therhodeo

I finally ruined my rear Ultra Race kevlar and am going to get 2 new tires.

I don't race.
I ride mostly on crappy asphalt or highway shoulders (lots of debris).

Right now PBK is offering 10% off and free shipping to the US. Should I?

1. GP 4000's. Great tires a little less puncture resistant.
2. GP 4 Seasons. A little less fast but maybe more puncture resistant.
3. Gatorskins. Way less puncture resistant but not in stock at PBK so I'll have to find them some where else probably for way less of a deal than the GP's currently.

hobkirk

I will jump in while the thread is fresh...

1. What are the major advantages of the 4000S over the 4000 (black w/ chili)? There's quite a price difference.
2. Is the chili actually "hot" or is it mostly marketing?
3. What tubes would be a good choice?

Thanks

therhodeo

Anyone?

svtmike

Lots of debris? I'd go Gatorskins.

kevinsaari

GP 4 Seasons are a nice balance between the nice ride of GP4000's, and the puncture resistance of Gatorskins. If I were you, I'd give those a shot.

Val23708

1. I'd wager the 4000's to actually be just as puncture resistant. the Vectran belt is pretty good.
2. coin toss really but i'd go with the 4000s' just because they look better.
3. no. they ride like rocks


1. same thing - different graphics
2. everyone agrees its a better compound than their regular one
3. whatever fits your rims

Val23708

you plow straight through debris? there are clean parts of the road you know.

svtmike

I personally avoid debris-laden shoulders and roads.

I recommended the Gatorskins to the OP because their sidewalls are more puncture resistant than the GP4000s, for that debris that he may miss but not by quite enough. You may have a different opinion than mine, and that's just fine with me.

therhodeo

Then you personally wouldn't have anywhere to ride where I live.

Cdy291

The 4000's are so strong I don't know why anyone would need anything stronger.

BengeBoy 

+1

lunacycle

The GP4 Seasons are a good compromise between flat-protection and suppleness. They also have the belted sidewalls, similar to the Gatorskins.

I have over 3000 commuting miles on mine. The rear tire is just getting towards the end of it's useful life -- I can just see the threads emerging from the surface of the tread.

svtmike

I have no plans to ride in Stillwater, so that works out well.

therhodeo

Just saying that most of the roads around here have at least a little crap on them and its not all trash. 2 of my 4 punctures in the last 6 months have been from sand burrs. One was a pinch flat from a giant rock that no one in the paceline cared to point out and the other was wire from a tire. The roads aren't terrible but all of them have their share of flat hazards.

svtmike

Agree all roads have their hazards (some more than others) but I do avoid the busier roads with truly debris-laden shoulders -- so GP4000's have been more than fine for me and others in my riding group. If my cycling required me to ride some of those roads (where I might have to ride through debris because I can't take the traffic lane at the time) I'd probably ride something with a little better sidewall protection. The 4 seasons and the Gatorskins both fit that bill.

brianappleby

Given what's in stock, I'd vote for the 4 seasons, not as much for the puncture resistance as for the tread wear. I have ridden only Conti tires for the last few years. I ride the gp4000(s) for training/crits and the Gatorskins for commuting and solo training. I've found the Gatorskins will last noticeably longer than the GP4000. I'm pretty sure that the 4 seasons and the Gatorskins have the same tread, but different puncture elements.

I haven't gotten any more punctures/slices on the GP4000's than the gatorskins, but I do replace them more due to the tread wearing out faster.

Scorer75

If you want the best flat protection, regardless of ride quality, Gatorskins.

If you want the best ride with good flat protection, then GP4 Seasons.


Where I ride, it's always Gatorskins, but I hate changing flats, and would gladly give up some ride comfort to not get them.

achoo

Yeah, but rocks don't flat.

jrobe

I ride on lousy roads and I rarely get flats since I switched to GP4000's. Great tire.