Sunday, March 2, 2014

Tire choice: The Continental 4000 / 4000s are my Favorite Tires for Training & Racing

I do not have much experience with tires yet but I've noticed a big difference between the continental 4000 Grand Prix I am currently riding on, and the Schwalbe and Specialized Elite Turbo I used to ride.

My choice goes to the Continental 4000/4000s Grand Prix tires. With the roads being tough on the tires in the greater New York area (lots of potholes, tranches, gravel, and debris of all sort) the 400 are more resistant overall, and their duration surpasses the ones of the Schwalbe and Specialized. Aside from 2 flats I got because of a handful of kids throwing tacks on the road, I never encountered any issues with the tires, even pumped at 120psi. I usually can ride up to 1,800 to 2,000 miles on them before I have to replace them.

The Specialized Elite Turbo last less as they are more geared towards racing They are comfortable to ride, but they wear on the top of the tire pretty quickly, which flattens the tires and makes turning at high speed a bit more challenging, and somewhat more dangerous. Coming at a higher price than the 400, I'd recommend them for nice and slick roads, and on race day.

I found he Schwalbe less comfortable to ride with a shorter life span than the 4000/4000s. Overall, I don't think those are appropriate tires for roads as harsh are the ones we ride on around New York City. On the plus side, I found the handling and grip on the road very good. I can't recall how much they retail for, but I do remember not being too expensive (I believe cheaper than the Specialized Elite Turbo).

Hope this helps anyone who's reading this. Let me know!

Happy riding!

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