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.
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 put Grand Prix 4000 tires on my Giant, and was very happy with the ride and handling. I thought if the 4000 tires worked so well I would go up a notch and purchased the Grand Prix 5000 tires for my newer Specialized. The tires did not disappoint the ride and handling is just as good if not a little bit better, nice tires.
purchased the 700 x 25 for my road and tri bike. Can't confirm whether or not it is significantly faster as advertising but does have a better feel to it on the road. Been running at 90 psi with the 4000sii and doing the same now. Seems to be a good psi for me (5'10 and 175 lbs). Haven't had any issues, knock on wood, flat protection seems adequate. Road raced and did an ironman and it served well for both.
The Continental GP 4000 is a great tire that Ive ridden for years. The GP 5000 appears to be a definite improvement. The rubber has noticeably more grip right out of the box. After almost 800 miles the surface still appears new. No flats as yet. Its as supple as the 4000 and, although not apparent on the bike, reportedly lighter with significantly less rolling resistance which cant hurt. The profile seems lower which helps getting the wheel on and off my bike without deflating (I have a close tolerance behind the bottom bracket). Bottom line, an improvement over an already great tire.
I have been a Conti 4000 user for many years and finally decided to upgrade to the Conti 5000 Tire. I found it to have a very good grip and very comfortable. If one used the 4000 S series tires I would say this 5000 is better but not significantly better. The specs may be better but out on the road, it is hard for me to report that the tire is significantly better. I would still recommend it, and will most likely buy another pair.
We switched over to the 32s of this model from a light touring tire for the summer. We have a tandem that can run up to 38s but these fit the bit for nice pavement to chip seal country roads. They are much faster and corner great. They also have a nice road feel as the larger volume lets us get away with lower pressure. Wouldnt take these on dirt, but thats not what they are made for!
I bought a pair of these when they first became available last week. I've only got 100 miles or so on them, so the jury is still out, but so far they seem at least as nice as the last version - GP4000S2.
I've been riding long enough to have used every generation since the GP2000. Continental has always had a strong contender in the high-end clincher road tire market. Since the introduction of the GP4000, they have pretty much dominated this segment. The GP4000 S2 was, or is, the tire of choice for the majority of riders in my bike club.
With each generation, Continental has made improvements in wear, flat protection, and ride quality. I'm looking forward to seeing how much better this new tire is compared to the old one, but I'll be really surprised if it isn't a noticeable upgrade.
As a huge long time fan of the 4000S2 I am so excited to have the new Grand Prix 5000.
The quality looks fantastic, and while I have only done a short ride on them so far, the early feeling is that this tire is fast and grippy. Can't wait to put more miles on them!
Another awesome performance road tire from Continental. I've been a real fan of the GP4000 S2. There really hasn't been anything else that was really as good for performance road cycling. For a tire that grips and rides as well as the GP4000, it is surprisingly durable and resistant to flats.
Based on my admittedly limited experience with the GP5000 so far, it seems at least as good and probably better. Nice and grippy even on cold, wet roads. And it looks like it's going to be available in 700x32 which I'm really looking forward to for my endurance bike.
I ride about 75 mi. a wk. 25 mi. per ride average speed 13.5 14.5 on blacktop streets ,usually the same route ,I bought these tires 2 mo. ago and cannot attest to the durability at this point but I will say that they are by far the best rolling and fastest tires I have ever owned over the last 27yrs. .
I have this tire mounted on a Fulcrum Racing 3db and it's a really nice combination. Ride, handling, rolling are all top notch. Expensive, but worth it. Can't speak to durability yet since I only have a few hundred miles on them.
4000SII was perfect tire. Meaty tread, performance and low puncture risk if you looked after them. Within last year had one with defective tread? The new 5000 has lower rolling resistance, but due to the narrower sizing it is impossible to mount on super wide rim by hand, even with knowing the tricks and 25 years mounting tires. Really annoying!! And if you are a weight weenie, 5000 is heavier despite marketing. 5000 better choice for TT application than everyday use.
Im a long time fan of the 4000s, fast and great puncture protection. When I got a set of 5000s I had 3 flats in 3 rides, both tires are now useless, I swapped back to 4000s. The weight savings came as a result of less puncture protection and narrower. Only positive I see with them is they look great
I got one of the first sets of these tires available for my new Gerard road race bike. I've used Continental GP 4000 S II tires faithfully for about seven years. The new 5000s feel smoother and more sure on descents.