Challenge to GP4000s II 25c?

jacksoneaker

Hey all,

I'm looking for new tires and was wondering if anyone has any alternatives to the GP4000s II in 25c.
That seems to be the king of the market and I'm willing to bet that some people have some staunch opinions one way or the other.

Any other tires I should consider?

Thanks,

Jackson

Bobbinogs

Schwalbe One. Be careful you don't buy the TL (tubeless version) unless you specifically want them.

They are a fast light grippy tyre with reasonable protection but can cut up a little like the Conti. It is a good time to look at them as they have been marginally updated so there are a few bargains. The new ones have an improved compound and a meaningless tread to distinguish them but the 'old' ones are still great. I just got a pair for £50, happy with that.

super_davo

What exactly are you after? Puncture protection? Long mileage? Grip? Low weight? Low rolling resistance? Cost?

All tyres have some sort of compromise between those factors, and GP4000s are decent all rounders, perhaps erring on the low weight/rolling resistance over long mileage. I wouldn't use them as a winter tyre for example - thats why Conti make GP4 seasons.

Vittoria Open Corsas are faster but more expensive and less durable, so they are my choice for the TT bike. I've always preferred Michelin Pro Race 4 Service Course as my all rounder summer tyre to GP4000s, as they do everything at least as well but are cheaper and don't cut up so much. They've now been superceded by the Power range, which may be the new "king of the market"; or alternatively you could use it as a opportunity to pick up PR4SCs at a great price.

meanredspider

I liked GP4000s but couldn't get through a wet ride without getting a flat so gave up on them. The Michelin 4SC mentioned above have been the tyre is replaced them with - though, for general purposes, I'm still using up my stock of Vitoria Rubino Pros.

marcusjb

Opening myself up to the deities that control this stuff, but I have never had a deflationary incident on GP4000s II tyres despite having used them on a number of long events (at least 3 1000km+ rides) and in some horrific conditions.

They are my favourite tyre by a long way. Fast and strong, last well, grippy.

They do cut up, but seem to hold up well.

I use 4 seasons for winter and then 4000 for summer.

I have tried a few other tyres in the past, Open Pave were about the best tyre I have ever ridden on, but they did not last at all long and were terrible for flats (and being a sub 60kg rider, I tend not to get them very often, so was very disappointed with those).

meanredspider

marcusjb wrote:

Opening myself up to the deities that control this stuff, but I have never had a deflationary incident on GP4000s II tyres despite having used them on a number of long events (at least 3 1000km+ rides) and in some horrific conditions.

They are my favourite tyre by a long way. Fast and strong, last well, grippy.

They do cut up, but seem to hold up well.

I use 4 seasons for winter and then 4000 for summer.

I have tried a few other tyres in the past, Open Pave were about the best tyre I have ever ridden on, but they did not last at all long and were terrible for flats (and being a sub 60kg rider, I tend not to get them very often, so was very disappointed with those).

It's funny that you've had entirely the reverse experience to me

I used Paves almost exclusively in NL (including my Amsterdam commute - LOADS of broken glass) and never punctured once in 2 years - 25kg heavier than you.

marcusjb

As the OP said - people have staunch opinions on tyres! They are a very comfy tyre, but really are not strong. I loved them, but couldn't put up with getting flats (as I said, I really do not get many at all generally, so the Paves were a real eye opener).

But there will be a whole bunch of people that hate GP4000s and have tales of getting 27 punctures on a ride to the shops!

I can't explain it really, I used to think that it was down to where you rode and the local stone washed onto the roads (i.e. the Chilterns need a strong tyre to deal with flints). But I ride far and wide and get similar results on tyres wherever I ride. I think weight does play a part, heavier riders do seem to get more flats, but even that is probably just anecdata.

meanredspider

Yup - I think it's just a case of what works for you. I used the GP4000s on London to Edinburgh and got a fair number of flats (I think I averaged 1 per 100 miles) and covered a fair bit of the country.

It's like the "Rubinos will kill you in the wet" view - lots of people believe this whilst a bunch of us swear by them.

I'm not sure why these experiences are all so different.

hsiaolc

jacksoneaker wrote:

Hey all,

I'm looking for new tires and was wondering if anyone has any alternatives to the GP4000s II in 25c.
That seems to be the king of the market and I'm willing to bet that some people have some staunch opinions one way or the other.

Any other tires I should consider?

Thanks,

Jackson

Plenty. I've used to use GP4000s II exclusively but had two punctures and swapped for more puncture proof tires. Never looked back. My favourite is Durano Plus for city commuting and through winter if not using Tubeless.

I now only use Tubeless and one of the best thing I've ever adpoted two years ago.


But if I have to go clinchers I will choose one of the following:

Schewalbe pro one.

Vittoria Rubino Pro G+ Folding Graphene Tyre

Schwalbe Durano Plus

Michelin Pro4 Endurance V2 Folding Tyre

and others.

I've stopped GP4000s II a long time ago.

mercia_man

Have a look at http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com for an interesting comparison of virtually every tyre on the market tested in controlled laboratory conditions for rolling resistance, puncture resistance, weight and actual size. Obviously, it doesn't cover real world durability and performance on the roads but it makes a good read.

Its three best recommended tyres for general fast road use until recently were the GP4000s II, the Vittoria Open Corsa G+ Graphene and the Schwalbe One V Guard, all highly rated overall and virtually identical in rolling resistance. The new Michelin Power Competition, however, now joins them as "one of the top performing road tyres with average puncture resistance". And it is slightly quicker than the other three in the lab tests. I would have thought any of those four tyres would be a good choice. I personally find the Schwalbe Ones to be excellent.

Another interesting finding is a rolling resistance comparison between the same tyre (Schwalbe One) with latex, ultra light butyl and standard butyl tubes. Latex tubes give you the edge if you want extra speed.

arlowood

My vote goes for the Michelin Pro4 Endurance V2

Ran 25's for a fair while before swapping to 28's when they were introduced back in 2016. Great tyre for all round use with good p******e resistance. Had only one instance with the 25 tyres in over a year of riding. To date (touch wood) the 28's have given me over 800 miles of p-free riding. Smooth and comfy and with the introduction of the Power Endurance, they can be sourced at keen prices

drwae

I used Specialized All Condition Armadillo tyres before I switched to GP4000S II and they seem pretty similar.