Fast tires good for touring

[serbring]

Hi all,

I'm considering to replace the tires of my Genesis Croix de Fer 20. On the bike are actually mounted Continental Cyclocross Speed tires, which are rather good, but in my opinion they aren't really grippy for fast road downhills. I mainly use the bike for fast on road tours, but I want to buy fast tires that they allow me to cycle with a full loaded bike (just front and rear panniers) and that they are grippy even in wet weather. Puncture resistance is not essential to me. I'm considering the continental grand prix 4000 s ii 28. Has anyone toured with this tires? How are they?

Thanks

Cheers

[markjohnobrien]

Sorry, I don't know these tyres but love Vittoria Voyager Hypers and Schwalbe Marathon supreme: both are fast, grippy, and very comfortable touring tyres.

[FarOeuf]

I'm looking at testing some Compass tyres (for the Transcontinental race this year). I've been playing around with normal (Schwalbe, Continental, etc) tyres of various widths. But I'm interested in the design/physics of the Compass tyres : https://janheine.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/why-slick-tires-dont-stick-well/. Hopefully have them in a month or so (it's still snowing here so no point now).

EDIT: this article could be seen as a sales pitch for their tyres. But I think if you read through the comments and replies by the author/Compass owner you can make your own judgement.

cheers

[Des49]

...fast tires that they allow me to cycle with a full loaded bike (just front and rear panniers) ...

Fast tyres and "just" front and rear panniers seem at odds to me. Such a loaded bike is likely to need more robust tyres to me. What sort of all up weight and what weight of luggage do you anticipate?

I use GP4000s tyres for racing when I can't be bothered with the tubs. Training and light tour usage is on GP 4 Seasons.

Both these tyres are superb and grippy, but do have vunerable sidewalls that need checking frequently, so stick to nice roads only. Last year I also blew 2 rear GP 4 Season tyres when riding with only about 12kg of rear pannier load, plus my weight of about 70kg (25c tyres). Now I may have been unlucky and hit something sharp each time but it seems a bit of a co-incidence.

if you are heavily loaded and may encounter rough roads I would look for something more robust.

[serbring]

Sorry, I don't know these tyres but love Vittoria Voyager Hypers and Schwalbe Marathon supreme: both are fast, grippy, and very comfortable touring tyres.

Vittoria looks to be really good tires.

[serbring]

...fast tires that they allow me to cycle with a full loaded bike (just front and rear panniers) ...

Fast tyres and "just" front and rear panniers seem at odds to me. Such a loaded bike is likely to need more robust tyres to me. What sort of all up weight and what weight of luggage do you anticipate?

Not fully loaded tires, continental doesn't provide the load rating of their tires but a 700x28 from schwalbe can be loaded up to 75kg, that is more than 50kg of luggage in my case! With front and rear pannier I usually carry less than 20 kg.

I use GP4000s tyres for racing when I can't be bothered with the tubs. Training and light tour usage is on GP 4 Seasons.

Both these tyres are superb and grippy, but do have vunerable sidewalls that need checking frequently, so stick to nice roads only. Last year I also blew 2 rear GP 4 Season tyres when riding with only about 12kg of rear pannier load, plus my weight of about 70kg (25c tyres). Now I may have been unlucky and hit something sharp each time but it seems a bit of a co-incidence.

if you are heavily loaded and may encounter rough roads I would look for something more robust.

You're on right, the second option may be buy GP4000s and in case I will buy new set of tires for the tour

[Vorpal]

Hi all,

I'm considering to replace the tires of my Genesis Croix de Fer 20. On the bike are actually mounted Continental Cyclocross Speed tires, which are rather good, but in my opinion they aren't really grippy for fast road downhills. I mainly use the bike for fast on road tours, but I want to buy fast tires that they allow me to cycle with a full loaded bike (just front and rear panniers) and that they are grippy even in wet weather. Puncture resistance is not essential to me. I'm considering the continental grand prix 4000 s ii 28. Has anyone toured with this tires? How are they?

Thanks

Cheers

I prefer Continental Grand Prix 4 seasons. The 4000s and 4 seasons are similar tyres, but I think the traction is slightly better on the 4 seasons, especially in adverse conditions, like wet or frost. I also think that the puncture resistance is better on the 4 seasons. The 4000s roll slightly better, but I don't think I would notice the difference on a loaded bike. I think the 4 seasons do a little better with a load than the 4000s, but I haven't ridden the 4000s in 28s lately, so I'm not too confident in that judgement.

Neither is a particular long lasting tyre. I guess they only last half as long as something like a Schwalbe Marathon, but they are a much nicer tyre, and IMO worth the expense and lower durability. They are fairly easy to fit and roll much better than most touring tyres.

I have used the GP 4 seasons for commuting and light touring.

[Des49]

I did keep my GP 4 Season rear tyre that went pop on me, intending to post about it or even contact the importer about it, but never got around to it. So forgive the poor quality hand held pics but here is the result below. Can't be too sure, but looks like the casing has failed rather than something cut through. Shame I dumped the first one, but I thought I just ran over some metal or something like that.
Both punctures resulted in an immediate fully flat tyre, luckily at slow speed.

