I ride in Clark County Washington. We are blessed with endless miles of rural and hilly roads but debris on the roadsides is often an issue so toughness is a plus. I have used Continental Grand Prix tires for a number of years now but was recently touted to the 4-Season with Bectran version, and (knock on wood) I haven't had a puncture since. It's only been about 500 miles so far but I am very pleased. And all my riding buddies, who ride other tires, have had at least one flat. Wear seems to be better as well but It's a little early to know for sure.
My wife uses these year round since she is not crazy about having to change flat tires. I use them on my cross bike for their sidewall protection. I have actually ran over a nail with these and the nail hit the vectran breaker barrier and deflected sideways, knew there was a nail since it was hitting on the frame, stopped pulled out the nail and we were on our way! Expensive tires but they do last well too.
I wanted a lighter, more puncture-resistant tire for my commuter bike riden year-round, and this tire is perfect in wet and dry conditions. Didn't really want a heavy touring tire. This 28 is much lighter than my old 34s, but just as cushy on long rides. So far (couple of months) - good recommendation, guys!
I've been using the Continental Grand Prix 4-Season tires (25 mm width) for about five years for about 2,000 miles per year. I ride them at about 105-110 psi. I'm a heavy rider (about 200 lb). I have never had a flat with these tires. This excellent flat protection does not come at the cost of much weight - these tires are pretty light compared to other armored tires. The traction is good (but I have not experienced other tires recently to compare well). The only negative is that the tires wear out relatively quickly for me - I might go through two rear tires and one front in a year.
I have been running these tires for past 2 years during the wet Oregon winters. No flats yet and they grip great. Weight is reasonable and
worth the price if you hate changing flats in crappy weather.
I mostly ride on county roads that are somewhat rough. This tire deals with the debris, rocks,and roads needing a new overlay with the toughness needed to handle them. It rolls nicely and I havent noticed it being too heavy. Buy It!
They might be expensive but these tires save the need to freeze your fingers off whilst crouching at the edge of the road repairing a flat.
These are probably one of the best clinchers on the market. They grip better than anything else I have ridden, especially in the rain. They are a little heavier than the Grand Prix 4000s, and a little more expensive, but worth it for the winter time. I average about 2,300 to 2,500 miles per pair. The only downside is their cost. I only buy them when they are on sale.
I ride this tire year-round. I have gone up to a 25c size and find that it is exceptionally long wearing. It has also reduced my punctures and flats dramatically. For all this, the tire still handles consistently well. Great tire for my needs.
As a 225 pound, 6'2 cyclist I don't agree with the LBC orthodoxy that everyone should ride 23c tires. However, it's not as easy as it looks. A 25mm tire should be 2mm wider than a 23, right. I don't think so. In my experience the widths of the tires seem to vary from brand to brand, and even model to model.
This made me think the Grand Prix 4 Season 28c might look like it belonged on a beach bike. Not true. In the past year my Wife (on 23s) and I (on 25s and 28s) have logged over 10k miles on these tires. Having all three sizes currently in use, I've noticed that the increases in width between them seem to be very modest. Unfortunatley I don't have calipers to make a scientific measurement, but it would appear that as the size increases, Continental is making the profile of this tire higher, but only marginally wider.
The 28c is noticably more comfortable without looking out of place on a road bike. The fully inflated tire will clear the brake pads on my Campy Chorus brakes using only the brake release.
We've had no flats from glass, only infrequently from those damn little wire thingies from car tires. Great wear compared to a racing tire, although cornering obviously can't compare to a true racing tire like a Vredestein Tri. But then, I'm only racing for coffee.
I have used this tire on my S-Works Roubaix for a few years and like the fact that flats are a rare event. The tire rides smoothly and has good feedback. Just bought another pair when on sale. Would and have recommended them to friends.
I ride the 25s on my rain bikes, and have been for many years and many thousands of miles. I have gotten a few flats with them, but feel that some road debris will flat any tire, even the 4 Seasons. That being said, these tires are great. They last many miles, stick to the roads, and have a smooth feel. They may be expensive, but if you wait for the right moment, you can get them on sale.
I use this tire on my crosscommute bike. I also do longer rides (30 - 60 miles) on the weekends. It handles well. I have not had any flats yet.
I use these tires on my crosscommute bike. They grip the road in all conditions. No flats yet.
During the winter season in New England the roads are at their worst. Changing a tire tube in sub freezing 30 temperatures is not fun, and since I switched to the 4-season, my risk of a flat due to road conditions is dramatically reduced. It's by far the most durable tire I have ever owned. I cycled over 8,000 miles on the 4-season tire over the past two years. I average about 1300 miles on a rear tire, but that's primarily due to my large frame and weight. I've started to install a new front tire every 1300 miles and move the front to the rear, so now I'm achieving 2600 miles per tire. A good value for the price paid.
Good tires. Hold the road in all conditions.
Quite puncture resistant.
I put a 25mm GP 4-Season on my back wheel every Fall. For almost daily rides in Portland's West Hills, (3040 miles, 4000ft climbingdescending), these are the best balance of wet handling and durability I know. They are a bit pricey, but last as long as Gatorskins and feel a lot better.
I've used GP 4-Season's for many years in 23, 25, and 28. They have an unusually high rolling resistance, but that's what they were designed for. I live in Portland, so I've put a lot of miles on them in the rain. They are the most adhesive clincher I've ever ridden. Consequently, the adhesive properties also result in a relatively short life. I would not recommend running them over 110 psi because it will significantly shorten their life. The puncture resistance is apparently great since I've only had one flat in the 7 sets that I've owned and I regularly ride on gravel roads. If you want a durable tire with absolute puncture resistance, get steel-beeded Gator Hardshells. The GP 4-Season is a performance all-weather clincher with excellent puncture resistance.
I am a Clyde at 272lbs and 6'4 and i ride these on my commuter in size 700x28 at 105psi front and 115psi rear! These tires ride smooth and fast and are one of, if not my very favorite tire for commuting or general training rides. My commutes are 15.2 miles each way, and general training rides are 26-42 miles depending on which route i take. I have owned about every tire made over the years and it is a toss up between these, Vittoria Rubino Pro III's in 700x28, and Panaracer T-Serv's in 700x28, which are also very good tires for the money! The price is a little steep on these, but they seem to have the edge in the speed department over the other two tires mentioned slightly, then it would have to be the Vittoria Rubino next which is very close in speed and then Panaracer last but still quite swift! The Panaracer is the softest riding of the three by far though!! All are quire puncture resistant!
A good performing tire for all around road riding. Not the fastest tire out there, but if you're not a racer and do a lot of mileage, I can't think of anything better. Sure footed in the wet and not easy to flat, which saves a lot of hassle. I ran hardshells for a while, but they are decidedly slower and less nimble and I'm not sure they're really tougher. Consider running 25's if you are a big guy, as the rolling resistance is actually better and the weight difference small.
