Continental Grand Prix 4-Season 32 mm review

We’ve published an extensive blog post several years ago on the Continental Gran Prix 4-Season tyre. The fact that it’s still a popular item in our range of products shows you just how good these tyres really are. Continental kept working on the tyre, and since that review, we’ve now been given a 32 mm version to compliment the 23, 25, and 28 mm versions. Time for a review of the new 32 mm version then! Our very own Simon mounted them on his own bike and racked up some serious miles.

Who buys the Grand Prix 4 Season-tyre?

The 4-Season tyre is intended for the rider who’s on his or her bike year round, no matter the conditions. The tyre doesn’t really excel at anything, which is actually its strength. A true racing tyre is lightweight, has low rolling resistance, but doesn’t offer much protection from punctures. A winter tyre is heavy, has a lot more rolling resistance, but is virtually unstoppable when it comes to puncture protection. The Grand Prix 4 Season takes that sweet spot in the middle. An ideal tyre for winter training which enables you to still go fast, but without having to worry too much about punctures. The new 32 mm version is designed to appeal to daily commuters who ride from A to B on their trekking bike, as well as gravel racers.

32 mm wide: perfect for commuters and gravel racing

The addition of the 32 mm tyre means commuters now have access to a serious performance tyre. Up to now, they’ve often had to make do with heavy tyres with a high rolling resistance. The 4-Season is also extremely suitable for gravel racing, a discipline which has been gaining momentum recently in the US and UK. It’s a way of exploring new territories on the bike, with fun as the primary goal. You’re no longer bound to tarmac and get to discover new roads and routes by tearing up gravel tracks!

Softer is better

The rubber is softer than that of the well-known Grand Prix 4000S tyre. We’re hearing you think: “Soft rubber wear faster… That’s a great sales strategy.” We’re not going to deny it: the Grand Prix 4-Season tyre wears a little quicker, but you’re getting a lot in return. A lot of grip, specifically, and significantly improved traction in poor conditions. The softer the rubber, the better it can stick to the tarmac- something you especially notice in corners. Another advantage to a softer compound is that the rubber won’t become quite as hard in cold conditions. You may have noticed that tyres become less flexible as the temperatures drop. This often causes a loss of grip, which is where the soft compound of the 4 Season comes in!

Puncture Protection

The well-known 4000 S II tyre is made using a woven carcass with a Vectran Breaker over that, and a layer or rubber which then forms the tread. The 4-Season tyre has a carcass fitted with a DuraSkin layer: an extremely strong polyamide fibre which spans the width of the carcass, providing extra protection particularly on the sides. This is also what gives the tyre its tan sidewall. On top of this, there’s a double Vectran layer for even more protection and then the rubber compound to create the tread.

Long story short:

• Two Vectran breaker layers under the tread
• Extra protection on the side walls

Rolling Resistance

With the addition of all this protective material, you might be tempted to think the tyre has become a lot heavier, thereby increasing the rolling resistance. Not nearly as much as you might imagine however! You won’t need to hold on for dear life when you’re on your mate’s wheel. The graph below shows you the rolling resistance compared to the 4000 S II and Vredestein Fortezza Senso All Weather. Note that this comparison is between the 25 mm versions of each tyre. If you want to compare the rolling resistance of other tyres, check out bicyclerollingresistance.com.

So why get 32 mm tyres?

These days, you can choose between 23, 25, 28, and 32 mm widths, but why would you pick which size? The wider the tyre becomes, the lower the rolling resistance at the same pressure. Something which is nicely illustrated by the graph below. The lower the pressure, the higher the comfort. A lower-pressure tyre is more capable of absorbing bumps and vibrations. If you run your traditional 25 mm tyres at low pressure however, then there’s a fair chance of getting a snake bite since there’s simply not enough air between the tyre and the edge of the rim. An example: a 28 mm tyre at 4.1 Bar has the same rolling resistance as a 25 mm tyre at 5.5 Bar. The 28 mm tyre offers considerably more comfort, since the overall pressure is lower. Enough theory at this point...

In reality, a 32 mm tyre feels like it has more rolling resistance than a 25 mm one, as the difference in width is significant. More rubber on the road leads to a higher rolling resistance, and you notice. It all just takes a little extra effort, but the additional comfort is significant. The 32 mm tyre at 5 Bar does a great job of filtering out any imperfections in the road. An added bonus is the freedom to do a little gravel racing. Short stints of off-road use aren’t a problem: it will take sand trails with some gravel in its stride. This greatly increases the possibilities for your winter training, allowing you to take on roads you’d normally avoid because of their rougher surface. Gravel trails in your local forest, rural country lanes- go wherever your want to go!

Important consideration: will they fit my bike?

A wider tyre needs to be able to fit into your frame! I personally tried the 32 mm Grand Prix 4-Season on a Trek Crockett Cyclocross bike, which has been designed to work with wider tyres so no issues there. If you want to try wider tyres on your regular road bike, take the following things into consideration:

Front- and rear fork width

If you want to make a 32 mm tyre fit, then your fork will need at least 36 mm of space between the fork legs, width-ways. The current trend of making rims wider also means tyres might fall a little wider onto the rim. So measure the width of your current tyres: if you’re running 25 mm tyres at the moment, but they measure in at 24.5 mm, then you may assume a wider tyre will also be 0.5 mm narrower than expected. You need at least 2 mm of clearance on each side of the tyre to prevent damage to the frame caused by too little pressure in the tyres or any dirt sticking to the sides (always check the pressure and state of your tyres before setting off!).

Height of the tyre

Not just the width of the tyre is important, but the height as well. As the volume increases, so does the height. If you fit a 32 mm tyre, then you’ll need at least 32 mm of space plus an additional 3 mm clearance in the brake caliper if you want to ensure everything runs smoothly. Finally, don’t forget to check the maximum tyre size for your inner tubes! It’d be a shame if you did get a puncture, and your inner tube turns out to be incapable of reaching the proper pressure!

Conclusion Continental Grand Prix 4-Season 32mm review

The Continental Grand Prix 4-Season tyre hasn’t lost any of its shine! In our opinion, it’s a true jack of all trade and an absolute must-have for any rider who plans on riding on through the fall. The 32 mm version also offers commuters with a trekking or hybrid bike the chance to say goodbye to those heavy, high resistance trekking tyres!

Continental Grand Prix 4 Season

From £39.50

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