Conti GP4000s | 4 Seasons | Gatorskins

david7m

Hello

Anybody used all 3?

Currently on the GP's and looking to change them for the winter months.

Looking at the tread pattern, they aren't vastly different across the 3 and reading mixed reports on the compounds. Some articles are saying the winter tyres are harder compound to reduce punctures, other say softer to increase grip in the wet. A bit confusing !!

Dave

craigus89

I run GP4K's in the summer and 4 seasons in the winter. Supposedly a little less likely to puncture and more of a 'winter' compound without compromising the performance too much.

Don't buy Gatorskins, they are puncture resistant but so is a cart wheel, they feel terrible, don't have much grip and have poor rolling resistance.

joe_totale-2

GP4000's for the spring/summer
4 Seasons for the autumn/winter
Gatorskins for the rubbish bin

david7m

lol, cheers both
Dave

lettingthedaysgoby

4000’s all year round.

david7m

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

4000’s all year round.

Interesting. How you find the grip in the winter? Cant imagine any tyre going to work on wet leaves, but how about cold and wet tarmac.

Dave

joe_totale-2

david7m wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

4000’s all year round.

Interesting. How you find the grip in the winter? Cant imagine any tyre going to work on wet leaves, but how about cold and wet tarmac.

Dave

It's not really a grip issue as GP4000's have great grip. It's more a puncture issue as there are more things on the roads in the winter that can cause a puncture and the 4 seasons are a fair bit more robust.

Then again sometimes you'll get a puncture whatever tyres you use, I know others who use GP4000's all year round.

Bottom briquettes

Gatorskins = Skaterskins, I’d avoid them like the plague, if I were you. GP 4 seasons grip and roll well, but are flakey, puncture magnets, in my experience. I’d recommend either Michelin Pro 4 endurance, or Schwalbe Durano plus. The D+ are more resilient, and pretty much bullet proof, but they are heavy and draggy in comparison to the Michelins.

Vino'sGhost

Stick with the GP 4000's if youre going to get a puncture youre going to get a puncture. Ive had three since january and im on over 7,000 miles now. keep em pumped up and check for stuff lodged in them. They feel so much better i reckon any minor increase in punctures is probs worth it.

MiddleRinger

I've used all three. I really rate the Conti GP4000S II tyres. If you live in the UK then...

Joe Totale wrote:

GP4000's for the spring/summer
4 Seasons for the autumn/winter
Gatorskins for the rubbish bin

But living where I do now it's...

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

4000’s all year round.

stueys

Joe Totale wrote:

GP4000's for the spring/summer
4 Seasons for the autumn/winter
Gatorskins for the rubbish bin

This.

GP4k are a puncture fest in the wet and grime
4S have great puncture resistance with a smidge of extra weight gain, plus have better wet weather grip than 4k IMHO
Gatorskins are horrible, grip is useless on them

david7m

Cheers.
I've ordered a 4S in 25c to check it fits the rear as it's mega close to the frame, if not it can go on the front where clearance is improved.
Dave

craigus89

david7m wrote:

Cheers.
I've ordered a 4S in 25c to check it fits the rear as it's mega close to the frame, if not it can go on the front where clearance is improved.
Dave

My 4S have come up smaller in 25's than the GP4K's. Should be alright.

david7m

Good to know, thanks.
Dave

OnTheRopes

GP4000sII all year round, grip is not an issue, pretty good puncture resistance.

photonic69

None of the above.

These: Continental Grand Prix GT's
https://road.cc/content/review/100354-c ... ix-gt-tyre

I use them all year round and they are very good.

ayjaycee

I've used all of them at one time or another over the last three years and now use 4 Seasons exclusively. Maybe it's me not being 'at one' with my bike (or some such new age cobblers) but I don't think I could tell the difference in the ride and handling between 4 Seasons and 4000s wet or dry (both excellent) but had more punctures in the latter than the former. As for Gatorskins, they would have to be the last tyre available to me before I used them - good puncture resistance but awful in every other department.

