CONTINENTAL GRAND PRIX 5000 CLINCHER

£59.99 Worthy successor to the lauded GP4000

WEIGHT 241g per tyre

The wait was worth it for the new Grand Prix 5000 from Continental, the replacement for the venerable GP4000. Following on from such a popular tyre was never going to be an easy task, but Continental has wisely built on existing technology while throwing some of its latest advances at it, too. The result is a superb-riding tyre with a fast feel, ample grip for predictability in all situations, and good wear rate and puncture protection.

Continental has evolved its Black Chilli rubber compound to reduce rolling resistance by a claimed 12 per cent compared to the previous tyre, and while it’s hard to accurately feel this in testing, it’s clear this is a faster tyre in all conditions – dry and wet. The grip has been improved and boosted by Lazer Grip patterns on the shoulders, and the lean angles available in fast corners is impressive. I felt able to carve quicker lines through descents, which is down to the tacky feel the tyre has, without denting its speed.

Ride quality is excellent with a supple feel over irregular road surfaces at a range of pressures. That’s thanks to a new casing that’s lighter and thinner. It’s called Active Comfort, and is a layer of elastomer material embedded in the rubber compound. Warding off punctures is a Vectran puncture-resistant layer that lives up to its claim, and no flats were recorded during the duration of testing even when light gravel and foliage debris were encountered. All these improvements and it’s lighter than its predecessor, too, plus it’s available in tubeless.

Conti has evolved its Black Chili compound to reduce rolling resistance by 12%