OUGrad05

Hi folks. I'm getting tired of how difficult it is to mount the GP5000s. This is especially true of the 25mm vs the 28mm. Today, one of the rare (never happened to me before) two punctures in a single ride day...first repair done on the road with a 28mm tire...second puncture 35 miles later meant ride was over...but that front tire wasn't worn out but had several thousand miles on it so I took it off, found the culprit, removed the thorn and put the tire in my spare tire rack since it could run it another 1500 miles or so.

I decided to put on a 25mm since this was a front tire and I've had them sitting on my shelf a few months. This was an absolutely atrocious process, way worse than the moderately difficult 28mm GP5000 mounting process.

Keep in mind this was sitting in my living room, not in a hurry with 3 tire levers and it was still an absolutely dreadful process. I hope I don't ever have to change this 25mm tire on the road.

Anyway, as result of how difficult these are to work with I'm giving some thought to making a switch to something like the Michelin Power Cup. The reviews are good but they don't mention how quick/hard/easy they can be changed with a couple simple tire levers.

Any experience with the tires?

woodway

No experience with those tires, sorry, but this is a game-changer for mounting GP-5000's. I carry one with me when I ride.

Amazon.com: Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack, Black : Automotive

freeranger

Can't say for Power Cup, but I have Mich Pro 4 Service Course (tube) tires and no problem. A friend switched from Conti to Mich due to mounting difficulty (sorry-don't know which models).

ARPRINCE

Save yourself aggravation....get this

OUGrad05

You just keep that tool on your bike at all times?

thin_concrete

​​​​​​​Where has this tool been all my life??! I thought I was pretty good at swapping tires until I stopped biking for a couple years after a bike accident. My wife had an issue with one of her wheels and asked me to look at it. Maybe it was the tire (can’t remember the brand now), maybe it was something else, but I could not get the new tire on the dadgum rim to save my life. I ended up putting a tear in the old tube. Found a new tube to put on, had a beer or three and finally got it to work! I just tossed one of these tools in my Amazon cart - thanks!

PoorInRichfield

My experience with the GP5000TL lead me to purchase the "tire jack" shown above. The newer model, the GP5000S TR, went on w/o any tools which corresponds to Conti's claims that they're easier to mount.

ARPRINCE

I also carry one but I cut the handle shorter so it fits on a carry pouch/bag.

woodway

Yes. When I bike commute to work, I have one in my pannier. On regular road rides, I have one that I stick into a jersey pocket.

Iride01 

On both Mavic Open Elite and Open Pro rims as well as my current Roval rims on my Tarmac, I've had no issues with GP 5000 tubed tires. In fact, I can even mount and dismount them with just my fingers. And those were and are 23 mm and 25 mm GP 5000's. Never used 28 mm yet.

You just aren't good enough at changing tires. I know that's harsh, but you need to gain some understanding of the how you get a smaller diameter ring around something slightly bigger diameter. You were able to get the first side of the tire on with no issue weren't you? The other side is the same diameter.

OUGrad05

Well then enlighten me please. Because I've changed dozens of tires and I'm no the only one that has these issues with these tires.

I'm all ears if it's me.

Note: Never had problems with the two other brands I've run the past.

roadcrankr

I experience some difficulty mounting Michelin Powers or Pro4s.
Maybe slightly easier than GP5000s, but I like how the Michelins ride.
Conti's feel less buoyant. I found their 4000's sidewall very brittle and prone to failure.
With both brands, just run the bead closer to the rim channel when mounting.
Usually requires a strong plastic lever for the final push. Pedro's and Conti make good ones.

chaadster

There’s almost zero point in talking about the level of difficulty in tire mounting if the rim isn’t specified. Some tire/rim combos go together more easily than others.

I was thinking about trying the Power Cup tires, too, but they may not be comfortably durable enough for me. I think it was BicycleRollingResistance.com who measured tread thickness to be on the thin side, and also the tread width as narrow as well, to the extent than hard cornering might put the sidewall on the road. I’m also heavy, which I thought would exacerbate potential issues.

The other thing is that this season, I’ve been on the Cup’s predecessor, the Power Road, and I’ve not been impressed, so I’m kind of reluctant to throw down money on the brand again— I’ve used other Michelin bike tires over the decades and never been in love— when I know, trust, and love the Schwalbe Pro One. Michelin say the Cup uses a new tread compound, so I’m curious of course.

Iride01 

You talking to me?

