So much better, night & day even now - cant wait for the weather to improve. The quality of construction is obvious and they are so much more comfortable. Did consider schwalbe ones as they are cheaper. Got them from Ribble on the twin pack deal.

letap73

JC78DSL99 wrote:

I did 2 years on 23 mm GP4000s, just changed to 25 mm Open Corsas. So much better, night & day even now - cant wait for the weather to improve. The quality of construction is obvious and they are so much more comfortable. Did consider schwalbe ones as they are cheaper. Got them from Ribble on the twin pack deal.

The trade off is the Corsas will do less mileage than the GP4000s on average before they wear out?

Anonymous

Yep. I uses to ride GP4000s on my only bike. Now have 2 bikes. Open corsa Evo CX II on best and hosepipes on the winter bike. GPS last a surprisingly long time. Corsas do 2000 or so before they're dead.

Thanks for that Malcolm. will keep an eye out for the isogrip.

cycleclinic

Yes but those 2000 miles are so lush it's worth it.

apreading

JC78DSL99 wrote:

I did 2 years on 23 mm GP4000s, just changed to 25 mm Open Corsas. So much better, night & day even now - cant wait for the weather to improve. The quality of construction is obvious and they are so much more comfortable. Did consider schwalbe ones as they are cheaper. Got them from Ribble on the twin pack deal.

Well - 25mm GP4000S would have been so much more comfortable too. 28mm ones even better still!

jordan_217

GP4000S have been slowly getting worse IME. The first 'proper' tyre I ever used and every time I bought new ones they always seemed to cut up and puncture that little bit easier. The last pair I bought were binned after a few weeks usage and a club run wherein I punctured 6 times (I know from lining up the valve stem with the logo that they punctured in multiple places)

Theres been similar reports on here and my friends and club mates all had similar experiences with ones bought last year just before the mk2 was launched.

I've switched to Michelin Pro 4 Service Course now and they are a nicer tyre all round.

ugo.santalucia

The corsa are desperately screaming to become tubeless... if it's wet you have an almost guaranteed puncture

Anonymous

I did the very wet RideLondon on Open Corsa CX (III with ISOgrip on the box) without a puncture last year.
I think I was in denial of the rain coming lol.
No punctures though, but a few slashes.

I have just noticed a couple of spares I bought are not ISOgrip. Says CX II on the box and has 'Kevlar SiO2' and 'Twin Tread' on the side of box instead of 'ISOgrip'
Still 320TPI though.
Thinking I should sell them (or send back if wiggle) as still in box.
I have also been confused by the different variants.

Edit: Just checked, not wiggle :-( wiggle were the ISOgrip ones.

jordan_217

Do Vittoria measure their TPI based on ply, e.g 2 ply x 160 TPI = 320 TPI?

Some manufactures state the TPI or a single ply and some the net amount making some look more supple than others. I've noticed Conti now say 330 for the 4000S, 3 x110. They used to say just 110.

Anonymous

Ugo - not true. I have ridden mine down to the carcass with only 1 flat, and in all sorts of poor weather (and I am generally unlucky with punctures at the best of times)

I guess we want to go for these then:
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVICORSEV ... lding-tyre

and not these:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... itttyrf261

even though they are both 320TPI. Ribble doesn't state the isogrip

Bozman

I used Open Corsa CX for a couple of years and I got about 2k out of a rear but you'd get three rears to a front, the performance in the dry is second to none, I found the performance in the wet ok until I had a couple of offs, one was down to new rubber but I couldn't find an answer to the other so I lost all confidence in the tyre.
I reluctantly gave Michelin Pro4 a go when they were on offer, I can't fault them in the wet and dry and they feel so much better than the 4000s that I've used too.

JC78DSL99

Have a look on the Vittoria website for the latest version/specs of the Open Corsa. Anything with a number is not the latest version (Planet x). Ribble stock the latest version - it is simply called the Open Corsa CX.

Bar Shaker

I've tried Corsas, GP4000S and 4000S II in recent years. The 4000S II win hands down.

