If you have brakes, ive seen these last anywhere from 3k to 5k miles on road bikes. Ill be examining the continental grand prix 4000s ii. The continental grand prix 4 season tire strikes an excellent balance between these competing goals. Continentals grand prix 4season tires are something of a goldilocks, slotted between the companys raceoriented grand prix 4000s and trainingtough gatorskin tires. Continental grand prix 4 season tire clincher competitive. The gatorskin is not going to be as thick as the thickslick but is going to be just as good when it comes to puncture resistance. Continental grand prix 4 season folding road tyre 700c.
Although you can get away with a mountain bike tyre on a road bike, theres no point putting a road tyre onto a mountain bike. In our opinion, its a true jack of all trade and an absolute musthave for any rider who plans on riding on through the fall. I have gp 4000s on race wheels and was looking for gatorskins for training wheels. Higher tpi, lighter if the given numbers can be trusted, and hopefully equally durable or. The continental grand prix 4000 s ii provides the ideal combination of comfort, puncture protection and low rolling resistance making it a race day and training favorite. Gp 4 seasons gator hardhsell gatorskins rolling resistance.
The 23 best road bike tires in 2020 buyers guide trigearlab. Continental grand prix 4 season vectran vs continental gatorskin tyres. Modeled on the legendary gatorskin, the hardshell ups the ante with full beadtobead duraskin mesh to keep punctures to an. I have just purchased my fourth consecutive 25mm gp 4 season vectran for the back wheel.
This road bike tyre has been raceproven on one of the toughest road rides on the pro tour, the. I know that there have been many positive comments here about the gatorskins, but the 4 seasons seem to be a better version of those. The only negative is these are tough to install, not as bad as gatorskin but youll need two high quality tire levers and lots of patience. Higher tpi, lighter if the given numbers can be trusted, and hopefully equally durable or more so. The continental gp 4 season tire is a robust allseason tire that you can rely on and not even more about it being punctured or its lifespan. Beadtobead protection of duraskin, the hardshell casing wraps further into the sidewall. It is more durable and puncture resistant than most racing tires, and better handling than most heavy duty tires. The gatorskin is another extraordinarily popular allaround bike tire line. I have used these tyres in spain in the mountains and the grip and rolling resistant was excellent and iu0019m a big rider. This page includes all data collected by our tests including all size. Continental gatorskin vs conti grand prix 4 season posted on december 18, 2017 by manager road bike clincher tyre gatorskin folding tyre. My commute is about 45 miles rt and i would say the 4 season is a much more forgiving tire in 28mm than say the gatorskin in similar sizing.
Continental grand prix 4 season laufrichtung grand prix. The gatorskins feature two distinct layers of puncture protection. Yes the gatorskins are a more puncture resistant tire but along with that they have to be a harder compound and so for that reason dont corner that well especially in wet weather and my one bad experience with them was on a rando ride ab out 4 am in the morning on a wet unfamilar road and i almost wiped. Peter taylor is a bike nut and the owner of bicycle universe. My rear gp 4 seasons exploded after 3000 miles, sidewall completely split along the bead. Superb puncture protection, safe to say it no thorns or autumnal debris would stop this tyre in its tracks. In addition to the gp 4season, continentals ultra sport ii is another popular tire competing with gatorskin, which features a blocky, triangular tread pattern on its extreme sides. Black casing with duraskin sidewall reinforcement for extra protection against cuts and abrasion.
Theyre similar to the gp40004 season tires, but a little heavier and a little slower geared more toward training than allweather racing. Continental gatorskin vs continental grand prix 4 season. Continental gator hardshell tire competitive cyclist. These are a great hybrid between something durable like gatorskins and something faster like the gp 5000. Continental gator hardshell duraskin folding tire bike closet.
