GP4000s & Pro Race 3

NWLondoner
NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
edited January 2009 in Workshop
Are their any riders here who have used BOTH and if so which do you prefer.

I am a GP4000s user but keep wanting to try the Pro Race 3.

Comments

  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Pro3 for me, I prefer it. Both are excellent but the GP4000 tends to have a flatter shape when it wears. Don't forget the excellent Schwalbe Ultremo too.
  • I've used both. Cant really tell the difference to be honest - both feel pretty good and aren't prone to punctures in my experience. I would just get whichever one was cheapest.
  • TheStone
    TheStone Posts: 2,291
    I found the Pro3s much better.

    My GP4000s cut up very quick which could be bad luck, but had a lot more puctures, lack of grip and just didn't seem to roll as nice.

    The Pro2s were great, but the Pro3s seem a massive leap forward in every way.
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  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    The ProRace 3 has a lot more grip - I've had too many sketchy moments on GP4000s in the wet to recommend them. The Schwalbe is consided equal to the PR3s but tend to be more expensive
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  • I went the other way :)

    I had a couple of pairs of pro race 3's but had numerous punctures, including front punctures which I'd never had before, so thought i'd try the gp4000s - six months on, no punctures, no difference in grip or ride that i can tell, very happy.

    I do think that people, myself included, tend to form a myth about tyres - so I get half a dozen punctures over a couple of months on pro race 3's and it affects my view of the tyre, whereas in reality i probably would have gone through the unlucky phase on gp4000s too. Also when we compare tyres we tend to compare a worn out old tyre with the brand-new tyre, which colours our judgement.

    Punchline - the question is more whether you really want a race tyre with the compromises that brings. If you do, then gp4000s and pro race 3's are equally superb

    jon
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I have a GP4000S on the back, and a GP4000 on the front, I do notice they have lots of large holes in them/tears, but they are still going strong, I might try the Pro Race 3's next though.
  • cycling plus gave pro race 3's a good review, i have a mate with the contis and he likes them
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  • Ricardo H
    Ricardo H Posts: 167
    anyone using pr 3 during the winter? how do they cope with damp gritty roads?. got a pair last week with the intention of keeping them untill spring.
  • BUICK
    BUICK Posts: 362
    There's been a really good deal on Pro 3's through davehinde.com in the last few weeks if that makes a difference?
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  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    Ricardo H wrote:
    anyone using pr 3 during the winter? how do they cope with damp gritty roads?. got a pair last week with the intention of keeping them untill spring.
    Had prorace3 on my commute were great in the summer, but we came to October-November and they cut up very quickly Ademort
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  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    BUICK wrote:
    There's been a really good deal on Pro 3's through davehinde.com

    and ribble, £46 a pair inc delivery!
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  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    a_n_t wrote:
    BUICK wrote:
    There's been a really good deal on Pro 3's through davehinde.com

    and ribble, £46 a pair inc delivery!

    i just ordered a pair of the digital blue/black ones 8)
  • huggy
    huggy Posts: 242
    I've been using the pro 3 service course (Don't know if there is a difference) all winter and they've been fine.
  • N4PALM
    N4PALM Posts: 240
    This is exactly the question I've been pondering.

    If it helps you out German Tour magazine tested various tyres and found the GP4000S to be the best with Pro2 Race and Schwalbe Ultremo coming up next best.

    This was before the Pro3 Race was released tho. The Pro2 gave excellent results and the Pro3 is supposed to be better. I suspect the difference between the two will be negligable or just down to personal preference or how much glass you tend to ride over and whatnot.

    Here be a link to that article: http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/general/downloads/download/tourtest_gp4000s_en.pdf


    TBH I'm only pondering the choice due to the lack of availability of the Michelin Krylion's. The due date keeps getting pushed back and its getting quite frustrating. PBK had a small stock of them a couple of days ago from somewhere, they sold out almost instantly.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    N4PALM wrote:
    If it helps you out German Tour magazine tested various tyres and found the GP4000S to be the best with Pro2 Race and Schwalbe Ultremo coming up next best.

    Tour seem a bit biased to me.

    This seems a bit more like the results I'd expect:

    http://biketechreview.com/tires/images/ ... g_rev8.pdf
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  • I have one set of either on different wheels.

