I've been riding on Conti's for 2 decades and the newer 5000's for the 3rd year. Terrific tire all-round. They hold pressure, handle and roll rrally well - top shelf.
However, when new they can be a bear to mount!
A few pointers on this that will definitely help. If possible place them in direct warm sunlight for an hour or so to soften it /make a "bit" pliable. Rub the edge of the rim with lightly diluted dish soap. And [oddly] I've worn rubber dipped yard gloves while mounting the tire. Along with a solid mounting lever - all in all these work well and will illiminate the near impossibility if you don't!??
I recently had a rear tire pinch-flat with about 500 miles on the tire - the tube swap was a snap. No problems at all removing/remounting the tire.
Gr8 bike tire! Try 'em!
I use these tires on a vintage 80's high end road bike. At correct inflation they give a smooth, fast ride on my light weight, aluminum frame bike, and enhance its quickness and nimbleness around corners with their great grip on the road. I ride 50-100 miles a week in spring to fall; last version of these tires lasted me two seasons. There is nothing I do not like about these tires in my application; they are a perfect fit for my '84 Schwinn Mangusta 5000. Even the number matches and it feels like they were made with a bike like mine in mind.
Love this tire for performance and durability.
I struggle mounting them, but found Crankbrothers levers helpful and sometimes a tire jack.
Recently I've used them with tpu tubes which makes me feel I'm faster.
I ran a set of clear sidewall 28mm on my old Trek with butyl tubes for a year and a half, then put the same tires on my new Trek with TPU tubes and have put 1934 miles more on them since the end of March with only one flat ever. They are grippy, ride nice, last and look great. I have just recently put a set of black sidewall 32mm on my Wife's bike with TPU tubes.
After trying Michilan's, Vittorio's, Specialized and various Conti road tires, I finally settled on the 4000S (23, 25) years ago as my go-to tire. When Conti came out with the 5000 chili's I tried them (25) and liked them! I typically ride between 3500-8000+ miles per year and that includes commute, pleasure, group, training, touring, and in the past some light racing. I also delivered Jimmy John's in downtown Indianapolis from 2012-2018 part-time on these tires (28 on my SS) as part of my quest to improve my sprinting. I mean, why not get paid to ride your bike, huh?? What I've found across the board is that these tires perform overall superior to any other brand racing/performance/endurance road tire I've ever used in the past. I've found the GP4000 and 5000 to be the perfect combination so far of durable, comfortable and performance qualities. Excellent sticky grip in cornering, reliable handling on dry, wet and even somewhat on snow, equally excellent on dirty city roads as on pristine clean roads, more comfortable on chip&seal and rattlebone roads. I usually get 3000+ miles out of a set, more if I rotate tires every few of months and actively avoid glass if possible, and bad sections of road. Nowadays most of my riding is training for my annual, multiday touring of back to back century days in the saddle, which can always include unplanned surprises in road surfaces, reroutes and detours. (I plan the routes based on where I'd like to ride and Google maps/Map-My-Ride. I do not use a touring service. I like the adventure! And I prefer a carbon road bike (coz, you know, we like to get there without taking the whole day, lol!) a lightweight backpack and a credit card for these tours - 8 under my belt now!) I always put on a new set of tires the day before Bikecation and roll without worry over what unexpected surprises the road throws at us! I find these tires to do very well, rarely flatting until pretty well worn, and getting noticeably table-topped. Only once ever have I had a sidewall blowout, and that was on an aged tire and my own, awkward-moment fault. Again, rotating the tires periodically helps them last longer than if you don't. These tires have proven to be worth the money to me, especially when i can find a great deal on pricing. But I have paid - and will pay - the $70+ normal RV if I need the tires and can't find a deal at the time, with zero regrets. Although now I stock up ahead of time when I find them on sale. And that's my review! Good riding and happy trails to you!
I am a Conti fan, having settled in on the Grand Prix 4 Season tire as my go for many years, after trying several different brands. I got a new road bike a year ago, and thought I wold give the 5000's a try when the OEM tires gave way. Those were Specialized Turbo Pro's, and based on my previous experience with Specs, I thought they would be shot after 500 miles. In fact, I got 3150 out of the rear, and 4000 on the front!
