Fast clincher tires with good ride quality

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Asteroid
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by Asteroid

Another endorsement for the Michelin Pro4, although I would expect even better performance with their Power. Comparing the Pro4 against the GP4000 at 110psi, the Pro4 renders a superior ride and corners better, too. This rolling resistence thing is voodoo to me...I cannot tell if the GP's roll out better. But they do seem to ride harshly. The two brands get about the same mileage - right around 3k miles with a midway rotation.

I will probably get flamed on here for my "sacreligous" comments about the vaunted GP4000's, but I honestly do not know what all the fuss is about. :noidea: I do like the way they look and their puncture resistence is strong. :smartass:

4ibanez wrote:Pro 4 comp service course
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nemeseri
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by nemeseri

Asteroid wrote:Another endorsement for the Michelin Pro4, although I would expect even better performance with their Power. Comparing the Pro4 against the GP4000 at 110psi, the Pro4 renders a superior ride and corners better, too. This rolling resistence thing is voodoo to me...I cannot tell if the GP's roll out better. But they do seem to ride harshly. The two brands get about the same mileage - right around 3k miles with a midway rotation.

I will probably get flamed on here for my "sacreligous" comments about the vaunted GP4000's, but I honestly do not know what all the fuss is about. :noidea: I do like the way they look and their puncture resistence is strong. :smartass:

4ibanez wrote:Pro 4 comp service course


I think you gave a very good on-topic recommendation. Gp4000 has a good reputation because of the good test results, good puncture protection and ok ride. This topic is exactly about finding better ride quality with a slight compromise.

Nefarious86
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by Nefarious86

Add to that I am 90kg atm and can get away with 90/95psi in the GP4000s on the Zipps and 85/90 on the Cottons/Veloflex on good roads. Add about 5psi for rougher tarmac. I run about 10 more on the narrow Roval alloy wheels. When I'm down at 80kg i can drop about 5psi.
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sib
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by sib

Have you considered Panaracers?

I ride the Race A Evo (25mm), and prefer it to GP4000s.
There is also a lighter Race L version, but in my experience it doesn't last very long.

1415chris
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by 1415chris

For bigger rider and if you don't ride silky smooth roads, Vittoria Pave would and is my choice for outumn-winter season. Can't say anything about rolling resistance, but Pave rolls better than GP4000. Actually all opens I have been riding on: Vittoria Corsa III, Veloflex Corsa and Vittoria SR give better and smoother ride compared to GP4000. G+ in the boxes, so will try them soon.

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Miller
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by Miller

Or the OP could consider going tubeless. There are real benefits there in terms of excellent ride quality combined with robustness and a high measure of puncture resistance.

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pritchet74
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by pritchet74

pdlpsher1 wrote:The Specialized Turbo Cotton is a time-trial specific tire. It doesn't have a thick thread and it's prone to punctures.

IMHO the GP4000 has the best overall compromise in a high-mileage tire. All other tires will have something to sacrifice.


No it isn't. I know a few people that use it daily and they all consider it durable and no more puncture prone than the GP4000.
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Grinley
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by Grinley

Count me in for another vote for the Vittoria Corsa G+. I just rode them for the first time last weekend and was very impressed with how supple they felt. From what I've read they test very well in rolling resistance tests (fast but not the fastest). They seem to have pretty decent puncture resistance for a tire in that tier. Overall it seems like a good balance of durability, ride quality, and speed if you're willing to drop the money on them. You probably can't go to wrong with any of those top tier tires though really.

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BmanX
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by BmanX

Life is easy really. Keep riding the Conti's and use latex tubes. As others have mentioned go up one size, use latex and less pressure in the tires. It really is that simple.
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pdlpsher1
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by pdlpsher1

pritchet74 wrote:
pdlpsher1 wrote:The Specialized Turbo Cotton is a time-trial specific tire. It doesn't have a thick thread and it's prone to punctures.

