Continental Grand Prix Folding

Price Paid:  $40.00 at Variety

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere anytime

Bike Setup:
Very nice.

Summary:
My favorite tire. I am 190 and 6'1". Most of my riding is on chipseal. I put in approx 7K miles per year and get on average 1K miles on a rear tire.

I have found these tires to be consistently durable with good traction. They seem to mount easily. I have had sidewall issues, but tires around here get beat up pretty well, so I can not say they are failure prone.

Strengths:
Good traction. Consistent quality. Good wear.

Weaknesses:
None that might be from outside source.

Similar Products Used:
Conti 3000, Conti 4000, Conti Force & Attack, Michelin Pro, Michelin Carbon, Verdesteen(?) Tricomp, Veloflex Pave. Vittoria Diamonte, Vittoria Corsa, Vittoria Rubino, Ritchey WCS, should I keep going?

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
Any smooth dry road

Bike Setup:
CAAD3 Cannondale R800

Summary:
Flatted both tyres first ride hitting a pot hole onto a bridge at high speed. From that I learnt to keep the pressures high and have only had one other flat in over 2000 miles. At 220+ pound, rear tire started to wear flat in the center at around 1500 miles with no sign of wear on the front. Switched front to rear and now have over 2000 miles on these with plenty left.

Strengths:
Good durable all purpose tire

Weaknesses:
None if you keep the pressures up

Similar Products Used:
Michelin axial pro

Price Paid:  $15.00 at Supergo.com (no long

Favorite Ride:
one road, 25mi out, 25mi in

Bike Setup:
Cannondale Ironman 650c (stiff)

Summary:
Very good econo-tire for <15$. I got 650c pair on a web-deal. One is 20 and one is 23mm.

Strengths:
Classy look, reddish-brown 'conti-natural' look can't be beat; also the inverted tread pattern is nice. I have these on a tri-bike I use for solo endurance riding. I haven't carved on them but the weight and acceleration of the wheel is light, the handling predictable and rolling resistance balanced in temps from cold to hot. I will definetly purchase more 23mm's at this price.

Weaknesses:
The side-walls are very weak. I was plagued by pinch flats initially (Welcome to Michigan) but bumping the psi up helped. The 20mm takes far too many side strikes from road debris and the sidewall will unavoidable get cut, don't get that size unless you ride behind street sweepers. Also for some reason it was a very very tight, frustrating, fit on the 571 rim. The 23 had the same pinch prob. at low psi but the sidewall strikes weren't terminal, just scuffing, and the mounting was fine.

Similar Products Used:
Continental Ultra 3000 wire-b

Price Paid:  $30.00 at Performance

Favorite Ride:
anywhere, anytime

Bike Setup:
58cm Performance Forte SL-1 stock (105 components, look-style pedals, alexrims, FSA threadless headset, forte brand carbon fork, brakes, stem, and bars) continental tubes (also great)

Summary:
These are great all purpose tires, they're durable, deliver a smooth ride, and they look great. I got a pair after I noticed the sidewalls of my performance Kevlar tires were shredding after about 800 miles. I've put around 400 miles on these and they still seem brand new. I ride all the time on roads where there is tons of sand, gravel and other debris that is harsh on tires and these take it perfectly. I have had no problems with the sidewalls AT ALL. These tires are incredibly tough; I accidentally went over a shattered beer bottle and could feel the glass crack under me, but the tires didn't flat! These are a decent value at full price and if you can find them on sale, get them! You won't be disappointed.

Strengths:
durability, resilience, tan sidewalls look pretty cool too

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
performance folding kevlar tires

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Trek 2200, Rolf wheels

Summary:
I put these on my bike in June 2002 and rode them 5150 miles with just two flats (both were punctures, one glass & the other metal.) I weigh 200 pounds & ride primarily on asphalt country rodes. I had the second flat last week & while fixing it noticed the sidewalls were deteriorating & the cracks were forming in the remaining rubber. I decided it was time to replace them after I realized how well they had held up decided to go with a set of Conti GP 3000's.

Strengths:
Got l-o-n-g milage out of them.

Weaknesses:
Fraying of sidewalls. Price...I think most quality bike tires are overpriced.