Product Review: Continental Grand Prix 4000 Road Tires
By Corey Whalen
Dec 7, 2005, 06:16

The Continental Grand Prix 4000, successor to the GP 3000, road tire is a clincher weighing in at a scant 205 grams a piece.  With a maximum riding pressure at 120psi and a recommended running pressure of 110-115psi the GP 4000 has very little rolling resistance.  The GP 4000 comes in a variety of Xserallic colors that were developed by Merck.  Some of the colors include yellow, black, metallic blue/black, blue/black, red/black, and silver/black.  Along with the new colors the tires have an anti-aging compound that helps prolong usability time frames.

Photo copyright Roadcycling.com.

The GP 4000’s are made with Vectron, which is a Continental exclusive making it the first racing tire to use the technology.  Vectron, a liquid crystal polymer made from polyester rather than nylon making the tires have less flex fatigue, a more positive rolling resistance, and less likely to get flats.  Vectron fibers are being seen in more sporting products due to the strength to weight.  Some of the sports that are using such technology are competition yachts and paragliders.  Vectron fibers have also been used by NASA for space mission airbags and tow ropes.  As for cycling Vectron make the Continental GP 4000 tires very light and very strong.

When I first saw and felt the GP 4000 tires they looked and felt as if someone had dunked them into a lubricant.  They were silky to the touch.  I began to wonder how they would perform in cornering and wet conditions since they felt so “greasy”.  So I mounted them up on a set of wheels I use mostly for all terrain.

Continental GP 4000 road tires. Photo copyright Roadcycling.com.

They were very easy to mount on the wheels.  Little to no pre-stretching of the tire was needed.  They slid right onto the rim.  I then took the pressure in each tire to 120psi. The tires were solid and more than capable of fast rides at first glance.  I then took them outdoors.

They responded on the dirt road that I rode to the pavement with great success.  They did not even flinch over uneven terrain.  Once on the road they were smooth as glass.  Each and every movement around corners was precise and stable.  Wet weather soon came, and I found myself on roads covered in rain.  The GP 4000’s were great in the wet weather.  They cornered confidently due to the minor tread grooving on the edges of the tires.  I was very happy. So, I finally got brave enough to try them in the mountains. 

As always, I had to start on some pretty steep hills of up to 9% grade before descending.  The GP 4000’s climbed as smoothly as they rode on flat terrain.  They were smooth and very responsive in traction out of the saddle as well as in-the-saddle climbing.  While climbing I even made the mistake every road cyclist knows not to do, ride through broken glass.  I stopped before continuing my ride up the mountain to check the tires for cuts and glass embedded into the tire.  There wasn’t even a cut.  There wasn’t even as much as a scuff from rocks.  So I continued climbing.

Upon reaching the top summit of the pass, I immediately turned up the screws.  I soon found myself going a little too hot into a corner thinking I was going to go down.  The GP 4000 tires stuck to the ground and kept on going without any hopping or sliding.  I was ecstatic!  I finally found some tires that I could continue to purchase for racing and training alike.  They were so nimble and reliable in cornering at high speeds that I would definitely recommend them to any climber or Criterium rider that needs a stable tire at high speeds.

Overall, I would definitely recommend and ride the Continental Grand Prix 4000 series of tire.  They performed perfectly in every condition I put them through with hardly any signs of wear and no cuts, scuffs, or chunks taken out of them.  All in all I would say Continental has a winner for quite awhile to come.