Continental Grand Prix 5000 700 x 25C
As the successor to the popular GP 4000S II road tire, Continental’s new Grand Prix 5000 promises to bring many improvements and innovations. The newest tire in the Gran Prix lineup is claimed to be lighter, faster and offer even more puncture protection than its predecessor. Weighing in at 216 g, the Grand Prix is the second lightest tires in our test and only a few grams heavier than the Pirelli P ZERO Velo. To our surprise, we identified significant weight inconsistencies between individual tires, with fluctuations of up to 16 g. That’s quite a lot considering the total weight of 216 g. We would have expected more consistency from a prime manufacturer like Continental. The Continental GP 5000 is a little stubborn to get on your rims and we recommend using tire levers! The classic “Made in Germany” clincher measures an average width of 25.6 mm and comes with a juicy price tag of € 62.90, which makes it one of the most expensive tires in the test field.
With regards to grip, the Conti sits in the middle of the field. Like the Schwalbe, it provides good control at the limit and a predictable grip threshold. The sidewalls are relatively stiff and can sometimes cause the tire to feel skittish on uneven surfaces. We ran the tire at 6.5 bar, which already feels plenty hard, so we strongly recommend keeping the pressure below that mark. However, according to Conti’s recommended pressure settings, that is already at the lower end of the scale.
Setting off from a standstill, the Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a little sluggish and despite its light weight, feels like it needs a caffeine boost to get going. However, once it wakes up, the Conti rolls efficiently, inspiring confidence on smooth, fast-rolling tarmac and providing lots of fun in corners and straight-line sections. This test confirms the impressions from our first-test on the smooth roads of Tenerife. Put it on rougher tarmac and the Conti lacks the comfort to deal with chopped up surfaces. This makes you feel disconnected from the road and dents your riding confidence.
With regards to comfort, our test crew is unanimous: together with the Schwalbe, the Continental Grand Prix 5000 is the most uncomfortable tire in the entire test field. In other words, it provides good and direct feedback but is way too harsh for those who are after a comfortable ride.
Conclusions
Delivering some of the best puncture-protection results in the lab and providing predictable handling, the Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a first-class mile muncher. From challenging Gran Fondo races to the occasional gravel trip, the Conti simply does it all! Unfortunately, the level of comfort is disappointing.
Tops
- Very light tire (only the Pirelli is lighter)
- Low rolling resistance
- Best puncture protection in the entire test field (together with the Schwalbe)
Flops
- Most substantial weight inconsistencies between tires of the same model
- Lack of comfort
Grip | Rolling resistance | Puncture-protection | Mounting | Value for money /table>
Price: € 62.90
Weight1: 216 g
Width2: 25.6 mm
Tubeless? Yes, tubeless ready version is available.
Colour? Black only!
Widths? Available in 23, 25, 28 and 32 mm.
1 The weight was checked against the manufacturer’s specifications and averaged across all tires of the same model we tested.
2 The width was checked against the manufacturer’s specifications and averaged across all tires of the same model we tested.
