These tires perform great in dry conditions, and resist punctures well enough. They offer good grip and feel secure in the corners. The 25's also provide a supple ride without feeling squishy. They are soft and wear relatively quickly, and are prone to damage if you lock up a wheel, but perhaps not more than other racing tires. These are also relatively easy to mount and dismount, even without levers on some wheels. After having tried several other popular brands, I will be riding these from now on.
Stock up when they're on sale, and move fast because popular sizes/colors sell out quickly.
best tires out u can buy!
I use only the Conti 4000 series tires for my 100 or so mile per week fitness/local touring rides. They grip well in the wet and provide the comfort and road feel that I like on any paved surface while also keeping the weight down.
Also use Continentals on the cross bike and they've withstood much abuse
I use these tires all year for both training and racing. I do a thorough inspection before every ride and rarely get a flat. I'm very happy with them.
My only complaint has been from last years model. I had a side wall blow out at high speed on the front tire. Luckily I kept the bike upright. But, it could have been really bad. The tire was relatively new and it shouldn't have happened. Hence, the four star rating instead of five.
I replaced the tire with this years model and am so far happy with the product.
Supple, comfortable, and responsive. I haven't put in enough miles to comment on longevity. If this stands the test of time I'll give it 5 stars. I'm hopeful that it will be a 5 star tire...
They are fast and I love the way they feel on the road.
I purchased these on sale (instead of my usual tires, which are Vredestein Gran Fondos or Tricomps). I am used to having little to no issues with flats, I can count the number of flats I have in a year on 2-3 fingers, and it usually after some wear on the tires (the Vredesteins are built like tanks). Within 100 miles I had flats and issues with these Conti's I will never buy Conti again... which is a bummer, as I know a lot of folks swear by them.
When I switched to continental 4000 S II tires, my speed increased. Very dependable tire. I also went from a 23 to a 25 which also helps having a little more rubber to the road and also increased my speed!!! You won't be disappointed with this tire!!!
These tires are durable and hold up well, I run slightly lower pressure to ride on rough chip sealed roads and find these tires hold up better than most while training. Increase pressure and use them for local organized rides as well. Good all around tire which I would recommend.
I rode Pro3's and then Pro4's in 23c for years. I decided to make the move to 25c and heard good things about the 4000's so after I pinch flatted at 30mph on a corner on the Pro4's I decided it was time to mount up the 4000's. I do a lot of climbing (avg, 1000' per 10 miles) so when I first jumped out of the saddle on a 10% grade I actually looked back to see what was going on. I really felt like I was dragging something and couldn't believe tires made that much difference. I'm not sure whether the move from 23c to 25c made the difference or if it's the Pro4's are that much better than the Conti's but my next set of tires will be the Pro4's in 25c.
The jury is still out on durability but I can say that I flat more often on the Pro4's than the guys I ride with. That said I'd rather replace a tube now and then as long as I can climb like a goat.
Both tires are easy to put on the rim using only hands which is what I prefer to avoid pinched tubes. Although I've never ridden Conti gatorskins I've heard they are hard to put on.
I like the overall road comfort on this tire! Was disappointed that I got a flat the first week I had them on!
I use this tire as my racing and training tire. Long lasting and extremely puncture resistant. It can handle more psi than advertised as well. I have this tire on all of my road bicycles.
Bought a pair of the new Ess Two to replace my long-wearing set of GP4000S Chili's and was dismayed to find that Continental has changed the size for the updated version. What used to be a generous tire (often referenced as a 24C width) and a perfect fit for my Scott is now just another skinny little sub-23mm tire. Size up, if you can.
Fwiw, I typically get 3000k miles out of a set, and the only punctures I've had over the several sets I've used have been two pinch flats, both from rushing out for a ride and not checking my tire pressure. Would like to assume the new model has kept the Black Chili's epic grip characteristics and Vectran's robust puncture resistance. Five stars for legacy performance and value...
