This is going to be a little different... I saw a video on youtube with Caden from Caden wheels explaining how he used sealant in TPU tubes with tubeless tires. Not TPU specific sealant, just tubeless sealant. He claimed the sealant lasted longer because there wasn't as much evaporation from inside the TPU tube and that the chances of a burp flat went dramatically down.
I decided to try it and here's the result so far. TPU tubes in this tire with sealant have been flat free through the Tour de Tucson and several hundred miles more. These tires roll and corner great and have been reliable. I won't know if I've gotten any punctures until I get one that's so big the sealant won't fill it or I take the tire off to replace it, but so far Caden has been right.
Great performance overall, fast, responsive, grip wet & dry is phenomenal, but I've experienced flats every time that I ride on them, and the TPU tubes are expensive.. These tires are definitely game changers and their performance is everything that Conti says, but their reliability/durability is very costly. Not sure I'd want to chance racing on these. In a amateur Crit, RR or TT if you flat you're pretty much done. Would hate to drive hours, spend money (hotel, food, entry fees) and countless training hours, only to flat in a race!! Although flats/punctures can happen with any tire, these tires seem more susceptible than others. If you want the ultimate performance get these tires, just remember to keep extra tubes or plenty of sealant on hand.
I've been a Continental Road Tire fan for over a decade now and these tires are no exception. They wear well and overall provide grip in all spring, summer and fall conditions. (No snow or Ice).
I'm riding 32mm AS version as tubeless setup with Orange Seal Endurance and I have them on 25mm internal Bontrager rims so they blow up to be about 34mm external. They provide a phenomenally comfortable feeling on the road. I run them at 46/48 psi with my 73kg weight. I've ridden these in lots of wet conditions, dry gravel, limestone trails and some really rough stuff that I wished I had even larger and they performed well beyond my expectations. I do inspect them after rides and pull out any items that seem to be stuck in them and then use some super glue to close up the small nicks and cuts. No plugs needed this past year so I'm counting my blessings there.
I currently have 4,158 miles on them (no joke) and I've just now had the rear tire not show the TWI (Tire Wear Indicators) disappear. I'm beyond impressed with these and will be retiring them this winter and replacing them with a brand new pair.
I have been using the Grand Prix series of tires (Grand Prix, GP2000, GP3000, GP4000 and 4000S II, and now GP5000) since 1994 when they were original equipment on my Cannondale. Originally 23mm wide, of course, then 25mm and now mostly 28mm. I consider myself an enthusiast - not a racer, but a relatively high mileage (8,500 miles this year) rider including local shop rides, fondos, and longer solo rides. The GP5000 tires are ideal for my "best" bike, for the more ambitious rides - fast, good ride quality, reasonable wear and reliable. I use cheaper, more durable tires on other bikes, for shorter, local rides, errands, etc., and the difference in speed and comfort is obvious to me (and to Strava).
Like everyone else, my email is full of great deals on everything bike related. But when I check the reviews of other equivalent tires vs. the GP5000s, I don't see any reason to switch. Everything else is typically slower, and not offering any benefits in return for higher rolling resistance.
I am finding that current production runs are truer to size than they were a few years ago - I'm seeing maybe 28.4mm width on a 28C tire, on 18mm internal width rims where some older tires would be closer to 30mm.
