Having had yet another p******* this morning I am going to change the 4 season for either conti gatorskin hardshell or schwalbe durano+....which is the best? I presume that the folding version is much easier to remove from the wheel than the wire version...is that correct?
Replacement tyre for Conti Grand Prix 4xseasons?
- Thread starter runner
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
The 4 seasons are better than gatorskins.
Think you've been unlucky, or is it worn ?
Think you've been unlucky, or is it worn ?
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
I've not noticed much difffence in the ease of fitting/removing between folding and non-folding tyres to be honest.
I had problems with the 4 Seasons, they need a lot of maintenance. You get very few immediate punctures but you do get flints slowly working their way through. I run normal Duranos on Lelly (touching wood!!!) without a puncture in 1300 miles (that's probably screwed my weekend of cycling!). Never had gatorskins so can't help there.
I had problems with the 4 Seasons, they need a lot of maintenance. You get very few immediate punctures but you do get flints slowly working their way through. I run normal Duranos on Lelly (touching wood!!!) without a puncture in 1300 miles (that's probably screwed my weekend of cycling!). Never had gatorskins so can't help there.
I have no faith in the 4 seasons, picked a nice piece of glass out of the tyre this morning...the cycle path between Bristol and Bath is a minefield (or should that be glassfield!) and I need a strong but good rolling tyre (the swhwalbe marathon looks a bit of an animal 
)what about specialized armadillo? It's a shame because the 4 seasons are not cheap...
)what about specialized armadillo? It's a shame because the 4 seasons are not cheap...
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
That's why I got rid of 4 Seasons. If an £11 tyre punctures you just think "B****r got a puncture", if a 4 Seasons punctures you think "Hang on I spend £30+ on these". You need to check the 4 seasons after every ride and clear the flints. If you do that they aren't too bad but I found it a faff.
I've got 25s Marathons (not pluses) on my commuter and so far I quite like them. I set my second fastest time to work this morning although I do think I'm putting more effort in than on my old 23s Rubinos. However as far as I know Marathons are a "fit and forget" tyre to a large extent. They definitely take more effort away from lights etc due to the weight.
I've got 25s Marathons (not pluses) on my commuter and so far I quite like them. I set my second fastest time to work this morning although I do think I'm putting more effort in than on my old 23s Rubinos. However as far as I know Marathons are a "fit and forget" tyre to a large extent. They definitely take more effort away from lights etc due to the weight.
It would have made little difference if I had checked my tyres this morning the puncture was caused by a small and sharp piece of glass and the 4 seasons appeared unable to stop it piercing the inner tube (at least I found it easily and removed)...but then of course no road tyre might have been able to stop this type of puncture.
black'n'yellow
Guest
if you pick up a piece of glass, your tyre will go down - regardless of how much you spent on it.
Jdratcliffe
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Redhill, Surrey
had these as default on my elite for 5000mile were only a problem near the end ( bout 4/5 visit in each in the last 500miles) prob left them on too long but was middle of the month and i was broke got the gp4000's had a few non stoppable visits but liking them alot at the moment have them in 23mm and at 110psi roll nice.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Not necessarily. Some tyres manage to force the piece of glass back out, others allow them to work through. Now nails, nails are different.
black'n'yellow
Guest
a sentient tyre? - there's a novelty....
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
So you've never run over glass and it hasn't stuck in the tyre? Or even had a puncture were the offending article has been expelled from the tyre?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you one unlucky (and I imagine nervous around glass) cyclist!
Excuse my ignorance but I presume the difference between the wire and folding tyres is that the folders are meant to be easier to remove...I found this with the Grand Prix 4 season ...they were easier to remove wheras gatorskin which i have on my 2nd bike are a bit of a pig...therefore I presume I should go for the folding version? is that right?
