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First ride on Conti 4000s

Steve WestSteve West
in General Training Discussions

Ordered some Conti's and Vittoria OC's which came in the mail yesterday.  Just in time for my last hard ride before heading to Lake Placid for training camp.

I decided to put the Conti's on since I know what the Vittoria's feel like and ride them on a course I know well.  First thing I notice is how easy they mount.  Not nearly as tough as the Vits.  Pumped them to 120/110 instead of the 115/105 I normally use just to see how harsh they might be.  To my surprise they road smoother than anything I have ever used!  

Road feel was like riding on velvet, no harsh vibrations, no bounce or chatter.  Traction and cornering (34+ mph) was solid and positive.  No drift at all.  Very much a confidence building feel.

Love the Conti 4000s.... Baring any future issues I may never buy Vittoria's again....

Comments

  • kimmydctkimmydct
    Steve- I read your post and noticed you mentioned "no drift". What do you mean by that? Reason I ask is I have noticed w my Schwalbe race tires that sometimes ESP when going downhill, it feels like it is windy and I'm being blown around a bit. Is that what drift means? If so, I don't like it and will try the conti tires next! Are u using for training or racing or both? I usually train w gatorskins. Thx!
  • Steve WestSteve West
    Kim - by drift, I mean the lateral creep of tires due to centrifugal force. You know the sensation... you're going into a wide sweeping turn really fast, leaning into it and holding the tightest line you can but the bike doesn't stay on your line. Without sliding, it seems to creep (frighteningly) to the outside of the turn.

    These tires felt like they had so much more grip than anything I've ridden - I was amazed and had to share. I was able to hold my line at faster speeds than with other tires, had better control and more confidence.

    For racing I had been using Vittoria Corsa Open Evo CX. Other tires I've trained on include Schwalbe Lugano and Bontrager RaceX Lite or any race tire past it's prime.

    Getting blown around on fast descents is different. Wind at any angle other than straight frontal can cause that, especially if you have a deep front wheel like a Zipp 404 or 808. I have a FlashPoint 60 (zipp 404 equivalent at half the price) and I do still get pushed around a bit, but having better lateral traction helps there too.
  • Robert SaboRobert Sabo
    My new bike came with Scwalbe Ultremo. Rode Saturday and got three front flats pin hole punctures in 21/2 hours. switched back to Conti 4000s. Better feel for the road and I feel better flat protection.
  • rmillerrmiller
    The black chili compound on the 4000s is highly rated for just the reasons you mentioned - low resistance, but really good sticking power.

    I've been riding with 4000s's for a year now, and I like them.

    I did have an issue with the sidewall blowing out (you'll remember the thread I started a couple weeks ago on that, where you and others mentioned rim tape). I brought the conti back to the LBS and they sent it in to conti to see if it'll get a warranty replacement. It was just under a year old and the wear indicators clearly show that it wasn't heavily used - maybe 800-1000 miles on it. If conti does give me a refund, I'll fully jump on board as a satisfied customer.

    Aside from the week between Memorial day and Quassy (where I had 6 flats in 6 days!) they are pretty good against flats as well.

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