Edit to add - the tyre was virtually unworn.

[reohn2]

Sorry, I don't know these tyres but love Vittoria Voyager Hypers and Schwalbe Marathon supreme: both are fast, grippy, and very comfortable touring tyres.

Vittoria looks to be really good tires.

Vittoria Voyager Hypers are one great tyre,fast puncture resistant and long lasting.
Vittoria Randonneur Pro(NOT ordinary Randonneur model which has an inferior 30tpi casing) are based on the same 120tpi casing as Hypers,but with more rubber on the tread,so are slightly heavier and not quite as comfy,that said they're still a good fast tyre.

EDIT

[scottg]

I'm looking at testing some Compass tyres (for the Transcontinental race this year).

I've used GranBois 30s for a Manchester to Plymouth pub to pub tour, they held up quite well.
When the tires are brand new they're sticky, you'll probably get a flat in the first 200 miles, after that
they're good. I've been using GranBois and Compass tires since '07, no worse in the flat dept
than the Michelin ProRace and Schwalbe Ultremos they replaced. GranBois, Compass, Fairweather,
Soma are all made by Panaracer to similar but not identical specs. Panaracer Gravel King slicks
are the stiffest version, Compass Extra Light and GranBois Extra Legere are the most flexible casings.

[Vorpal]

I did keep my GP 4 Season rear tyre that went pop on me, intending to post about it or even contact the importer about it, but never got around to it. So forgive the poor quality hand held pics but here is the result below. Can't be too sure, but looks like the casing has failed rather than something cut through. Shame I dumped the first one, but I thought I just ran over some metal or something like that.
Both punctures resulted in an immediate fully flat tyre, luckily at slow speed.

Edit to add - the tyre was virtually unworn.

That looks like it's been damaged? I've not seen anything like that. Though, certainly if I was certina that osmehting like that was *not* a result of damage, I would contact Continental.

I've been running GP 4 seasons for 6ish years, now and worn out several pairs of tyres without any problem. I've not even had any punctures until the tyres were visibly near the end of life.

[Des49]

That looks like it's been damaged? I've not seen anything like that. Though, certainly if I was certina that osmehting like that was *not* a result of damage, I would contact Continental.

I've been running GP 4 seasons for 6ish years, now and worn out several pairs of tyres without any problem. I've not even had any punctures until the tyres were visibly near the end of life.

Both tyres that failed were virtually new, so an expensive couple of months on tyres. I have been using these tyres for many years now without any problems, and not even a single puncture that I can remember, until these 2 instances. I can recall one puncture on a GP4000s, plus a couple of holes in the sidewalls that led to scrapped tyres.

Yes it's possibly damaged, but last year I had 2 such failures while on short trips away from home with panniers. Both were very similar, instant deflation from what looked like cuts or splits. Now the first time I just thought I was unlucky, but then a few weeks later the same happened and it got me worried. That's why I kept the last tyre, I should get around to contacting Continental. These 2 failures were also the only time I used the bike with panniers all year, normally that bike is just myself and a small saddle bag.

Not sure who to contact now, many years ago the importer was Cambrian Tyres if I remember, in the pre internet days. I used to send them a string of Top Touring 2000 tyres that never wore out as they had to be replaced due to split sidewalls. I didn't have to buy a tyre for years, but would not have gone far from home on those.

OK, just checked and Cambrian are still listed as official importer, have used the contact form on their site to send them details and offering to send them pictures or the tyre.

We'll see if they are as helpful and generous as they were many years ago.

[andrewjoseph]

i like the gp 4000's for day rides. I have used 25c for a long time. but for fully loaded touring i put ribmo 35c on.

[mig]

I'm looking at testing some Compass tyres (for the Transcontinental race this year).

I've used GranBois 30s for a Manchester to Plymouth pub to pub tour, they held up quite well.
When the tires are brand new they're sticky, you'll probably get a flat in the first 200 miles, after that
they're good. I've been using GranBois and Compass tires since '07, no worse in the flat dept
than the Michelin ProRace and Schwalbe Ultremos they replaced. GranBois, Compass, Fairweather,
Soma are all made by Panaracer to similar but not identical specs. Panaracer Gravel King slicks
are the stiffest version, Compass Extra Light and GranBois Extra Legere are the most flexible casings.

[reohn2]

I'm looking at testing some Compass tyres (for the Transcontinental race this year).

I've used GranBois 30s for a Manchester to Plymouth pub to pub tour, they held up quite well.
When the tires are brand new they're sticky, you'll probably get a flat in the first 200 miles, after that
they're good. I've been using GranBois and Compass tires since '07, no worse in the flat dept
than the Michelin ProRace and Schwalbe Ultremos they replaced. GranBois, Compass, Fairweather,
Soma are all made by Panaracer to similar but not identical specs. Panaracer Gravel King slicks
are the stiffest version, Compass Extra Light and GranBois Extra Legere are the most flexible casings.

Check scottg's location