Continental grand prix 4 season vectran road tyre chain. As durable as the conti gatorskin, but with greater performance. Continental gatorskin vs continental grand prix 4 season vs schwalbe durano. Aushiker the conti tires are about all i have used and heres my experiences with them. Continental gatorskin vs conti grand prix 4 season posted on december 18, 2017 by manager road bike clincher tyre gatorskin folding tyre vs continental grand prix 4 season. Mother nature has met her match with the continental grand prix 4 season tire. My rule of thumb is to break in new tires over 510 miles as theyre generally pretty slick right out of the box. I decided to get the continental gp 4 season because according to bicycle rolling resistance the 4 season has the same puncture protection as the gatorskins but they actually have grip. Competitively priced and cheaper than some of the other continental models like the gp 4 season tire and the gp4000, this is our pick of best allaround tire for bike commuting and general allaround use and is highly recommended. As the name suggests, this model is more sportoriented than the gatorskin and marketed as an allaround training tire.
The difference between continental grand prix 4000 s ii and continental gatorskin tires is simple. As stated the 4 season 28 is available in folding version but i am not sure why everyone has an issue with beaded tires. The gatorskin is about half again the weight of the 4 seasons, but i didnt mind for the commute. New continental gp 5000 tyres gcn techs first ride duration. Ill be examining the continental grand prix 4000s ii vs 4 seasons and letting. Continental gatorskin vs continental super sport plus. Continental grand prix 4 season road bike tyre is a highstandard tyre you can rely on, featuring two vectran anti punctures beneath the tread, giving you maximum protection. Ive not had a puncture on either tyre, but id say that the gp4s feels nicer 28c. Continental gator hardshell duraskin folding tire bike. Ive never heard of ultra gatorskins and before hitting the buy button the ultra part made me stop and think considering its a training tire.
The 4 season with vectran is a lightweight, punctureresistant, versatile tire that performs great all year round. Switched to gp 4 seasons just under a year ago as a good all year round tyre. You like continental tires, but you dont know the difference between continental grand prix 4000 s ii and continental gatorskin bike tires. Most riding is my commute so ill need heavy duty tires and the 4000s are not working out. Constructed with continentals duraskin technology, which is an antitear material, this version of the popular grand prix 4 season keeps performing consistently even in extreme riding conditions. The 4season with vectran is a lightweight, punctureresistant, versatile tire that performs great all year round. Continental 4 seasons v continental gatorskin tyres. A fairer comparison is possibly the vittoria diamante pro vs the continental gp4000s. Vittoria rubino pros have been my reliable bicycle riding partner for more than 7,000 km. If you look at the conti website the gp4 is more of an all weather race tyre whereas the gatorskin is more of a tough training tyre heavier. Sold pair of continental gatorskin poly breaker 700 x 32c. If youre logging big miles yearround, the continental gatorskin tires just might be your new piece of musthave gear. Punctured today rear tyre for the first time and, whilst the tyre didnt look that worn, when i started pulling the tyre off i noticed lots of splits etc with the lining starting to show. The ultimate combination of speed, lightweight, and allweather performance, combined with excellent puncture and sidewall protection.
In fact, as we discussed in the previous section, you could pay almost twice as much for a 4 season tire than a gatorskin, depending on the retailer. Duraskin is continentals patented nylon mesh layer that significantly beefs up the sidewall for flat resistance without compromising a supple ride quality or adding. That way you can train all you want and not have to change a flat. Additionally i am much more confident with the 4 season on wet or gravel surfaces. Continental 4 seasons v continental gatorskin tyres bikeradar. The only downside is that the gp 4 season costs more than the gatorskins.
Continentals grand prix 4season tires are something of a goldilocks, slotted between the companys race. Conti has manufactured the tyre with two vectran antipuncture strips and added a duraskin antitear fabric to boost its toughness and. In the last 4 months and ish miles i have had one puncture, which was a sneaky sharp piece of flint which managed to penetrate the gatorskin on the front. Continental grand prix 4season road bike tyre is a highstandard tyre you can rely on, featuring two vectran anti punctures beneath the tread, giving you maximum protection. Excellent value for tyres and the cheapest online at merlin cycles. As the names suggest, the terra trail is a knobbly for primarily offroad use, while the terra speed is an allrounder with a lighter tread so itll be quick on the road too. Continental pitches the gatorskin as a tyre suited for sportives, training.