    Honestly, I can't tell the difference, like most bike parts.
  • N4PALM
    N4PALM Posts: 240
    Tour seem a bit biased to me.

    I think there are a few ways one could pick holes in the testing methods that Tour used. Not least of which being the "coincidental" fact that the test was done at a Continental tyre tesing facility. But Conti are german, so is the mag it makes sense for them to do it in conti's well equipped facilities. All the tyres underwent the same tests so even if one can find fault with their methods the results are still comparable to each other.

    Biased or not would they really falsify the results or rig the tests to favour Conti? That would surely lack journalistic integrity. I doubt that was the case.

    This seems a bit more like the results I'd expect:

    http://biketechreview.com/tires/images/ ... g_rev8.pdf

    That chart is interesting. Lacks any puncture and grip testing focusing purely on rolling efficiency tho. Unless you are only interested in efficient straight line speed it doesnt hold much value. The Tour article considers wet cornering grip and puncture resistance as well as rolling efficiency.
  • wilwil
    wilwil Posts: 374
    That would surely lack journalistic integrity. I doubt that was the case.


    LOL
  • I really like the 25 mm tyres I have for a little bit of extra comfort without feeling slow, and at some point Michelin are supposed to be releasing 25 mm PR3s, whereas gp4000s are 23 mm only.

    I quite liked the Tour test as I felt it was a decent stab at being quantitative whereas so many tyre reviews seem a bit faith-based to me. No surprise that Conti came out well if the tests were informed by their methodology. Most people I've talked to can't find much between GP4000s, Ultremos and PR3s, perhaps GP4000s bit better on punctures, Ultremos lightest and PR3s feel quickest. Tiny differences though....
  • I have one set of either on different wheels.

    Honestly, I can't tell the difference, like most bike parts.

    So not just me then!
  • larmurf
    larmurf Posts: 110
    N4PALM wrote:
    But Conti are german, so is the mag it makes sense for them to do it in conti's well equipped facilities.


    IMO it discredits the tests from the start and makes them worthless. I would not be
    surprised if the nice cooperative people from Continental carried out the tests
    for the magazine.

    As for "Journalistic integrity" - mutually contradictory come to mind
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  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    Petromyzon wrote:
    I really like the 25 mm tyres I have for a little bit of extra comfort without feeling slow, and at some point Michelin are supposed to be releasing 25 mm PR3s, whereas gp4000s are 23 mm only

    new Conti Grand Prix is 24mm - best of both worlds...
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    I have one set of either on different wheels.

    Honestly, I can't tell the difference, like most bike parts.

    So not just me then!



    +1 i got gp4000 on winter and used to prefer them until i punped up the pr3's properly now they both seem infinately better than the bits of cloth i used to have on the 'dale
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    I have one set of either on different wheels.

    Honestly, I can't tell the difference, like most bike parts.

    So not just me then!



    +1 i got gp4000 on winter and used to prefer them until i pumped up the pr3's properly now they both seem infinately better than the bits of cloth i used to have on the 'dale
  • I definitely could not tell the difference without looking.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'll be trying the Pro 3's next.

    Running Tircomp quattro's at the moment, slower acceleration but for holding speed, I don't know?

    I have the Evo CX's on my shelve and I might try them in summer if I don't sell them.

    I'm sure my GP4000's where slowing me down towards the end of there life.
  • Dustine
    Dustine Posts: 184
    Before i swopped them onto another bike, my Krylions had done 2500 commuter miles, and still had a fair bit of wear left in them, but they had cut up quite badly and i suffered more punctures than expected. Pro Race 2's i got through very quickly on the rough roads round here, with terminal cuts through sidewalls and tread.

    I have fitted GP4000S 's to a 'best' bike, but havent yet taken it out so cant comment on them.
  • Harp
    Harp Posts: 79
    I find it amazing that some people can tell the difference between a fast tyre and a slow one :shock:
    I've had PR2 , PR3, Attack/ Force / and for the life of me I couldn't honestly tell one from the other. My winter bike has 8 quid Conti Spors or summat and again I'm not sure when I get the other bike out with the PR3s I'll be able to tell the diff.
    I can't quite convince myself to race on the cheap £8 jobs though in case they are costing me 10 watts !!!!! ( I need all that I produce to get to the road within reason ! )