Tires, Tubes

Now that I'm using tubeless tires, I've found it almost impossible to remove from one from the wheel rim to insert a tube if emergency puncture on the road. So I've got one of those tubeless tire plug tools, but just in case I need to add sealant, I bought this valve core remover, to add sealant through the valve. I haven't had to use it yet, and I plan to try it out at home, just to be sure I will be familiar with the process if I get stuck on the road. I don't expect there will be any issue with removing and reinserting the valve, though.

I run this tire as a tubeless and get about 3000 miles on chip and seal roads.The rear tire (~2600-2800 miles) wears faster than the front (3200 miles). I like the weight, traction, cornering charcateristics. I don't like that they seem to be prone to gets tears, lacerations, and small chunks out of the rubber, and wear rather quickly. From what I understand, these are the racing version of the GP5000 lineup (vs the AT-S version. The AT-S version is .33# heavier per pair, but have thicker rubber/wear longer). These are easy to mount and seal on my Hunt 44/54 wheelset. For me, it's a balance of weight vs performance/longevity. I'm running the 28mm, which has been great for smoothing the chip n' seal roads I encounter, and much better when descending than a 25mm IME. I like the way they grip the road. They seem faster when new. While they aren't perfect, I think they hit the balance between weight and performance. They are speedy, but I buy 2-4 tires at a time when they're on sale, so I always have at least one spare in the shop. Western Bike Works has these on sale quite a bit, and are quick to ship them. The 28's were out of stock for awhile this summer at just about all retailers (premium price/in stock on Amazon though).

I bought a set of these for a trip you Europe. I wanted a tubeless set up, so I could ride without worry of punctures out on roads; ones I might not be overly familiar with. I was able to seat the front with a regular hand pump on the 1st try, but the rear did not want to seat. I took it to the LBS, and two mechanics struggled with is for 25 32 minutes, but in the end, they did get it to seat -- perhaps an issue with my Mavic rim. After 700 miles in three weeks, climbing the likes of the Giau and Stelvio, plus riding a GF Il Lombardia, the tires have worked flawlessly. They are not the lightest tubeless setup, but they do a nice job of gripping on the hairpin corners. Overall,, a solid value from WBW.

I'm a road cyclist that wants a tire that rolls fast and has good grip--the Continental Grand Prix 5000 hits the mark. They might not have the best puncture protection, but that's to be expected from a tire that's lightweight and has low rolling resistance.