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TECH NEWS

Continental launches GP5000 Transparent for fans of tan sidewalls

New Transparent model comes with a whole load of aesthetic gains

Continental has launched a new model of the GP5000 road tyre that features an exposed, natural finish sidewall.

The Transparent model of the popular GP5000 road tyre comes in 25mm and 28mm widths and besides the natural finish to the sidewalls, Continental says that there is no difference to the regular GP5000.

> Review: Continental Grand Prix 5000 - Special Edition Tour de France 2020

Tan sidewalls hark back to the good old days and are popular with riders that want to give their bikes that classic look.

The construction of the GP5000 Transparent is identical to a regular GP5000 but if you need reminding about your thread counts, Continental says that the GP5000 gets a 330tpi casing. That figure is slightly misleading as Continental uses three layers of 110tpi material, whereas more traditional tyres would use a single layer of core spun cotton with an actual thread count of between 280 and 350tpi.

Away from thread counts, Continental’s Black Chilli compound is used. It is well regarded for its performance on both wet and dry roads while also performing well in rolling resistance tests.

> First ride: Continental GP 5000 clincher tyre - 500km first impressions

Continental includes the Vectran Breaker puncture protection strip under the tread to help prevent your ride from ending on a flat note.

For now, this Transparent model is clincher-only. Fans of tubeless Tyres still have the GP5000 TL to reach for and David Arthur was a big fan when he reviewed the long-awaited tubeless model.

Continental says that the GP5000 features technology within the tyre’s carcas that is claimed to make the ride more forgiving. “The revolutionary approach in cycling. Embedded in the tyre construction the Active Comfort Technology absorbs vibrations and smoothens your ride.”

> Rolling resistance: why you need to choose your tyres carefully if you want to ride faster

Moving towards cornering, Continental claims that “to make you one with the road, the lasered micro profile structure expands over the tyre’s shoulder and provides outstanding cornering.”

The GP5000 Transparent is available now for £59.99 per tyre.

Wiggle.co.uk

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17 comments

Avatar
Ihatecheese | 3 years ago
1 like

My thumbs can't take putting on another set of gp5000! Even in a 21mm inner rim width oww

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to Ihatecheese | 3 years ago
0 likes
Ihatecheese wrote:

My thumbs can't take putting on another set of gp5000! Even in a 21mm inner rim width oww

Haha. This!
I recently put a 23mm one on a Corima 14c carbon disc wheel. Absolute pig, especially as I'm recovering from a snapped extensor tendon of my middle finger!
Not a job I want to repeat.

Avatar
Prosper0 | 3 years ago
0 likes

Tan wall GP5K tubeless please Conti!

No one cares about old tech in new colours yes

Avatar
Dingaling | 3 years ago
0 likes

And I like white/cream walls. I really like the Vittoria  Corsa Graphene 2.0 30mm that I bought for the gravel bike last year. They roll very quietly and feel really comfortable but that may be largely due the size. Nevertheless, as soon as the Schwalbe Ones on my road bike wear out I want to try the Vittorias on it.

Avatar
Chris Hayes replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
1 like

I found that these tyres cut up easily on our chipped-surface roads.  I started to fill the cuts with wetsuit glue to stretch their use.  They roll beautifully.... now in my bike bag for use on Lanzarote only.... if we're ever allowed back.

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

Where do you get wetsuit glue? I'm intending on making some tool holders with some spare neonprene 🙂

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EK Spinner replied to Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

it's strange you keep them for Lanzerote, I find it rather hard on tyres and tubes out there, for all the tarmac is nice and smooth (like Mallorca) all the fresh volcanic stuff is rather sharp.

Just shows we all take different things from similar esperiences, I generally get a little freaked out on the top of lanzerote with the winds and the size of the drainage channels for some reason

Avatar
MattieKempy | 3 years ago
0 likes

Shame Conti are still reticent about producing tubeless tyres. Tan wall tubeless tyres really are the epitome of style!

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Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

It tends to disintegrate on the 4 Seasons....just saying....

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FlyingPenguin replied to Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

Just had a set arrive, they're not the same rough fabricy sidewall construction as the 4 Seasons, they're smooth like the standard 5000 but with a much more distinct colour change than the 4 Seasons.

Time will tell, but there is no obvious reason to suspect they are weaker.

Avatar
Chris Hayes replied to FlyingPenguin | 3 years ago
0 likes

I've read about people coating the tan walled part of the tyre to keep it wipe-clean. Perhaps if these are tubeless they may be coated anyway as tan-walls are porous (I've read).

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Nick T | 3 years ago
0 likes

Strange shade of tan there

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EddyBerckx replied to Nick T | 3 years ago
0 likes

Nick T wrote:

Strange shade of tan there

Nice Brownwall tyre though

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WDG | 3 years ago
0 likes

'A whole load of aesthetic gains'. 

Name more than one.

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OnYerBike replied to WDG | 3 years ago
3 likes

I think it should read "a whole load of aesthetic gainz" and "a whole load" therefore refers to the magnitude of said gainz rather than a number of distinct gains.

Avatar
barongreenback replied to WDG | 3 years ago
8 likes

WDG wrote:

'A whole load of aesthetic gains'. 

Name more than one.

 

1.  The front wheel looks better.

2.  The back wheel looks better.

 

 1

Avatar
IanEdward | 3 years ago
1 like

Niiiiiiiice!

I like tan walls, I like Black Chilli, I like tubes. This is a win-win-win.

 

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