Continental GP4000SII WET weather grip

scblack

Leucocholic
I searched but did not find an answer. I just put some Campagnolo Bora One carbon clincher rims on my roadie. So at same time I put some new tyres on - Continental GP4000SII 25mm ones. Rode about 100km over the Australia Day weekend in the dry - roll well, comfortable and good dry grip, no punctures.

My query is about peoples experience with wet weather grip for these Continental GP4000SII tyres.

This morning riding to work: slightly wet conditions due to light sprinkling. So asphalt on M7 cycleway is greasy, not wet as such. I ride around a bend where you snake under the M7, at Edna Place heading westward. You cross a bridge, tiny little dip off the bridge and fairly sharp right turn under M7. It is a slightly hairy corner as there's railings, a walkway there plus its a little tight. Anyway, the moment I turned into the corner (maybe 25-30kmh) on the asphalt my front wheel slips straight out from under me, and I hit the deck hard. I did not touch the paint, not touch the brakes in the corner (I had braked pretty solid on approach) but there was zero grip. They are only about 100km used, so maybe they're not scrubbed in for some grip yet. Pressure about 110psi. Its a corner I have ridden hundreds of times. Maybe I was a little too fast, maybe unlucky, maybe a little oily spot - but as I say its a corner I've ridden hundreds of times.

Any experience on these tyres in the wet? They're only pretty brand new to me, but I've lost some confidence in them, at least in wet. One mate rides them and has had no issues. And online reviews are often CRAP - just a rehash of the marketing blurb (chilli compound, 25mm, all-round performance, roll fast blah blah same old same old). Anyone got thoughts?
 

nzhumpy

Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
I commute on Gatorskins and riding home one night last December during a storm I hit an off camber roundabout that I have ridden thousands of times and binned it hard in the exact same manner you described.

TL/DR- I'd say you were just unlucky, the Contis do seem to have a coating on them when new but after a 100kms I would have expected that to have worn off by now. Also we haven't had rain in ages so the build up of oils on the road mixed with overnight rain= greasy surface.

You'll be a bit sore tomorrow.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
Yes, probably unlucky is the answer. Its not oil as it happened on the M7 separated cycleway - no cars there to drop oil. But as you say has rained very little lately so the fresh drizzle along with some surface issue may be an answer.

One mate has suggested Michelin Power Competition 25mm, he has used them including wet and loves them.

I'll give the tyres some more time before a judgement.

Hip hurts a lot...:(
 

redbruce

Eats Squid
I've always found Conti's pretty good in the wet and my GP 4000's no exception.

I'd suggest dropping pressures a bit. I'm 100kg and run 110psi on rear and 95 on front (25C)

If long wet ride I'll drop them 5 psi.

Pressure makes a big difference to grip.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
110psi is very high for 25mm tyres - I think the sidewalls on my contis of the same brand recommend 100 max. Unless you are pretty heavy you might find that dropping this 15-20 psi will cause this issue to disappear and may even help your rolling resistance.

One thing to remember: fatter tyres with a larger contact area have less force per unit area for a given weight, and might be a little more susceptible to films of water or grease on the road.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Forgot to mention that chilli compound is a real hard and brittle compound, I've had it on a brand new MTB tyre and the knobs popped off on the first rock garden I went over so probably not the best tyre in the wet.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
Hmmm, pressure may be something of an issue. The 25mm tyre has max 120psi on the sidewall. Front was about 110, rear the pump head kept popping off so I only got it to about 100-105. I weigh 85kg approx. I did not drop pressure at all this morning.

These are the first 25mm roadie tyres I have ridden, only had 23mm before and hated the kinda squirmy feeling under 110 or so. I always rode with 120.

I might experiment with slightly lower pressures with 25mm tyres. Especially in the wet.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Lowering the pressure might help. I think most 23-25mm tyres road tyres don't give confidence in the wet.

Fortunately I've only had a road front wheel washout once at that was over a steel grate. Sure is nicer to crash on dirt, mostly.

Will have to meet up on the M7 on a sunny day soon.

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk
 

Mica

Likes Dirt
+1 for lowering the pressure. Really helps in the wet, and the dry, though being a lightweight lets me run some pretty low pressures.

Keeping everything smooth and predictable and not overloading the front helps too.