I moved from Corsa to the S II and there was no difference in comfort or rolling resistance but a massive difference in cornering stability and confidence.

The Conti rubber compound is streets ahead of anything else. It also doesn't cut up like the Corsas did.

ddraver

anjasola wrote:

I've been a long time user of these and the MK2 version, 700x23c.
Any personal recommendations for alternative tyres ?

Schwalbe Ones

cycleclinic

I have only tried the schwable one in tubeless form and therefore I do not know what the standard clincher feels like.

Having ridden both the GP4000s and the GP4000SII and the open corsa SC 320TPI isogrip tyres the latest version of the Corsa has similar rolling resistance to the conti tyres but ride comfort and grip I think are slightly better. I did not find they even cut up much. No more than the conti's and given I trash tyres quite quickly with big cuts and holes this was a result.

Maybe the poster who likes the GP4000s tyre over the open corsa is comparing it to the older 270 TPI tyre without the ISO grip compound. Those were not as good. Comparisons need to state what the tyre is being compared too. Unhelpfully there are many versions of the Open Corsa and not all are equal.

Actually I like both and there is not a huge amount in it to be fair.

anjasola

mfin wrote:

OP, if you want something instead of a GP4000s what qualities are you looking for in an alternative?

Thanks for the reply. The same or better would be a quick answer, I was just wondering if I should have a change, stuck in a rut syndrome ?

I usuall buy four GP4000s Mk11 at a time from Germany for approx £100 all in.

mfin

anjasola wrote:

mfin wrote:

OP, if you want something instead of a GP4000s what qualities are you looking for in an alternative?

Thanks for the reply. The same or better would be a quick answer, I was just wondering if I should have a change, stuck in a rut syndrome ?

I usuall buy four GP4000s Mk11 at a time from Germany for approx £100 all in.

I use Veloflex OPen Corsas, Vittoria Open Corsa CX and the SC for 'good weather best bike' duties, but I'm not concerned with how long they last! (and I don't get much in the way punctures or cuts where I am).

For winter riding I've used GP4000s and the MkII version, but last time I needed new ones I tried these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vredestein-fortezza-senso-all-weather-superlite-tyre/. I got them on the basis that I wanted to try something else that would be good for grip in wet weather, but might feel better to ride than the Contis. They definitely do feel better than the Contis, and wet grip has been perfectly good too.

Note that the black ones are not quite jet black, they are ever so slightly grey. I don't expect them to last like the Contis though as the Contis are very good in that respect. They get good reviews which turned me to trying them.

Anyway, if curiosity doesn't get the better of you, it sounds like you're probably happy with the Contis.

apreading

anjasola wrote:

mfin wrote:

OP, if you want something instead of a GP4000s what qualities are you looking for in an alternative?

Thanks for the reply. The same or better would be a quick answer, I was just wondering if I should have a change, stuck in a rut syndrome ?

I usuall buy four GP4000s Mk11 at a time from Germany for approx £100 all in.

I think the change you should make is to try some 25mm (if they will fit your frame). No reason not to try them in 4000S as you already seem happy with them but even if you go for another tyre I still think you should try 25mm.

iPete

Gave up with Conti a few years ago and have had a great time commuting, training and racing this winter with Michelin Pro4 service course in 25c.

Vredestein Fortezza Quattro TriComp are also my most reliable tyre ever but they only come in 23c and are discontinued. The current set on my fixie commuter are 5,000 London glass and pot hole ridden miles old. My Contis used to last about 1k miles before being ruined.

bondurant

I am another recent convert from GP4000S to Pro 4 SC. Very happy so far with their feel, grip and puncture resistance.

Relatively early days though.

paulc33

I have always used gp4000s mk1&2. I have used 23mm in past and now use 25mm. But last week got a pair of specialized s works turbo tyres in 24mm. They are by far the best tyres I have used for grip smoothness and speed.
Got them on the specialized tyre amnesty too so at a good price.