Where are we buying our groupsets from now then?

[Blue Hills]

The GP5000 is a light weight race tyre, it's way different to what you usually put on your bikes ! You'd also cry at the price. They are fast though.

PS I just threw out some lightly used expensive Michelin Pro4 condom tyres as they cracked (6 plus years old) and replaced with two £12 Zaffiro Pro's - I don't need the fast stuff, and these were cheap. The basic £4.99 Zafiro's on my Ribble I just fitted are as good, but wired not folding like the pro.

Interesting.
so you just paid the £12 rather than £4.99 because of availability when you needed them?
Both these through Planet X by any chance?
It is remarkable how cheap you can get tyres if you bide your time.
I don't race by the way, don't need the ultimate in speed.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The GP5000 is a light weight race tyre, it's way different to what you usually put on your bikes ! You'd also cry at the price. They are fast though.

I've checked, I was shocked, and yes I would cry at that price. I expect a pair of good tyres for that money, not just one! I doubt they'd survive very long with the sort of riding I do anyway. The broken glass fragments and debris would destroy them. Marathons might not be the last word in speed and response, but they don't go flat, they're tough, and they don't seem to want to wear out.

 

[DCLane]

I've checked, I was shocked, and yes I would cry at that price. I expect a pair of good tyres for that money, not just one! I doubt they'd survive very long with the sort of riding I do anyway. The broken glass fragments and debris would destroy them. Marathons might not be the last word in speed and response, but they don't go flat, they're tough, and they don't seem to want to wear out.

That's why I buy them whenever I can. Currently I pay about £30 a tyre which is still expensive. They're fast tyres though, but do wear particularly in racing / race training - a single skid/emergency stop can wipe the tread off completely. I can't see Marathons being much use in a race environment though

The old GP4000S II was a much better tyre in terms of longevity. The new GP5000 seems quite a bit more fragile and I've been testing their GP4Seasons and Durano RaceGuard on a couple of bikes.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Neither my tyres or the old steel bikes they are fitted to are going to be very competitive in a race.
I'm a relatively slow rider and I accept my place in life is pootling around at sightseeing speeds.
Your approach to buying stuff when on offer at the right price is not much different to mine, but I've now got more Schwalbes than I know what to do with so I've paused stocking up with them.
I get that you would want light tyres to actually race with, but is it really essential to use this sort of tyre for training rides as well as the races themselves?

 

[fossyant]

Interesting.
so you just paid the £12 rather than £4.99 because of availability when you needed them?
Both these through Planet X by any chance?
It is remarkable how cheap you can get tyres if you bide your time.
I don't race by the way, don't need the ultimate in speed.

The Zaffiro Pro's were bought 18 months ago, the cheapo Zaffiro's recently (Pro is folding, non pro rigid - Planet X in both cases). Quite happy with both. Not as fast as the Michelins, but, I'm mainly riding MTB's now, so a slight increase in rolling on a road tyre makes little difference now - they still feel like rockets, and I'm doing more back road riding/poor surface stuff.

 

[DCLane]

I get that you would want light tyres to actually race with, but is it really essential to use this sort of tyre for training rides as well as the races themselves?

I've found they're pretty much OK in most riding, just don't have the longevity. They're used on the race/best bikes and I've got Vittoria Rubino's on my commuter bike, or at least they're on for when I commute again. I've a stock of those bought about 18 months ago when Ribble had an offer of £4 a tyre.

Oh, and we're planning on running this in a 'Medium Gear TT' this year as we've got a rear track disc that'll fit, plus we might throw on a deep section front or leave it orange as is. Your steel bikes could be used in racing:

 

[fossyant]

I keep watching the price of Truvative 42T chain rings. Most are pushing £100 at present, although £50 is the target. I've seen a TA compatible ring on ebay for £30. I've also got a spare LX chain ring for my old MTB - again like rocking horse poop to find.

 

[T4tomo]

The old GP4000S II was a much better tyre in terms of longevity. The new GP5000 seems quite a bit more fragile and I've been testing their GP4Seasons and Durano RaceGuard on a couple of bikes.

I run GP4Seasons on my summer bike. Caveat I don't race or have pretentions to do so. But I really rate them, they wear well, are durable, v good puncture resistance and still reasonably light / sporty. I have a mate who swore by GP4000S and called the 4 Season's tractor tyres, but he spent more time at the side of the road with deflation issues.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Makes me glad I’ve got enough chains for replacement over next 12 months. Plus chain rings and cassette.

The difference between GP 5000 and the Zaffiros mentioned will be about 1 mph difference in average speed. Important if racing, not important if not.

 

[Blue Hills]

Makes me glad I’ve got enough chains for replacement over next 12 months. Plus chain rings and cassette.

I have lots of spares as well.
You expect prices to drop after 12 months?
To previous levels?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have lots of spares as well.
You expect prices to drop after 12 months?
To previous levels?

Yes, I think supply will have caught up with demand, and prices will settle back down again.