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!
Cycling on bad New Hampshire roads. Love the Vittoria Corsa Next 2.0 also, but they just don't last like these.
32mm on front and back of Giant Defy. A few tires I've tried are close, but none are better!
I bought these at a good sale price a few months ago and put them on last week when my 4000's were getting flats to easily. This is usually a sign to me that they needed replacing-about 3000 miles worth of wear.
The new tires were a tight fit on my DT Swiss carbon rims but the new bike tire tool, a Crank Brothers Speedier lever, lived up to its name. It made mounting the tubes much easier than putting on the 4000's , which was what led me to buying the new Crank Bros. tool in the first place. The tires look good on the bike and ride well with better grip on the turns than the previous ones. The ride is comfortable, too. I'm not sure I can tell if they have less rolling resistance. Obviously, I can't comment on longevity or flat resistance yet but usually have good luck with Continental products.
Try these tires. I think they are a good example of continuing product improvement by Continental.
I've had three pairs of these. Each one last 4-5,000 miles. Arizona roads.
Fast. Comfortable. Puncture resistant.
I am an avid cyclist of mostly group rides that range between 20 to 75 miles over flat to hilly terrain. Back roads with some countysecondary roads to help connect the dots. I was a long time user of the Continental brand between the GP4000s and the 4Season. I went between the two depending on the season, weather, and the amount of riding where durability was more sought than ride quality. I would trade between the two by switching out the tires. I ride a 500 mile7 day cycling fundraiser every July in the Northeast US so that alone causes some flux as to what tire to use. I recently went off course by trying out the Vittoria Corsa G which claimed to have vastly improved its durability by way of a new material called Graphine. The first two sets where super fast and buttery smooth. The third set which was used over the 500 mile ride rendered the ugly durability head by rendering three flats. I have since switched back to Continental as I was made aware of the 5000s. Of course they are on par with the Corsas in terms of speed and roll resistance but I've been told the 5000s were made with a 20% improvement on puncture resistance. I just took them out for 40 miler and have to say they are impressive from a ride quality and rollspeed standpoint. I did not flat during that ride but honestly its going to take a much larger sample size to determine just how much more durable they are than the 4000s, the Corsas, and whether they're close enough to the Conti 4Seasons which while very reliable deliver a slower ride with greater vibration. Ruins the experience a bit.
I'm very happy with the 5000s but jury remains out on the surviving the rural routes.
I got these for some Hed Jet wheels. In the channel, no luck, even with no base tape as an experiment. Barely got one onto a Mavic Aksium wheelset with tools; other tires fall onto these rims; I hope it will stretch some there. The other? Won't go on even the Mavics. I know Conti Gatorskins are tough to mount because they're stiff, but a supple race tire? I'd give it two thumbs down, but they're too tired.
The first thing that I noticed was that the two little wear markers in the tread are about one half of the depth on the GP 5000 as compared to the GP 4000, so I'm not quite sure if that means that there is only one half of the tread or not. I cycle 12,000 mile per year for fitness, and don't race because I don't like broken bones and road rash, although I have weekly group rides with racers. I have never actually worn out a rear GP 4000 tire because they always gashed out first from striking rocks or debris. On the front I do wear out a GP 4000. I get about 2,000 miles per tire on the GP 5000.
Love these tires. Comparing really to the continental TT. These have amazing rolling resistance. Very similar to the TT but the 5000s feel stronger and stickier.
Been riding the 5000s (regular version) for a couple weeks now and have a few hundred miles on them. 23mm in front, 25mm in rear, latex tubes. I'm 145lbs. I've gotten to do a lot of varied riding on them, including a very wet and rainy crit and gravel. IMO they are excellent tires.
I used to be a die hard Veloflex fan. I rode them for many years for the ride quality. I switched over to GP4000s because they wore better and rolled fast. I could tell they weren't as supple as the Veloflex but I was tired of how easily they cut. I was really excited to try the Michelin Power Competitions, but those were a failure for me. They roll fast and feel good but I got bad sidewall cuts that ruined the tires and made them unrepairable. Bad luck I suppose. I also tried some Vittoria Corsa G for a time, because I got a deal on them. They are okay. They are pretty durable for a supple tire, but they don't really ride that great for me. Not sure why. They definitely don't ride as nicely as the Veloflex. In any case, the 5000s are undeniably fast and IMO feel better than the 4000s, and better than any of the other tires I've mentioned above save for the Veloflex. I haven't ridden them for a few years now so can't really do a direct comparison but the 5000s feel close.
I am a Conti GP5000 devotee and have been for years. They get consistently great reviews, roll fast and feel very comfortable on the road. They also look great. That said, you have to have the correct wheel/tire combination for them or you will suffer as they run tight. Had to cut one off and there have been plenty where no amount of manipulation could get my tire lever under the tire bead even having the whole tire down in the center channel. These were supposed to be my tires for life but they disappointed and I've moved on. My bike shop guy who's been in business for years told me that Conti's main business is car and truck tires, not bike tires. Therefore the R&D just isn't there as opposed to a company like Vittoria which only makes bike tires. It was because of the Conti's that I bought longer vinyl coated steel tire levers because they were the only levers with which I could get the last bit of bead over the tire rim and do so without breaking the lever. Getting stuck on the road because I can't change an inner tube is unacceptable.
I have been running Conti GP's for almost two decades and keep moving with the nomenclature progression. They are very much puncture resistant, light, very sticky for cornering, and a real value for a German made tire for pro racing standards. Unless QC goes out the window or I am given a competitor tire to try to formulate feedback, I will not vacate using this tire. I run a 700 x 25 sizing on a set of full carbon Spinergy wheels that are 32 mm deep with a Hadley Ti Racing hub. If you have not ridden these and are looking for a new manufacturer, give them a try.
Continental hit the exact sweet spot with the 5000. Perfect mix of speed and flat resistance. Excellent cornering grip too. I use the 32mm size on both my road bike and gravel bike's road wheelset. Have worn out 25mm and 28mm similar Conti 4000s as well, and strongly recommend the 32mm width if your bike can take it. The lower pressure greatly & noticeably improves comfort, traction, and tread life. For the occasional fast smooth pavement ride you can pressure them up to be same or lower rolling resistance as thinner tires. I suppose their extra width adds wind resistance, but if that makes a statistically provable difference in your riding then no worries because your team mechanic is wrangling your gear anyway. My only qualification on the 5000 is that it should only see minimal gravel use. I ruined the sidewall on a rear tire one time.
Good
In my experience the Conti 5000 is the best all around cycling tire. I am a big guy @ 245lbs and avg group rides of 20 mph+. The ride quality, durability, and performance always hits the mark. I am running 30mm on a CAAD13 at 65-70 PSI, and the tire just delivers. With the tire quality, lower tire pressure with running 30mm, & the lower rolling resistance, the ride experience is top notch. I highly recommend. Ride safe!
