Contiinental Ultra Race tyres - prone to puncture?

fixie fox

I got a new bike at the start of the season with these tyres and have gotten three punctures in races so far. I am wondering about ditching them for a pair pair of Conti GPs. But but before shelling out the bucks and ditching a pair of nearly new tyres I am wondering if this tyre is overly-soft or if I have just had a run of bad luck? The punctures weren't caused by a rim problem or something left stuck in the tyre etc.
Anybody got any experience with them??

lennymc

i raced them for a while and didnt puncture. currently on gp4000s and got one puncture on 2nd outing.

Civilian_Target

I love those tyres, they're lovely and grippy, but they don't have a re-enforced sidewall. So you have to be sure to keep them well pumped up, and even then, particularly the back tyre is vulnerable to pinch flats if you hit a big pothole too hard.

fixie fox

Ok, thanks. Looks just like a run of bad luck which makes sense - Conti wouldn't make rubbish tyres - I use Gators in the winter.

Surveyor11

fixie fox wrote: »

Conti wouldn't make rubbish tyres

I agree on the Gatorskins, they are bullet proof.

But the Conti Ultra Sport are sh*te tyres, been caught out badly with blow outs twice on these tyres. Both fairly new as well. Today's experience was on the approach to the Sally Gap - without warning, BANG. Big hole in the tyre - tyre wrecked. Without a spare tyre, had to patch it with a mix of tube patches and the label of a glove :eek: to try and keep the tube in and limp home. Worked for a while, had to keep re-inflating as it had punctured again. These tyres are to be avoided, IMO.

joxerjohn

I agree that the Ultras are prone to punctures and sidewall blowouts.

They are nice an grippy but I have had loads of punctures and blowouts with these tyres and so would not rate them.

for racing I think that the Michelin Pro3 are very good, they are noew superceded by Michelin Pro 4 which I suppose are even better.

The Ultra sport also is made differently from GP 4000's and even though it has a conti name it is a pretty poor tyre in my opinion as fairly pricey.

slap/dash

Ultra sports are the worst tyres I've run. Absolutely awful puncture resistance.

fixie fox

Feck, I think that's enough - I'll just cut my losses. Where's the best price for Conti GPs?

Seaneh

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k980/a12488/grand-prix-24-622-mm-black.html

€36 delivered with DHL for a pair of Conti Grand Prix.

I ordered a pair last wednesday.

aindriu80

I got a set of Conti GP 4000 and they cost me a lot more than the above. Got a pumpture early on but seem to be pretty good tyres.

Brad768

Running 4000s's for about 2/3 weeks now and love them. No punctures and work well in Ireland's crazy weather conditions

Salmonman

I've been using conti ultra sport tyres for a while now ,no punctures yet

Surveyor11

Seaneh wrote: »

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k980/a12488/grand-prix-24-622-mm-black.html

€36 delivered with DHL for a pair of Conti Grand Prix.

I ordered a pair last wednesday.

What's the delivery time like on those Seaneh? Was looking for a pair for this weekend.

Seaneh

I ordered mine wednesday, website said 3-5 working days, I've not got mine yet, but they *should* arrive by wednesday I guess?

Seaneh

Just an update, mine arrived today (5 minutes ago actually). Ordered Early Wednesday morning last week (like 7am or something) so 4 working days, which is pretty good from Germany!

Surveyor11

OK, good to know for future reference. Great value on those....

Seaneh

Ha,

Changing the tyres on my tricross which had 32m tyres on it.

Take the old tired off, take tubes off, put aside, put new tires half on, put one tube in, pop other side of tire on, put on front wheen, inflate, take it off again (no idea why !) take it outside and rest it beside the table where I have the other wheel and tyre.

Start putting other tube into the other tyre. Start to pop the rest of the tyre on.


*BBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM*


Tyre behind me explodes.

I put the old ****ing tubes into the new tyres.

Old tubes were 25-32m and the new tyres are 24m, totally forgot, fecking tube is ripped to pieces, tyre is grand though.

Off to buy a few tubes so!

Mcofferon

FWIW Cyclesuperstore had pairs of GP4000's for €70 a couple of weeks back. I went for the 25mm having suffered with the Conti Ultra Sports 23mm that came with the bike. Might be worth checking with them if you're changing out a pair?

Also have a friend in the UK who's switched to the new Conti GP 4 Seasons - we should call them Vivaldis? - and says they're the muts nuts. Oodles of protection like the gators but lots of grip and feedback - and they roll well too.