The tread isn’t symmetrical so I would think maybe. But I don’t see any indication of a rolling direction, so I am not sure.
Anyone know for sure?
You should find an arrow on them indicating rotational direction.
I looked and didn’t see one.
But you’re saying they definitely have a rotating direction? Guess I need to look closer at the sidewall.
Conti GP4000 are direction specific but I think you would never notice them being on backwards. I guess the sidewall thead is more areo and maybe corners better if it mounted correctly. Check the sidewall and the rotation is marked only once on one sidewall. It is hard to find.
Conti GP4000 are direction specific but I think you would never notice them being on backwards. I guess the sidewall thead is more areo and maybe corners better if it mounted correctly. Check the sidewall and the rotation is marked only once on one sidewall. It is hard to find.
I would probably agree with you as I had a pair mounted wrong for almost an entire season without noticing any difference on the next pair mounted correctly.
Is the marking an arrow or some sort of wording?
Thanks.
Is the marking an arrow or some sort of wording?
Thanks.
Theres definitely an arrow on them but its small and only on one side. I knew it was there but had to really search to find it when mounting them a couple times.
Any chance you could snap a pic of this arrow? I can’t find it for the life of me.
Also, if I saw a pic, I could see what direction the tread was facing and then, even if by chance my pair didn’t have an arrow, could just match the direction on my pair to the direction your pair faces.
Absolutely irrelevant. Siping on bike tires does nothing except increase (albeit slightly) rolling resistance and decrease traction.
Check out Sheldon Brown’s comments: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires#tread
Any chance you could snap a pic of this arrow? I can’t find it for the life of me.
Also, if I saw a pic, I could see what direction the tread was facing and then, even if by chance my pair didn’t have an arrow, could just match the direction on my pair to the direction your pair faces.
Sure, I’ll look for it when I get home and snap a pic.
I can’t find my camera for a pic. There is an arrow and the word “rotation” stamped on one side of the tire in one place only. It is faint and hard to see. It’s located about 9 inches to the right of the checkered flag at the end of their logo on the sidewall.
If it helps, looking down on your tire, the front part of the tread should look like a shark fin swimming in the same direction as you’re riding.
There is a small arrow on the sidewall indicating directionality, but easier to remember is to mount them such that the curve of the tread looks like it is swept backwards by the wheel rotation.
I could try to explain that with more words, but I think I’d just confuse the issue.
J
Ok, well issue resolved. Here’s the story, I was trying to sort this out for my Dad. He needed new tires for his road bike, I advised him to go with a 700x25 for a little more comfort and recommended the Conti GP4000s in that size to him. Found a good deal on Nashbar and he ordered them. Called me wondering which direction to mount them, I was trying to help over the phone, but obviously that is tough, which is why I wanted to know exactly where the arrow was so I could explain it to him.
Well, I ask him to read me what the tire says, and he says “Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons”. So it turns out we were searching for an arrow that didn’t exist as Nashbar sent him the GP 4 Seasons instead of the GP4000.
I believe the only real difference is that 4 seasons is a little heavier and supposedly a little more durable. For a recreational rider, is it worth going through the hassle of exchanging the 4 Seasons for the 4000s or should he just mount what he has?
Ok, well issue resolved. Here’s the story, I was trying to sort this out for my Dad. He needed new tires for his road bike, I advised him to go with a 700x25 for a little more comfort and recommended the Conti GP4000s in that size to him. Found a good deal on Nashbar and he ordered them. Called me wondering which direction to mount them, I was trying to help over the phone, but obviously that is tough, which is why I wanted to know exactly where the arrow was so I could explain it to him.
Well, I ask him to read me what the tire says, and he says “Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons”. So it turns out we were searching for an arrow that didn’t exist as Nashbar sent him the GP 4 Seasons instead of the GP4000.
I believe the only real difference is that 4 seasons is a little heavier and supposedly a little more durable. For a recreational rider, is it worth going through the hassle of exchanging the 4 Seasons for the 4000s or should he just mount what he has?
Hes a recreational rider, the 4 seasons are perfectly fine. The 4000s is extra money on a tire he doesn’t need to spend.
I’ve got to check mine when I get home. I am sure that I looked for the directional markings but I can’t recall if I saw them (since I am guessing that I would have assumed they would be obvious). I guess I’ve got a 25% chance of having them either both right or both wrong and a 50% chance of having one of the two correct. I hope they are mounted correctly (my OCD) as they were a tight fit with my rims.
I’ve got to check mine when I get home. I am sure that I looked for the directional markings but I can’t recall if I saw them (since I am guessing that I would have assumed they would be obvious). I guess I’ve got a 25% chance of having them either both right or both wrong and a 50% chance of having one of the two correct. I hope they are mounted correctly (my OCD) as they were a tight fit with my rims.
Try installing them on a set of Fulcrum Racing 5s (notoriously hard to get a tire on to) and you will learn to use 4 letter words you never knew before…
As my wife would tell you, I don’t think there are any four letter words I haven’t said, let alone haven’t heard 
As my luck would have it, both my 4000Ss are on backwards - Now I know why I have been so slow on the bike ! 
As my wife would tell you, I don’t think there are any four letter words I haven’t said, let alone haven’t heard
As my luck would have it, both my 4000Ss are on backwards - Now I know why I have been so slow on the bike !
If I found that on my bike after the ordeal to install them, the four letter words would start before I even touched a tire lever!
I did mutter a four-letter word after inspecting the direction of the tires, but not because they were mounted wrong but rather because I found a nice cut in the sidewall on the front tire. Darn.
I have the Fulcrum Racing 5s as well as the Conti GP4000S. Sure enough, after this ordeal, I looked last night and my front tire is mounted correctly and my rear is backwards, haha.
Suprised the opposing forces haven’t ripped the bike in half!
It’s the rear that is on backwards, I’ll probably just burn through it on the trainer this winter and put a new one on in the spring in the correct direction.