Continental has announced the return of the cream sidewall Grand Prix 5000, which joins the traditional black and the transparent sidewall versions in the German brand's flagship road tyre range.
Originally available as a special edition for the Tour de France 2020, Continental says it has responded to ongoing customer demand for the cream wall colourway by making it a permanent feature in the expanding Grand Prix 5000 clincher lineup (the tubeless Grand Prix 5000 TL is still only available in black).
(Image credit: Continental)
Continental’s take on the classic look was unsurprisingly very popular - who doesn’t like a tan sidewall to give their machine a bit of a lift? But last year it was only available in the 25mm size. Now the German brand is including a 28mm cream wall GP5000, which will please fans of more voluminous rubber.
Continental points out that all three colourways benefit from the same features, which are: Active Comfort Technology designed to reduce vibration and for the smoothest possible ride, Vectran Breaker for high-class puncture protection, LazerGrip for outstanding cornering, and Continental’s unique Black Chili compound for the best possible balance between grip, mileage and low rolling resistance.
However, the cream sidewall Grand Prix 5000 adds a few grams compared to the black and transparent versions since it uses an additional layer of rubber in its construction - a claimed 25g per tyre in the 25mm version.
We included the original 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."
Cream sidewall Continental Grand Prix 5000 Weight - 255 / 265g
Dimensions - 25-622 / 28-622
Technology – Black Chili compound, Vectran Breaker, Active Comfort Technology, LazerGrip
Transparent sidewall Continental Grand Prix 5000 Weight - 230 / 245g
Dimensions - 25-622 / 28-622
Technology – Black Chili compound, Vectran Breaker, Active Comfort Technology, LazerGrip
Black Continental Grand Prix 5000 Weight - from 205g
Dimensions - from 25-584 to 32-622
Technology – Black Chili compound, Vectran Breaker, Active Comfort Technology, LazerGrip
Pricing and availability Cream sidewall Continental Grand Prix 5000s are available alongside black and transparent sidewall Grand Prix 5000 tyres immediately at RRP £59.95 per tyre, worldwide.
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Simon Smythe is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends most of his time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.
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