New Continental Grand Prix 5000 tan wall ‘Transparent’ version launches

Continental has unveiled a tan wall version of its flagship road racing tyre that it’s calling the Grand Prix 5000 Transparent.

‘Transparent’ refers to the sidewall, which has an adapted construction so that the nylon carcass can be seen – giving it the chic tan wall that’s currently back in vogue.

The new Transparent version is only available in the non-tubeless clincher version for now.

Previously, along with from the all-black standard version, the Grand Prix 5000 was given a cream sidewall to celebrate the 2020 Tour de France. This version is now completely sold out, according to Continental.

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The cream sidewall actually added a few grams to the tyre since it was an additional layer of rubber, whereas the Transparent version has exactly the same vital statistics as the regular version. According to Continental, it adds an extra aesthetic option but performance remains the same which is, to sum up: 12 per cent better rolling resistance than the older Grand Prix 4000 S II; 20 per cent better puncture protection and 10g lighter in the 700x25c version.

Like the regular Grand Prix 5000, the Transparent version uses Conti's Black Chili compound, Vectran puncture breaker and LazerGrip tread pattern. Published weight is 215g for the 25mm size.

We included the Continental Grand Prix 5000 in our 2020 Editor's Choice selection of our favourite products, saying: "The market leader was never going to go downhill in its newest guise – and with the Continental Grand Prix 5000, the brand has made the best better. Across both guises [clincher and tubeless], it's not the fastest, supplest tyre out there, but it is resilient and we've yet to experience a flat, so if you're seeking a compromise between speed and peace of mind, the Continental Grand Prix is still where it's at."

The Grand Prix 5000 Transparent has a price of £59.99 and is available immediately.