It's a path you are going to have to find out on your own. Maybe I'll make a video one day.

But think about it. When mounting the tire, if that first side goes on with no fuss then that second side should too. But it usually doesn't because that first side along with the tube are keeping it from getting to the smallest diameter of the rim profile. So you need to push those out of that area and the bead of the second side into that area with the smaller diameter. You probably will have to go back several times to where you first started putting on that second side and push it back into that area as the tube and bead of the other side really want to be there and make things hard on you. And you need to do that for every few inches of bead you have on and work back toward where the problem part of getting the bead over the rim is stymying you.

Troul 

I haven't went with those tires based on some reviews mentioning the thin tread depth, low grip in colder temps, & squaring off too soon before reaching their end of life.

For hard to mount tires [once one side of the tire is fully over the rim] the technique that tends to work for me is to gradually roll the tire's other bead over the rim while maintaining the opposing side you're working on, with just enough load to squish the sidewall. If you have a pretty set of corpus unguis, you may a corrective manicure after the install.

yaw

I think this is too rim specific to make it about tyres, unless it is the notorious TL version.
I can get GP5000 clinchers on without tools on my Bontragers using this method:

msu2001la

GP5000 tubed tires = easy to mount on any rim, maybe just a single tire lever needed. Same as any other tire.
GP5000 TL = awful and need a bead jack and/or multiple levers to get on any rim. Lots of swearing.
GP5000S TR = easy to mount on any rim, maybe just a single tire lever needed. Same as any other tire.

FWIW - I don't see the GP5000 TL listed on Continental's website anymore and wonder if they've stopped making it? I would never buy those tires again, especially now that the S TR is out and is much better.

curbtender

Isn't the TL tubeless? Might be why it is tight.

rm -rf

My newest GP5000 non-tubeless are extremely hard to dismount on my HED tubeless ready rims, where the bead pops into the rim seat. I struggle to get the first short section of tire bead to come out of the seat.

GP5000 were never a problem in the past years, have they modified the bead?

sean.hwy

I bought this smaller one for the bike rides. The bigger one did not fit my bike bag.

gp5000 still a pain on the side of the road but this helps a lot.
https://ezclincher.com/

t2p

agree with previous posts - might be related to the rims and/or the specific GP5000 model / batch

I mounted a set of 25mm GP5000's this past summer quickly with no issues ... just two small plastic tire levers ... been years (decades !) - but probably about the same level of difficulty to mount as a 20 or 23mm Michelin Super Comp HD back in the day

himespau 

I've got one in my tool box and one in each of my saddle bags (I have big saddle bags), in addition to my quick link tool (that separates and doubles as tire levers). I used to have the VAR bead jack tool in my saddle bags, but this was enough better that I got bigger bags to ensure there was enough room for it.

Bald Paul

I just mounted a set of GP5000s (700X32) on a new Boyd carbon wheelset.
I was sort of dreading even attempting it, but surprisingly, all I needed were my thumbs. Easy.

Noahma

I have been using Michelin tires for years, I really like the ride they offer. I have had to get a pair of GP5000's lately because you just cant find the Michelins anywhere. All of my go-to places are out for an unknown length of time. I have had no issues mounting the GP5000's I found them easier to mount than the Power Roads I had previously. That said, I will grab a pair of Michelins again once they are easier to get ahold of.

robbyville

not to feed the troll but this is the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a while. I’ve changed thousands of tires over a span of over 35 years. Some tolerances, tires and rim combos are more difficult. Not impossible but a definite struggle. Heck, one of the people I ride with, owns a car body shop, works with his hands, strong as an ox and a near pro rider in his day, professional mechanic to an extent had to pass off his strangely tight mavic tire and rim combo for help a couple months back.

they’ve gone to one model only the 5000s TR, which stands for Tubeless Ready, the new variation is for tubes, and both types of tubeless rims hooked and hookless.

I truly have a love/hate relationship with these tires and like Chadster mentions it really boils down to the tire/rim combo. I was super excited for the new TR’s since the TL’s were a real bear on my Light bicycle rims. Sadly the TR’s were just as difficult to mount, and yet I’ve had no challenges setting them up tubeless on a friend’s trek with Bontrager carbon disc rims.

a couple of weeks ago I was in Utah for some competitions and a small cut in my new Conti’s was threatening to grow. Not wanting to take any chances with a flat on the road race I bought one of the Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tires. I had frankly forgotten how easy other tires are to mount lol!