I have recently switched to the Conti GP 4000 Sii 700x25 and I have nothing but good things to say about them. I had been riding Conti's GatorSkins 700x25 and thought that was an awesome tire, but the 4000 Sii is superior. I bought the GatorSkins because I wanted something durable with great flat protection and they certainly excel in those areas. I have had GatorSkins for 3 years and about 10,000 miles. Went through 2 tires on the rear and never did change the front and it was just now starting to get a bit of a flat spot. Also, only 1 flat over those 3 years. However about 6 months ago, I had to get a new rear rim because a spoke pulled out and I borrowed a rim from a LBS and it came with a GP 4000 S on the rim which I rode on for a few months with no issues or flats. My bike seemed faster and more comfortable, but I did not think it was the tire. But as soon as I switched the rear back to the GatorSkins I realized just how hard of a ride they are. I instantly felt slower and the ride was much harsher. I ordered the a pair of the 4000 Sii's right away. On my first ride, I could instantly feel the difference, the bike just seems to go! It almost seems effortless compared to the GatorSkins! Not only does it roll faster, it is a much smoother ride. I felt so much fresher at the end of a long ride due to the lack of road vibrations. Only time will tell if the 4000 Sii offers comparable mileage and flat protection to the GatorSkins, but many reviews and my 2 month loaner pointed to similar results. These are expensive tires, but they provide a ton of value by improving so many aspects of my riding, I feel it is money well spent!
I've been asking around my local bike shops, and the cyclist i see on the bike paths, and i have been asking them all the same question What's a good tire i should run?. They all have been steering me towards this Continental Grand Prix 4000 S2 tire, and now i see why. These tires must have glue in the tread because when i take my corners i can feel the bike just stick to the road, i feel safer, and more confident. Also the increase in acceleration is there i know because i can feel myself being faster than the Bontrager R3 that i replaced for the continental's. I am going to use this tire for the rest of the year to see how many miles i can really get out of them. I ride to and from work, and i am a daily cyclist commuter. Not because i don't have a car but because it is better for the enviroment. This was the best upgrade i could have done for my road bike. I highly recomend this tire, and also be sure to get the continental light race tubes for this tire, it will really make the dirrerence. those tubes are only a few grams lighter than the standard butyl tubes.
I rode the original GP4000S tires for 6 or 7 years before leaving them in search of something with a little better ride quality. After searching around a bit, I found that the Michelin Pro4sc is a better tire for my purposes. They are roughly equal in traction and handling, but the Pro4 has a more supple road feel and has more volume when comparing the 25mm versions. I also prefer the more subtle looks of the Pro4. What I gave up is a bit of longevity and an even larger bit of puncture resistance. Ive averaged 2-3 flats per year on the Pro4 (all in the rear,) where Id get one every 2-3 years on the GP4000s. Thats annoying, so I gave the new GP4000sII a try in both the 25 and 28mm sizes, hoping for the same puncture resistance I loved with, hopefully, a slightly improved ride quality. The decrease in comfort/ride quality moving from the Pro4 to the GP4000sII is definitely noticeable for me and Im willing to accept more flats for a better ride. For the rider who would rather error on the puncture resistance side of what is still an awesome handling race tire, the GP4000sII is outstanding. Worth noting is that the 25 measures a bit over 27mm on my slightly wide rims. The 28 measures a WHOPPING 31mm and is rather tall as well. It would not clear the seat stays on my Giant Defy Advanced frame, which has much more room than most frames. I have clearance for the width, but not the height. If you have tight clearance, take note. The Schwalbe One 28mm is just a touch smaller than the GP 28mm and the Pro4 25mm is only a little smaller than the One 28mm.
So I just replaced these tires after 4,381.19 on the front and 4,362.36 on the rear. I took a rock hit and decided to preemptively replace them.
The 25mm is a super comfortable ride. Grips well in all conditions and offers a bit of extra comfort on rough roads. I weigh 165lbs and run 95psi.
I bought the 25mm Michelin Pro 4 Service Course to replace them (bought about 3,000 miles ago as I didn't think the Contis would last this long) and am already disheartened with the difference. I like the lack of tread pattern on the Michelin's (as Sheldon Brown says, there's no need for tread on a road tire), but their response and comfort is definitely less than the Conti's.
You really can't go wrong with these tires, especially if you can get them on sale.
Ride mostly on weekends. Roadie. 50 to 80 per ride. The grip when turning with the conti
4000 ll S handles very very well, and does not skid when applying brakes in an emergency. Totally recommend.
Just a note on this year's sizes. The 28mm version, on a rim that is 21.5mm outside
width (measured across braking surfaces) is 31mm wide.
The 25mm verson on a 20mm rim is 26mm wide.
I have been using a 28mm Conti 4 Season on the same rear rim, it measures 28mm wide.
So I think a 25mm GP4000 will be wide enough on back for my next order.