Sutton_Rider

You might find this interesting:
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... turbo-2016

First.Aspect

I use 4000s all year round as well. Tread pattern is decorative. Nothing is going to make leaf mulch trippy I'm afraid. I'm going to guess that the actual compound is the same or similar across all 3, with the differences being the carcass and thickness of the tread.

In my experience there is a bigger step than there should be from the 4000s to any other conti tyre in terms of ride quality. So I trade that for a higher puncture risk.

philbar72

4000s all year round. they get cut up more in winter but that's life.

keef66

When I had just one bike I ran GP4S year round for an easy, largely puncture free life. Grippy in the cold and wet, but not especially long lived. After a couple of years the compound starts to crack and the wear really accelerates. Which makes their eye-watering cost harder to justify.

When I acquired a second 'best' bike, partly for reasons of cost I tried Michelin Pro 4 SCs. Lovely ride, but 2 terminal sidewall cuts later I switched to Pro 4 Endurance. So far, so good.

Might put some on the winter bike when the current 4S expire.

daniel_b

PhotoNic69 wrote:

None of the above.

These: Continental Grand Prix GT's
https://road.cc/content/review/100354-c ... ix-gt-tyre

I use them all year round and they are very good.

Never heard of those - look interesting.
I'm a die hard Durano Plus fan, but these work out at 400g less for a pair, interesting.

craigus89

keef66 wrote:

When I had just one bike I ran GP4S year round for an easy, largely puncture free life. Grippy in the cold and wet, but not especially long lived. After a couple of years the compound starts to crack and the wear really accelerates. Which makes their eye-watering cost harder to justify.

When I acquired a second 'best' bike, partly for reasons of cost I tried Michelin Pro 4 SCs. Lovely ride, but 2 terminal sidewall cuts later I switched to Pro 4 Endurance. So far, so good.

Might put some on the winter bike when the current 4S expire.

30 quid is hardly eye-watering for decent tyres.

cycleclinic

Gator skin tubs though are quite good.

The 4 seasons was the most unreliable tyre I have ever used well actually the second most. The veloflex Corsa was the worst.

david7m

Craigus89 wrote:

david7m wrote:

Cheers.
I've ordered a 4S in 25c to check it fits the rear as it's mega close to the frame, if not it can go on the front where clearance is improved.
Dave

My 4S have come up smaller in 25's than the GP4K's. Should be alright.

Yep. Fitted 25 4 seasons today and it's approx. the same clearance as 23 in 4000s.
Ordering another for the front now

Dave

perfectmark

keef66 wrote:

When I had just one bike I ran GP4S year round for an easy, largely puncture free life. Grippy in the cold and wet, but not especially long lived. After a couple of years the compound starts to crack and the wear really accelerates. Which makes their eye-watering cost harder to justify.

When I acquired a second 'best' bike, partly for reasons of cost I tried Michelin Pro 4 SCs. Lovely ride, but 2 terminal sidewall cuts later I switched to Pro 4 Endurance. So far, so good.

Might put some on the winter bike when the current 4S expire.

I agree on the GP4S, never got a puncture on them, but I would probably prefer a more slick version of the GP4S where the tread might not break up as much.

I am currently on GP4000 on the front and Michelin Pro Endurance on the back. I used to run a GP4000 on the rear but had a rear sidewall blow out (others seem to have this problem too), they are a very nice tyre, but don't want to risk them on the rear again.

On the Michelin tyre, maybe I am just having bad luck, but I don't rate them any more puncture resistant than the GP4000s (maybe a little less even). Probably had 4 punctures on them in the 18months I have had them (normally just after it rains). So will be getting something else when they completely wear out.

As for the Gatorskins, I use them on my backup wheels (which generally only get use in the winter months). They are not as nice a tyre to ride on as the others, but last for years and as long as you are careful about not cycling over manhole covers in the rain, you shouldn't have any issues.

perfectmark

PhotoNic69 wrote:

None of the above.

These: Continental Grand Prix GT's
https://road.cc/content/review/100354-c ... ix-gt-tyre

I use them all year round and they are very good.

For some reason I always thought they were even more race orientated version of the GP4000s. Didn't realise they sit between the GP4000 and GP4S. Thanks, will have to give them a go next.