Since it isnt thick i would say these would last you as long as the thickslick if youre going to be skidding. Apr 12, 2015 switched to gp 4 seasons just under a year ago as a good all year round tyre. Grand prix 4 season consumer insight not to sound like a broken record, but the grand prix 4 season has been around for ages, at least by cycling standards. Conti gp 4 seasons vs gatorskin singletrack magazine forum. With the continental grand prix 4season tough just got tougher with the addition of the vectran antipuncture breaker. My experience with the 5000 so far has been less than. Rated 5 out of 5 by willhonda from excellent all year round tyre the gp 4 season is a fantastic all year round tyre, always fir this tyre in the autumn for the thorns falling from the trees. It achieved by far the best result in offering fantastic grip and puncture protection, even in the wet and cold. I know that there have been many positive comments here about the gatorskins, but the 4seasons seem to be a better version of those. Continental gatorskinduraskin folding 700c 23mm road bike tyre black, 28 inch.
Fitting the wrong tyre on the wrong bike can reduce performance or cancel out its intended use. The continental grand prix 4season tyre hasnt lost any of its shine. Conti gatorskin tyres are some rims easier than others. Continental grand prix 4000s vs vittoria rubino pro. I prefer the noticeably faster gp4000 but found them insufficiently resistant to nicks and cuts so now i only run the gp4000 on the front. Not to sound like a broken record, but the grand prix 4 season has been around for ages, at least by cycling standards.
Extrawide plyx break tread strip improves mileage, and increases puncture resistance. Dec 18, 2017 continental gatorskin vs conti grand prix 4 season posted on december 18, 2017 by manager road bike clincher tyre gatorskin folding tyre vs continental grand prix 4 season. Read its strength, weaknesses, find deals and pricing. The continental gp 4season tire takes the overall grippiness and performance inherent to the g. Ultra gatorskin has set the bar for a perfectlybalanced bike ride. I havent used the bike much in the winter but the rest of the time i use it. May 01, 2019 continental gp 4000 s ii alternatives.
Speed reduces the rolling resistance compared to the terra trail, and recommends it for rides and races in. Difference between continental grand prix 4000 s ii and. I havent used the bike much in the winter but the rest of the time i use it for anything. Continental grand prix 4season folding tire 622 bike24. Its the continental grand prix 4000s ii vs 4 season. Continental grand prix 4 season laufrichtung grand prix 4.
Oct 30, 2018 in fact, as we discussed in the previous section, you could pay almost twice as much for a 4 season tire than a gatorskin, depending on the retailer. The gp 4000s is an even lighter, better riding tire, but the sidewalls are like paper compared to gp 4 season. Your guide to 2020 continental tyres for road and gravel bikes. Continental grand prix 4season with vectran at biketiresdirect. Mar 20, 2020 the latest announcement from continental was the release of more tubelessready tyres, with two offerings for the burgeoning gravel scene, the terra trail and the terra speed. You can ride gatorskins and not have that problem as much, but you will have a. Yes the gatorskins are a more puncture resistant tire but along with that they have to be a harder compound and so for that reason dont corner that well especially in wet weather and my one bad experience with them was on a rando ride ab out 4 am in the morning on a wet. Continental grand prix 4season special edition black at. If you want a slightly tougher and more durable tyre than the gp4000, the 4 season is the continental tyre for you. Continental grand prix 4 season tires clincher user.
Continental grand prix 4000 s ii vs continental gatorskin. This tire is best used for touring and training since its heavy and durable. I had gatorskins from 2006 to 20 on a series of 26. Continental grand prix 4 season road bike tire vectran. Wiggle continental grand prix 4 season folding road tyre. They make the perfect winter tire and youll get season after season of use. If you log more miles commuting to work and around town than some pros do in training, the continental gator hardshell road tire is the answer to the spare tubes, patch kits, and pumps youve been hauling around. This page includes all data collected by our tests including all size measurements and rolling resistance and puncture resistance test results. Continental grand prix 4season with vectran at westernbikeworks. These tyres are highly rated great grip and puncture resistant.