I just switched to the Continental 4000 Grand Prix 700x23 tires at the recommendation of my local bike shop. I was looking for the best flat resistance and high mileage tire for training. Does anyone have input or comments on this tire?
I just switched to the Continental 4000 Grand Prix 700x23 tires at the recommendation of my local bike shop. I was looking for the best flat resistance and high mileage tire for training. Does anyone have input or comments on this tire?
Yep, they’re the best for that combination. They’re perfectly good tires for road racing too.
Actually, you should get the 4000S if he has it.
GREAT TIRE! I seriously rode in them for about 3 thousand miles over the last few years and have only had about 20-40 flats. Not too bad considering. I recently learned to put that kevlar soft bead on the inside, which keeps them from flatting. It’s the cotton’y stuff, not the rubber one. The rubber one ends up rubbing against the tube and causing a flat.
the gatorskins have more flat resistance than those.
its not a bad tire though.
I have been running GP3000, GP4000 and GP4000S for so long that I can not remember and I can count on one hand how many flats that I have had with these tires over the last 10 years. While they might not be the fastest tires in the world, they are in my opinion on of the best tires going especially the GP4000S which have exceeded my expectations.
They are great tires and you will not be disappointed.
20 to 40 flats??? I average about 600 plus miles a month riding. I have never had that many flats. Crap!!! If these tires get that many flats I will be p i s s e d if you know what I mean. Of course I ride on a relatively clean surface in NW Tampa, Florida (Suncoast Trail). I do run across some glass pieces though. I ran a bald spot on my previous set of tires at about 2,000 miles. Those were not the Grand Prix 4000 though.
I do not believe they had the 4000S in stock. I was sold the 4000. I asked for the best flat resistant, high mileage tire available. I hope I was not sold short??
I asked about the Gatorskins and was told they do not compare at all for the mileage on the Grand Prix 4000 and the Grand Prix 4000 had similar flat resistance. At least that is what I was told.
I have Conti 4 season. They are very similar to GP4000. I got a flat the first time out. As always, it never fails that I flat the first time out after a fresh tire change, no matter what the tire. Usually after that first flat, the tires will last forever. I’ll ride them bald, but they’ll never flat again. When the traction starts to suck, I’ll scrape up enough $$$ to buy new tires. After putting them on the rims, the’ll flat the first time out. It never fails.
Anyway, the 4 Seasons work great, through training, racing, heavy rain, etc. I’ll bet your 4000GP’s are just as good, maybe even overkill for training. I remember the original Grand Prix’s and they were indestructable.
I don’t think you can go wrong with any Conti tire and the 4000’s are one of their top line. The only other tire in my experience that outlasted or out-performed the Conti’s were Vredestein Fortezza Tri-Comps.
I do not believe they had the 4000S in stock. I was sold the 4000. I asked for the best flat resistant, high mileage tire available. I hope I was not sold short??
The newest 4000 in black and the 4000S have what Conti calls the black chili compound. It’s supposed to get you a bit lower rolling resistance and a little better grip. Both are absolutely fine tires and you’d really be hard pressed to tell the difference between them.
Thanks. Your luck sounds like mine. My last set of new tires I had a flat the second time out!!! Well I rode 25 miles today on my new Grand Prix 4000 tires with not flats or problems. By the way do you rotate your tires from the front to back/back to front? I did not this past set but I was told to get my tires to last longer this was a good idea?
They only had the black/silver in my size so that is what I got. Thanks.
3 years of usage. Train with 'em, Race with 'em. Rock Solid.
I buy news ones each spring for training and at the end of the year use them for my trainer.
Thanks. That is EXACTLY what I want!!! I was getting buyers remorse!!! I feel warm and fuzzy now!! Appreciate the input.
The rear is usually the first to go bald. I really should be better at keeping them in check, but I let it get so bad that I don’t think it’s a really good idea for me to rotate them since I would be diving into turns in a downpour with a racing slick for my front tire! If I can, I’ll just replace the rear more often than the front.
There was a time when I was so poor that I had to dig up some old throwback tires from my mom’s garage. I had a gray, bald GP3000 rear, pockmarked from glass and little threads peeling away from the bead, and an unused blue Specialized S-works front tire with black sidewalls, both on a red bike.
Right after the tire change, guess what? I didn’t even get the wheel on the bike and the Specialized flatted, right in the middle of my kitchen! POP!!! Scared the hell outta me…
By the way - I live in Central Florida and we can ride 12 months out of the year. The only time that I do not ride is when it is raining BEFORE I start to ride. Just don’t want to clean the bike and my back after the ride in the rain!!
The 4000s are great tires and have proven to be very durable - also corner extremely well and I use them in our local crit series with out any issues.
I run GP 3, 4, 4S on all my bikes for training…Love them.
I race on tubies.
i’m running the same tires on my road bike. I used to run the Vittoria Open Corsas which have a slightly better road feel, IMHO. But they are more a racing tire, wear out more quickly and not as resistant to flats. I must have had 10 flats on those tires in less than 1000 miles.
I switched to the Conti 4000’s and so far so good. Very fine ride quality (not as lush as the Open Corsas though)…and no flats. Only a couple hundred miles thus far though.
One tip to get more mileage out of your tires is to switch the front and rear every few hundred miles. Otherwise the rear will wear out quicker than the front.
I have the GP4K on my front wheel (60MM rim). It’s a great overall tire with really good cornering and pretty good flat resistance. I run Michelins in the back (disc); they have been more puncture resistant for me and have a smoother rolling (but poorer cornering) and great flat resistance. The GP4K is a great overall tire, and hard to go wrong with; no need for any buyer’s remorse.