Continental Grand Prix 3000 650B

Price Paid:  $50.00 at moroni's bike store

Favorite Ride:
continental gp3000

Bike Setup:
use gp3000 and never let me down

Summary:
these are by far the very best tires i have used. they corner well and i fell very confident in the rain and on decents. they give maximum rolling resistance and are strong against punctures.

Strengths:
easy confident cornering, grip extremly well and handle the best in the wet

Weaknesses:
no weaknesses

Price Paid:  $48.00 at Performance

Favorite Ride:
Santa Fe Century

Bike Setup:
1999 Trek 2000 WSD. Upgrades: Profile Design Road Stiffy stem, Profile Design BRC carbon fork, Cane Creek S2 headset, Cinelli Eubios handlebars

Summary:
Very disappointed at the wear and lack of durability for the cost of the tire. The rear tire has small cracks running the length of the tread and, every time I wash the bike, I keep pulling threads off from all the way around the tire from the section just above the bead. I rode the Grand Prix tires last year for the entire year (about 1800 miles) and never once flatted. Made the mistake of switching to the Grand Prix 3000 and am now ready to go back to the Grand Prix. Wouldn't recommend this tire, even if it was half the price.

Strengths:
Sticky on corners, grey color looks great.

Weaknesses:
Way too susceptible to cuts from road hazards. After only 6 months of use, getting cracks along the side of the tread section and the back tire has worn flat at the contact point.

Similar Products Used:
Continental Grand Prix

Bike Setup:
Kestrel km40

Summary:
Had to be replaced in less than 1 month, before they wore down to the tube. Very disappointing from Continental. They must have had this batch made at a Firestone plant.

Strengths:
Nice grip on the corners. Very light weight.

Weaknesses:
After 4 times on the trainer (Minoura Magturbo)and once on the road, the tread began to disintegrate and flatten itself out. Tiny rubberized particles everywhere; chain, rear derailleur, ect. I don't think it's the trainer's fault. It's never happened with any other tires.

Similar Products Used:
Michelin Axial Pro

Price Paid:  $39.00 at local shop

Bike Setup:
Kestrel KM40 with EMS fork.

Summary:
Not what I expect from a set of Contis...They seem to be into neato color combos with these. These might work for you if you only mount them on to race.

Super soft and sticky silca compound - poor wear and durability.

Strengths:
Very grippy..

Weaknesses:
I had really bad luck with these. I have ridden regular Conti GP 650x20 for a long time - The GP 3000 series is stickier but doesn't wear nearly as long and is much more prone to cuts and punctures. My rear tire was flatspotting within a few hundred miles which hasn't ever happened to me. Everything on the road seemed to takes slashes and chunks out of these...again, nothing like regular GPs. I even gave Conti a call to ask what was up with these???

Similar Products Used:
Conti GP 650x20 and 23,Conti Ultra 700x23, Micheling Axial Pro, etc...

Favorite Ride:
north county

Bike Setup:
Litespeed tachyon with dura ace

Summary:
This tire hasn't punctured on me yet, and that's a good thing because if it ever did, especially while in a race, I might have to DNF just because you really have to wrestle with this bead to get it on the rim. the positive side of that is the secure feeling you have even at high pressures-probably the highest of any clincher. just hope you don't flat when it counts!! Would give it 5 stars if it was a michelin axial pro

Strengths:
High pressure and low rolling resistance, puncture resistance

Weaknesses:
Tire is very hard to get on and off the rim, even with tire levers

Similar Products Used:
michelin axial pro, hutchinson chrono