I’ve run various sizes of conti GP4000, gatorskin, hardskin, 4 seasons as well as schwable ones and been happy with the grip in the wet with them all including some torrential descents down large/steep mountains and the occasional off-road jaunt down random paths when the mood strikes and always been pleasantly surprised with what I can get away with. So in short wouldn’t blame the tyres, though as mentioned by others new tyres do need a bit of breaking in but I’d think 100km should suffice.

Think it’s just a case of bad luck as I’ve seen it a few times with mates in light rain and taking corners at the same speed has seen some very mixed outcomes. Sadly shit happens fast on those skinny tyres in the wet and there’s no time to react/correct. Even a stray bit of leaf litter has seen me go down in the wet. It doesn’t take much!

Look to the positive that you walked out of it as I’ve had (and seen) a few nasty outcomes from similar accidents. Though a bruised hip is never fun.
 

teK--

Eats Squid
I've ridden in some pretty shitty conditions with those tyres and they are fine as I adjust my speed accordingly. Running 28mm front and 25mm back. 85psi front and 95psi back.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Out of all the brands I've ridden in the wet I would say Conti are the worst, the black chilli and silicon coloured compounds are worse than the standard carbon black. I've had mystery spills myself and have heard many a tale of woe from other commuters.

My current commuter tyres are Michelin Pro4 Endurance with tuffy tyre liners. They are sticky gumballs in all conditions and with the tyre liners are indestructable.

Honourable mention goes to Schwalde Duranos, which are heavier even taking into account the tyre liners. Vittoria Zafiro pros are good and CHEAP, but they are more likely to suffer cuts.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
 

Chriso_29er

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yeah, pressure sounds a bit high to me too.
I have run a set of 25mm and coincidently put on a new set of 23mm 4000s11's on Aus day for a ride. Never had an issue in the wet.

What I did have an issue with was after I ruined one with a bad puncture, I put one of the standard giant tyres back on the front. Big mistake.
Taking a wet corner I have taken heaps of times on the conti's without problem saw me loose the front at 35km/h sending me for a nice slide down the road.
 

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
11okg, Conti GP 4 seasons 700x25c, 100psi max front and rear, usually 95psi front and rear. latex tubes.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
To be honest, you were a bit unlucky and had too much pressure in my opinion. I run 25c at 80psi (tubeless), now on 28c at about 70-75psi.

Roads can be 'greasy' after a hot spell then a sprinkling of rain, may have been diesel or something spilled too... regardless, you have had a spill and the wet and the wet descending balls have now travelled up inside your stomach and will take a bit of time to drop again.

I swore by GP4000s for a few years but for the last 2+ years, have run Schwalbe Pro One tubeless and in my opinion are a better tyre... but a little bit softer, not so good when you run over Friday nights broken bottles... I have had to patch many to keep them tubeless after a bit of glass stuck the the tyre and got driven in by riding further, unaware.

The spill below was on a road I had ridden over 100 times, it got a light sprinkle and boom... slid for about 4-5m on wet bitumen before stopping against a fence. Got up and thought WTF, then seen the rosy red through the knicks and headed for home as the pain set in. Was a bit of impact pain initially but nothing compared to the road rash pain in the following 3-4 weeks. This bingle was on GP4000s... Also fu#ked up a $250 pair of Assos t.centos, zero damage to my bike.


Since that slide, I am still a very cautious descender in the wet and that was about 2-3 years ago, my dry descending is probably quicker, but I am now very aware what some rain can do to bitumen.

t
111112b.jpg
111111b.jpg
 

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
Ultimately no corner can be trusted for traction when it's wet. Always assume you have less grip than you actually do and it will help. I ride corners very conservatively if wet. Downhill stops for traffic lights are another "favourite" on wet roads. Actually, Fuck road rides in the wet if I can avoid them.
 

Scott

bAdmin
Staff member
Just rode in the wet this morning on the same tires but in 28, 80psi front, 85 rear. 75kg. I find them good all round.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
I haven’t ridden GP4000s for years but did not find them particularly good in the wet, nor the gatorskins.

That being said, I reckon the culprit is light rain on deposited oil film, greasy Diesel soot. Ligh rain after long dry periods is a killer combo.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
I tentatively conclude it was a bit of slippy wetness, bad luck, too fast, high pressure and voodoo. Shit happens.

I'm sore all over, looks like a bit of whiplash as crap my neck is sore. Hip is starting to bruise up. I managed to scrape the collar of my road jersey in the crash - how the hell do you manage the collar?

Bike is at the shop being looked over - rear derailleur was playing up, it got scratched up pretty well so took a good hit - fall was on drive (right) side.
 
Top