I've ridden on Conti's for several years. My last set was a 25mm GP5000. This time I went wider to 28mm. The tire really sticks to the road. If you air down a little with the wider tire the ride quality is great. My rims are 19mm internal and when mounted the tires measure right at 28mm or just a tiny bit over. I weigh around 155 and ride with 70 psi front and 75 psi rear. My only complaint is I've had 2 punctures in 1100 miles. I guess you can always complain about the hassle of punctures that can happen with any tire under all sorts of circumstances...however, I was hoping for a little more resistance to the common thorn or glass. I recommend them for all around riding. The weight is also good for the size and all around type use.
I run 27 front, 28 rear on Enve 4.5AR wheels. mounting was a breeze and they inflated super easy. I follow Enve's recommended PSI in general but go a couple PSI above recommended (59 front/60 rear). The 27's inflated and settled in at 29.5mm which is just at the 105% rule on the Enve 4.5Ar's. Riding in CO on mountainous chip N seal and these tires are supremely supple, smooth and handle wonderfully. They are very fast too. I run a Power meter and can verify they are faster on real roads and climbs than what a steel drum indicates. :). Even at higher PSI's for my 167lbs on 25mm internals, they run more supple and smooth than Schwalble Pro One TLE Addix's by far! I do wonder by some of the reviews if an earlier production tires had issues ? The rubber is a little softer which adds to the road feel and cornering stability but Im not concerned about getting the longest lasting tire, I am happy with the best rolling and handling tires. I ride about 2K miles a season and these are my favorite tires I've ever run.
After trying Michilan's, Vittorio's, Specialized and various Conti road tires, I finally settled on the 4000S (23, 25) years ago as my go-to tire. When Conti came out with the 5000 chili's I tried them (25) and liked them! I typically ride between 3500-8000+ miles per year and that includes commute, pleasure, group, training, touring, and in the past some light racing. I also delivered Jimmy John's in downtown Indianapolis from 2012-2018 part-time on these tires (28 on my SS) as part of my quest to improve my sprinting. I mean, why not get paid to ride your bike, huh?? What I've found across the board is that these tires perform overall superior to any other brand racing/performance/endurance road tire I've ever used in the past. I've found the GP4000 and 5000 to be the perfect combination so far of durable, comfortable and performance qualities. Excellent sticky grip in cornering, reliable handling on dry, wet and even somewhat on snow, equally excellent on dirty city roads as on pristine clean roads, more comfortable on chip&seal and rattlebone roads. I usually get 3000+ miles out of a set, more if I rotate tires every few of months and actively avoid glass if possible, and bad sections of road. Nowadays most of my riding is training for my annual, multiday touring of back to back century days in the saddle, which can always include unplanned surprises in road surfaces, reroutes and detours. (I plan the routes based on where I'd like to ride and Google maps/Map-My-Ride. I do not use a touring service. I like the adventure! And I prefer a carbon road bike (coz, you know, we like to get there without taking the whole day, lol!) a lightweight backpack and a credit card for these tours - 8 under my belt now!) I always put on a new set of tires the day before Bikecation and roll without worry over what unexpected surprises the road throws at us! I find these tires to do very well, rarely flatting until pretty well worn, and getting noticeably table-topped. Only once ever have I had a sidewall blowout, and that was on an aged tire and my own, awkward-moment fault. Again, rotating the tires periodically helps them last longer than if you don't. These tires have proven to be worth the money to me, especially when i can find a great deal on pricing. But I have paid - and will pay - the $70+ normal RV if I need the tires and can't find a deal at the time, with zero regrets. Although now I stock up ahead of time when I find them on sale. And that's my review! Good riding and happy trails to you!
I've been riding Gatorskins for about 5 years now. They are my "go to" tire. Let me say, I don't race. These are the best tires for daily riding, group rides and touring! I generally ride 4 days a week, 25 to 60 miles. I hate flats! While they do weigh a bit more the light weight tires, i'll take that any day or getting a flat! In our area we have a lot of "chip seal" roads and other road debris especially during and just after winter, these take it all in stride! Most riders in our group are using these as well! They are tough to put on.