IMHO the GP4000 has the best overall compromise in a high-mileage tire. All other tires will have something to sacrifice.


No it isn't. I know a few people that use it daily and they all consider it durable and no more puncture prone than the GP4000.


Although your friends don't consider the tire to be time-trial specific, most riders wouldn't consider this tire for daily rides. The Turbo Cotton is by definition a special purpose race tire. Of course anyone can ride a time-trial tire on a training ride but that alone doesn't make a time-trial tire a training tire.

Here's a full objective review on the tire including puncture resistance. The thread is 1mm thinner than most tires so the expected lifespan would be about half of others.

As I've said it already, the GP4000 has the best compromise between speed, durability, ride, and cost. Most U.S. online outlets are selling this tire for $37 a piece. Where can you find another fast tire for $37 a piece?

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/specialized-turbo-cotton-2016

TiCass
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by TiCass

pdlpsher1 wrote:
pritchet74 wrote:
pdlpsher1 wrote:The Specialized Turbo Cotton is a time-trial specific tire. It doesn't have a thick thread and it's prone to punctures.

IMHO the GP4000 has the best overall compromise in a high-mileage tire. All other tires will have something to sacrifice.


No it isn't. I know a few people that use it daily and they all consider it durable and no more puncture prone than the GP4000.


Although your friends don't consider the tire to be time-trial specific, most riders wouldn't consider this tire for daily rides. The Turbo Cotton is by definition a special purpose race tire. Of course anyone can ride a time-trial tire on a training ride but that alone doesn't make a time-trial tire a training tire.

Here's a full objective review on the tire including puncture resistance. The thread is 1mm thinner than most tires so the expected lifespan would be about half of others.

As I've said it already, the GP4000 has the best compromise between speed, durability, ride, and cost. Most U.S. online outlets are selling this tire for $37 a piece. Where can you find another fast tire for $37 a piece?

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/specialized-turbo-cotton-2016



Hum, the Michelin Power Competition?
http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ition-2016

Hexsense
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by Hexsense

pdlpsher1 wrote:Here's a full objective review on the tire including puncture resistance. The thread is 1mm thinner than most tires so the expected lifespan would be about half of others.

i would rate them at only 1/3 of some other tires. The tire is just too thin and puncture prone when it is about 1.5-1.8mm thick (no reference, just my experience). The S-works cotton starts at 2.1mm so only 0.3mm to go into the risky (but might still usable if you are not unlucky) zone.

I don't think their puncture resistant is bad when they are still not too thin though. it work fine as long as it doesn't wear down too much so you could use it as training tire too if you could replace the tire 3x as often as other training tires.

Hexsense
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by Hexsense

TiCass wrote:Hum, the Michelin Power Competition?
http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ition-2016

i bought a set of it.
front one work very well so far. rear one got 3 slices and become unusable within a week (part of that is luck). the rubber are pretty soft. they handle puncture test by rod-shaped object penetrate into the tire as bicyclerollingresistance test do very well. But i found it got cut or slice easily in real world.
Just my experience.

BmanX
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by BmanX

This is why I switched to Conti years ago. Actually I have been a conti fan for decades but my wife's bike can with Michelins and they have always cut very easy and we would replace them 4 to 1 against conti. I will never ride Michelins or put them on my car.
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MikeD
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by MikeD

pritchet74 wrote:
pdlpsher1 wrote:The Specialized Turbo Cotton is a time-trial specific tire. It doesn't have a thick thread and it's prone to punctures.

IMHO the GP4000 has the best overall compromise in a high-mileage tire. All other tires will have something to sacrifice.


No it isn't. I know a few people that use it daily and they all consider it durable and no more puncture prone than the GP4000.


Tour International tested the GP4000S, Specialized Turbo Cotton, and the Vittoria Corsa in the August issue. They rated the Continental the test winner. They said the Specialized and Vittoria tires had poor puncture protection. They also said the Specialized had a thin tread and was "A tire for special days and races."

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