Bottom briquettes

I was averaging about 2 punctures per ride, with the GP4000sII, which was a bit of a pain, on an 11 or 12 hour ride, but I’d let that go, because of the performance and comfort advantages, and the fact they almost fall off the rim, and are really easy to remount. The 4 seasons, however, were never anything but total manure. Not only did they cut up, worse than plasticine, puncture regularly, and not afford particularly good grip or traction, but the side walls were forever developing bulges, and sometimes the carcass did as well. For an ‘endurance’ tyre, they are dreadful. Admittedly I do more extreme mileages, on some very poorly surfaced roads, than most people I know who use them, but that means I have a better idea of how they really perform. They are ( typically) more expensive than some of the ( better ) competition as well.

ayjaycee

Bottom briquettes wrote:

I was averaging about 2 punctures per ride, with the GP4000sII, which was a bit of a pain, on an 11 or 12 hour ride, but I’d let that go, because of the performance and comfort advantages, and the fact they almost fall off the rim, and are really easy to remount. The 4 seasons, however, were never anything but total manure. Not only did they cut up, worse than plasticine, puncture regularly, and not afford particularly good grip or traction, but the side walls were forever developing bulges, and sometimes the carcass did as well. For an ‘endurance’ tyre, they are dreadful. Admittedly I do more extreme mileages, on some very poorly surfaced roads, than most people I know who use them, but that means I have a better idea of how they really perform. They are ( typically) more expensive than some of the ( better ) competition as well.

You're either doing something seriously wrong or talking complete and utter ballocks!

imposter2.0

ayjaycee wrote:

Bottom briquettes wrote:

I was averaging about 2 punctures per ride, with the GP4000sII, which was a bit of a pain, on an 11 or 12 hour ride, but I’d let that go, because of the performance and comfort advantages, and the fact they almost fall off the rim, and are really easy to remount. The 4 seasons, however, were never anything but total manure. Not only did they cut up, worse than plasticine, puncture regularly, and not afford particularly good grip or traction, but the side walls were forever developing bulges, and sometimes the carcass did as well. For an ‘endurance’ tyre, they are dreadful. Admittedly I do more extreme mileages, on some very poorly surfaced roads, than most people I know who use them, but that means I have a better idea of how they really perform. They are ( typically) more expensive than some of the ( better ) competition as well.

You're either doing something seriously wrong or talking complete and utter ballocks!

Most likely both. Not to mention that the 'extreme mileages' have also been proven as pure fantasy when he was in his previous incarnation as Milemuncher.

My own experience of both tyres (GP4K and GP4S) is a bit different. No punctures at all during several years use on GP4K, and one puncture (thorn) in 3-4 winters of using GP4S.

Bottom briquettes

Imposter wrote:

ayjaycee wrote:

Bottom briquettes wrote:

I was averaging about 2 punctures per ride, with the GP4000sII, which was a bit of a pain, on an 11 or 12 hour ride, but I’d let that go, because of the performance and comfort advantages, and the fact they almost fall off the rim, and are really easy to remount. The 4 seasons, however, were never anything but total manure. Not only did they cut up, worse than plasticine, puncture regularly, and not afford particularly good grip or traction, but the side walls were forever developing bulges, and sometimes the carcass did as well. For an ‘endurance’ tyre, they are dreadful. Admittedly I do more extreme mileages, on some very poorly surfaced roads, than most people I know who use them, but that means I have a better idea of how they really perform. They are ( typically) more expensive than some of the ( better ) competition as well.

You're either doing something seriously wrong or talking complete and utter ballocks!

Most likely both. Not to mention that the 'extreme mileages' have also been proven as pure fantasy when he was in his previous incarnation as Milemuncher.

My own experience of both tyres (GP4K and GP4S) is a bit different. No punctures at all during several years use on GP4K, and one puncture (thorn) in 3-4 winters of using GP4S.

Yeah right I’d love to show you what an idiot you are, by posting the ‘relives’ of my big rides. It’s a bit too much effort to expend on a muppet like you though. I may still do it just to make a massive honking arse out of you, but it’ll take a while to extract them.