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Today Continental announced the first major upgrade to their Grand Prix x000 line in over a decade with the release of the new GP5000 clincher and—in a first for the German brand—a tubeless road tire, the GP5000 TL. Ever since Continental released the GP4000 back in the mid ‘00s, their series of sweet-spot durability/rolling resistance/puncture resistance/weight has made the GP4000 line something of a favorite for the triathlon crowd. Multisporters have loved the all-around versatility of a tire that was strong enough for iron-distance racing but with few performance compromises.
According to Continental, the new GP5000 puts up some impressive numbers over the previous version, the GP4000sII: The 330tpi tire has a 12-percent improvement on rolling resistance, 20-percent better puncture protection, a 10-gram weight reduction (now 215g in the 25mm size), and better vibration dampening, thanks to a new rubber comfort layer.
For those looking to follow the road crowd into the tubeless realm of tires, Conti’s latest offering allows you to stick with a trusted model while making the leap. Using much of the same tech in the new clinchers, Conti says the GP5000 TL actually boasts 5 percent better rolling resistance than the GP5000. (Doing the math? That’s 17 percent faster than the old GP4000sII clinchers.) The tubeless version also is said to have 5 percent better puncture protection than the GP5000, according to Continental. The 25mm tubeless version weighs in at 300g for 180tpi (which is on the high end for tubeless tires) and is best run between 80-109psi.
The new GP5000s will run $80USD with 23mm and 25mm sizes available immediately; 28mm and 32mm widths to come in six weeks. The GP5000 TL will cost $94USD and will be available in six weeks.