Continental Grand Prix 5000 Clincher

The Transparent is Continental's tan wall version of the highly regarded GP5000 road tyre. It packs the same punch for grip and low rolling resistance as the black walled version, but gives a nod to tradition. Where though, you may wonder, is the tubeless compatibility?

The difference between this Transparent tyre and a standard GP5000 is that the nylon carcass isn't coated, and so remains visible. This means the tan wall is darker than on many other tyres, but as a bonus they don't get anywhere near as dirty.

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This set has spent the majority of its working life on my Kinesis T2, which means they have seen more wet, muddy and salt-covered roads than if fitted to any other bike. It uses rim brakes too, so you have all the sludge and grime that comes from heavy braking. After about 400 miles, the GP5000s are still looking pretty box-fresh.

Starting at the beginning, the Contis prove easy to fit on some rims, and not so easy on others, but that's par for the course these days.

On these RSP Calavera Carbon CC35 wheels with a 17.9mm internal rim, they fitted easily without needing tyre levers to get the last bit on. That's ideal when you are running tubes.

Tubeless-less

And you're running tubes, because these ain't tubeless ready. This will be an issue for some, if not all.

On the gravel bike I embrace tubeless due to the wider tyres and lower pressures, but on the road, I can take it or leave it. I run my pressures high – 100psi in these 25mm tyres – and no, I don't find it uncomfortable, I don't find it 0.11mph slower, and I don't suffer with punctures.

I probably suffer one per 10,000 miles (though that will no doubt triple if the Puncture Fairy is reading this).

Some tan sidewalls are actually a coloured coating (as on the GP5000 Special Edition), because a natural wall construction is quite porous. As you may have discovered with some WTB tyres, they can weep like a child when you first introduce sealant to them! So, it's no wonder that Continental hasn't marketed these as tubeless ready.

Performance

Still, if you aren't worried about that, you're going to love the performance of the GP5000s. The grip is excellent. Bank these into a roundabout or tight bend at speed and you can maintain a relaxed grip on the handlebar, as there aren't going to be any sketchy moments coming your way.

In the dry they are impeccable, and even in the wet they are very confidence inspiring. They break traction like any other tyre in a greasy situation, but it feels progressive, giving you a heads up it's about to happen.

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A lot of this is down to the Black Chili compound, one of Conti's best creations. Nevertheless, rolling resistance is minimal. This really is a quick tyre, something noticeable even on my winter hack with full mudguards.

Riding them in the winter has also shown how durable they are for such a high-performance tyre. With a short test period it's difficult to judge wear levels, but the GP5000s are looking good. There are a couple of little marks here and there from the hedge cutting season, but they haven't punctured yet.

They have a supple feel, too. Even at the pressures I ride, they bring a noticeable cushioning effect to proceedings.

Value

Priced at £59.99 they aren't exactly cheap though. That's the same as something like the Pirelli P-Zero Race TLR, which aslo offers great grip, little in the way of rolling resistance but is tubeless ready (which usually adds a premium to the price).

When Jamie reviewed the Maxxis High Road SL he reckoned the 'ride quality is good and on par with the Continental GP5000,' and it's a tenner cheaper at £49.99 – and superlight at 177g. Durability isn't the best though, and that's the cool thing about the Continental – you are getting race tyre performance with training tyre longevity.

Conclusion

The only real issue I can see is that if you want tubeless and a tan wall, you're out of luck. If that doesn't bother you, you're going to have to go some to find another tyre that delivers the same levels of performance and durability. The GP5000 Transparent is excellent. As long as you're willing to pay for it.

Verdict

If you aren't bothered about tubeless compatibility, this is one of the fastest, grippiest tyres you can fit