Once I was fully on the 5000's I noticed 2 things right away - they are indeed smooth, fast, and grippy, but the sizing is a little questionable. I moved from being a 700x23 @120psi diehard, to 25's, and with the new bike, 28's running 75 psi F, 85 psi R. (I am 6'2", 180 lbs). If you're an old diehard skinny tire rider, do yourself a favor and try something different - easily just as fast, and waaaay more comfortable. When I mounted the 5000's it was immediately clear that although labelled 28's they were no bigger than 25's. So if you're looking for bigger tires, I would suggest going all the way to 32's - that's what I plan to do if these last long enough to be worth repeating.
The rear tire has 900+ miles on it now, and is showing considerable wear. Lots of cuts and nicks, with one fairly small cut having nicked a cord of the casing. By contrast, the Spec's had many more and deeper cuts, without a single injury to the casing. In fact on removal I saw that the sidewall had been cut along the radial line about 1" all the way to the casing, yet the tire performed flawlessly!
A word about rubber- these 5000's new out of box had noticeably less rubber on the wear surface than my 4000 mile worn Spec did!
If I can get 2000 miles flat free, I will consider another pair. The Specs went their entire life flat free, which is amazing. Plus they were a dream to ride.
Some reviewers commented on sidewall weakness. So far, no problems. Also, others say tires difficult to mount, but mine went on pretty easily, FYI. Lastly, I believe these are an improvement over the 4000's, as my experience with those was that they flatted like crazy.
My Trek Domane SL7 came with tubeless tires. I didn't want to mess with the whole sealant thing. Switched to the GP 5000 with the conti race tubes when the time came to switch tires. What a difference smoother ride and I am actually going faster. Only problem -not the easy to mount on my carbon rims.
I've been running Continental GP5000 tires on my bikes for several years and have been very satisfied with their performance. Great grip and wear and they look good.
Absolutely the best brand and model Conti has for road bikes. I have run a variation of the GP for about two decades! They should tell you something. The bad reviews for flats and sidewall issues have me perplexed a bit. I am not saying there can't be a few bad ones that get by, but I really wonder if it is a road quality issue or improperly mounted by the rider. I ride some junk roads on daily routes too, and knock on wood, no issues like I had with Michelin tires I use to run. These 5000's are truly a race tire and very durable. I even have a daily section of over a football field length of gravel to reach the black top and no issues. Go get yourself a set and those who think the tire is bad that have used them.....check what your roads are like or get them mounted professionally then reassess. If you do in fact have rough roads you may need a gravel bike instead!
I haven't ridden Continental tires for several years. I found that the 5000's are as prone to punctures and flats as the 4000's were in the past. Four flats in two months on tubes. These tires are very difficult to mount or remove unless they've been out in the sun for awhile on a warm day. Also, the performance and ride quality of the 5000's is not any greater than other tire brand I've used.
Best gripping tire I have had in 8 years.
I use the clincher tires and have no problem changing tires, although some cyclists in the club have had difficulty changing TR ready ones.
A classic tire that wears well and handles even better. Consistent edge to edge roll improves handling and confidence.
Over the years I have found the Continental brand the best. I get the best handling and long term use from this brand. They also look good on tire rims. I have bought the 4000 tire over the past few years. Thought Id give the 5000 a try especially since they were on sale.
I have found them to be another excellent tire from a Continental. Dont think you would make a mistake when you give them a try. I have a house in Sarasota FL and another in New Jersey. These tires are excellent on the warm fast flats in Florida. Also on the hilly terrain of central Jersey.
Before taking the new road bike tire for a spin, I reviewed the technology first. The Grand Prix 5000 has a 12% lower rolling resistance, a 20% better puncture resistance and 10 grams less weight according to Continental. The tires puncture resistance was improved and I put that to the test. While out for a ride we encountered a large patch of glass. My buddies all got flats. I pulled some glass shards out of the tire. No damage and No Flats... The tire smoothly glides over asphalt and my bike has no problem accelerating.
Been using the various generation of Grand Prix. Conti keeps improving with each model. Yes, prices to match but these go on sale occasionally. Only downside is its difficulty to mount.
5000's are my full time tire of choice. Reasonably flat resistant, long wearing.
Cons? Fairly tight fitting, not the easiest to mount or remove.
Great tires always buy them when they're on sale. Nice to have a stock when you get a cut.
Got these tires on sale. Even when they aren't on sale you can't go wrong with gp5000's
Bought these as an upgrade tire with less weight on my new set of carbon wheels. No flats. Grips well on corners.
On my "definitely buy again" list when needed!
