Continental reinvents its approach to tubeless-ready road tyres claiming its new tyre is 20 per cent faster, 28 per cent stronger, lighter, and easier to mount
(Image credit: Continental)
Continental has announced the release of a new Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyre, which heads the Grand Prix line up as Continental’s best tubeless road tyres, and is the latest in the brand's stalwart Grand Prix range.
Continental says it has reinvented its approach to tubeless road tyres and claims that the latest GP5000 S TR tyre is significantly improved over the previous Continental GP5000 tubeless tyre. The new tyre, which it claims is 20 per cent faster, 28 per cent stronger and 50g lighter, has been in development since 2019 and has already been raced in the pro peloton by multiple teams in 2021 - including Fillipo Ganna’s World Championship time trial victory in September, Tom Pidcock's 5th place at the World Championships, and Sonny Colbrelli, as he rode to victory at the Paris Roubaix, a race that will be marked in the history books due to the unforgiving conditions riders faced in the first wet edition since 2002.
Grand Prix 5000 S TR come in black and transparent (tan wall) options (Image credit: Continental)
Continental hasn’t been very specific regarding what has changed in the material or manufacturing process, however, we do know that the new Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyre has a two-ply construction with a Vectron puncture protection strip, and uses Continental’s patented BlackChili Compound which we have always found to offer reliable grip. The tread is the same as the other Grand Prix models with a smooth centre and what Continental calls ‘Lazer Grip’ shoulder textures to aid cornering.
“We created this new tyre to combine maximum performance with ease of use and reliability, regardless of whether a cyclist chooses to race, to spend long days out exploring the roads, to ride through summer or all year round. All new hookless compatibility and tubeless capabilities will put convenience without compromise at the heart of every cyclist's ride,” says Continental's head of marketing, Oliver Anhuth.
Continental's tyres have a bit of a reputation for being quite hard to fit, so the ease of fitting has been a key area that the brand claims to have made improvements in. Tubeless road tyre fitting can be quite the ordeal if you strike upon an uncomplimentary rim and tyre combo, and something we experienced when reviewing the older Continental GP5000 Tubeless road tyre. The Grand Prix 5000 S TR has a reworked tubeless system with a new construction, which is now hookless-compatible and, according to Continental, easier to fit.
Continental says the new construction should mean the Grand Prix 5000 S TR is easier to fit, and it is also now hookless compatible (Image credit: Continental)
The Grand Prix 5000 S TR will be available in black and - to our joy - Transparent (tan wall) options. Continental will offer 25, 28, 30 and 32mm sizes, in both colours, which are claimed to weigh in at 250g, 280g, 300g and 320g respectively. Continental will also produce a 650b road option, although this will only be available in the Transparent sidewall in a 30 or 32mm tyre.
The new Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyres are available to purchase today and will retail for €79.90 per tyre. We have some on the way for testing already, so expect a review in the near future once we have them fitted and have clocked up some miles.
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Graham has been part of the Cyclingnews team since January 2020. He has mountain biking at his core and can mostly be found bikepacking around Scotland or exploring the steep trails around the Tweed Valley. Not afraid of a challenge, Graham has gained a reputation for riding fixed gear bikes both too far and often in inappropriate places.
