Continental GP 4 Season Durability

Dug this out of my rear tyre after a 40-mile run. No flat. In about 3,000 miles the last year, I think I've had one flat.

Grippy in the wet/cold, long-lasting, pretty much everything-proof whilst being supple and light. GP4S are awesome, IMHO.

I run GP4000 SIIs year round now. Have used 4 seasons and Gatorskins before. IME these have at least as much puncture protection with better grip, especially in the wet. If you shop around you won't break the bank either.

As has been said, you're always going to have to either compromise grip or longevity. I like GP4 Seasons but they don't take long to look a mess with hairline cracks etc. I prefer Schwalbe Ultremos and Ones personally, better grip and although they do cut up more they seem to last nearly as long and look more intact longer (as in it doesn't look like they're delaminating although I am aware of the issues with Ultremos delaminating a few years back)

My front GP 4Season was fitted to the bike on March 31 and has done just short of 6k miles in the 54 weeks it's been on the bike. The tread is worn down in places and I have a new tyre to go on when I feel it needs replacing. Last year I had 14 punctures, 4 through thorns etc, the rest from snakebites on days when I thought I'll pump the tyres up tomorrow.

GP4s are supposed to be that holy grail of durability and performance. The truth is you can't have grip and durability (and by that I mean a tyre that does split apart, degrade and is generally puncture proof).

I have a pair on my bike right now and when I took them for a ride I got a great big split in the outer rubber - I went over some crappy gravel on my first ride. I don't remember having too many punctures with them and they are pretty grippy. The point is that while they can pick up nicks in the outer rubber the underlying inner layer can protect the inner tube so don't be dismayed by some outer degradation....though if you end up flatting often then there is a sign.

I run 25mm GP4 Seasons all year round on my road bike, my front is going well at just over 1k miles, and the rear is good at almost 2.5k. I have had a few cuts, and go over the tyres with a pair of tweezers every couple of weeks to pull glass/flints out. And there is thread showing through a couple of cuts on the back - I just put a little rubber glue into the hole and leave it. Bear in mind that there are several layers of protection in a GP4 Season tyre - just because you are seeing thread doesn't necessarily mean you've gone through everything. And all this has been on winter Somerset roads. Which are terrible!

GP 4000s is the best compromise tyre in terms of longevity and performance that I have ever used. I got rid of my last pair by giving them away because I was bored with them!

I've had the misfortune to possess four or five different Conti tyres over the years and I have been disappointed with all of them. Gatorskins are over-hyped and flimsy. Ultra Sport and Ultra Race are possibly the most puncture prone rubber I've ever used. And so it goes, a litany of poor performance lasting twenty years, mostly because new bikes came fitted with them.

The best commuting tyre I've tried that doesn't weigh more than the frame is Schwalbe's Durano. (If you really want toughness, try the Durano Plus.)
Just pipped for the top spot is Vittoria's Randonneur, which is cheaper, a little heavier and very nearly as good. Don't bother with any of the variants, such as the Cross, just buy the plain ole Randonneur.

Hope that helps.

I use them to commute 7000+ miles a year. It is time to change them when you can see the casing or the tread starts coming loose in places. I get through 3 or 4 on the rear wheel every year but I do use a pannier which doesn't help rear tyre longevity at all. I much prefer 4 Seasons to Gatorskins. I feel that they ride better and provide better puncture protection. I don't see the little nicks you get in the tread as a problem. They aren't an indicator of an impending puncture. Maybe you've put in more miles than you think with your set.