Winter Tyres

[Michelin]

What would be best for me for winter riding
Continental Grand Prix 4 season in 28mm or Continental GP 5000 in 32mm

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

Can you give us some more idea about your riding?
What surfaces?
How long/far?
What are your priorities in a tyre, speed, puncture resistance, grip, comfort?
Tube or tubeless?
Are you only considering Continental?

 

[vickster]

I'd go for the widest and most puncture resistant. Do 4 seasons in 32mm not exist? Unless you are still looking for performance and are less concerned about punctures?
Have you considered other brands too?

 

[MichaelW2]

If winter means riding in the dark through surprise water filled potholes, wider tyres offer better protection to your wheels.
In dry, daylight rides it doesnt make a big difference.

 

[Tom B]

I'd go for the widest and most puncture resistant. Do 4 seasons in 32mm not exist? Unless you are still looking for performance and are less concerned about punctures?
Have you considered other brands too?

If winter means riding in the dark through surprise water filled potholes, wider tyres offer better protection to your wheels.
In dry, daylight rides it doesnt make a big difference.

I'd go with that, except to say everything feels rougher and harsher in the cold. Biggest volume possible.

I have some schwalbe winter studs for icey snowy days. If it stops being icy I pump em up a bit more.

 

[andrew_s]

Do 4 seasons in 32mm not exist?

They do, though they may be hard to find in stock.

I'd probably be inclined to take the extra width of the GP5000. GP4S 28 came up undersized the last time I used them (26.5 mm on Open Pro).
I'd expect the GP4S to be more fairy resistant, so if you are running to a commute schedule that may swing things.

If you've the clearance, the hierarchy as far as grip on icy roads is concerned goes like...
Schwalbe Ice Spikers - knobbles with spikes (i.e. sharp studs) on - if they don't get you through, nothing will.
Studded tyres - e.g. Marathon Winter, or plain Winter (the same, but only 2 rows of studs rather than 4). Studs should be carbide rather than steel, and the more the merrier.
Proper winter tyres, like the car ones - Continental Top Contact Winter, in 37 mm (which measure at 32, if that, unless you count the mould sprues), or 42 (apparently true to size). Surprisingly good on ice - I didn't spin out until 10% on sheet ice, on a test ride one time, by which time getting off the bike was rather difficult.
An "all seasons" compound, like the GP4S.
Regular tyres.

For the first 3, rolling resistance (i.e. lack of speed) goes like the grip. Ice Spikers are very slow, Marathon Winter are fairly slow, Top Contact Winter are similar to any other similarly chunky hybrid tyre

If it's snow rather than ice, knobbles are what you want. They aren't much good on ice though, and falling on ice hurts.
A studded tyre that doesn't grip on snow may lead to lack of progress, but you are relatively unlikely to hurt yourself.

The most important thing about winter riding is to pay proper attention to the state of the road surface, and not to try to ride at normal summer-ish speeds unless you are sure the road is good.

 

[vickster]

They do, though they may be hard to find in stock.

So it seems, Sigma are expecting stock in early December though
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Continental/Grand-Prix-4-Season-Clincher-Tyre/67U
Pricey though!

 

[rivers]

I'm running (and have been for the past 2-3 years) pirelli cinturato velos in 32mm on my winter/wet weather bike. For winter riding, they have an excellent combination of grip, puncture resistance, and low-ish rolling resistance. Plus can be run tubeless if you want. They're pricey, but I'm still on my original pair. I save my GP5000s for the nice weather and race days.