Continental's not saying exactly what wizardry of rubber formulations and carcass construction has been wrought to achieve this, but it's impressive as hell, especially when you consider that the improvement over the clincher version of the GP 5000 is 17% — Conti only claims 5% — and the tubeless GP 5000 therefore has over 30% less rolling resistance than the GP 4000 S II. That makes it the fastest Continental tyre yet. Thanks in part to the PureGrip Compound, which makes this tyre very durable, the Ultra Sport III ensures good roadholding and good grip. The compound will last for many kilometres, and the tyre's tread profile will continue to give you good grip when cornering.

It's still available from some retailers but the Grand Prix 5000 TL has been nominally replaced by the Grand Prix 5000 S TR. We'll keep these details until retailers run out. At the end of 2018 the big news in Continental tyres was the introduction of a successor to the Grand Prix 4000 S II, unsurprisingly named the Grand Prix 5000. Not only did Continental replace arguably the most successful clincher tyre of all time, but they finally produced a tubeless version. Puncture Force Sharp Needle: Pre-2021, this score was known as 'Puncture Resistance'. On some tires with weakly bonded casing wires, the sharp needle can split the casing wires resulting in a lower score. In this updated version of our guide to Continental tyres we've added the new Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR. Puncture Force Blunt Needle: The Blunt needle has a flat tip and won't split the casing wires. To puncture the tire, the blunt needle has to cut the casing wires.

NOTE: As of 2021, we've improved the puncture resistance tests and now provide 'Total Puncture Score' as the main puncture resistance indicator. Sealant required. The GP 5000 TL has a layer of rubber on the inside to retain air; the GP 5000 S TR doesn't. The GP5000 boasts two new features: Lazer Grip texturing on the shoulder of the tread and Active Comfort Technology. Lazer Grip is a slight roughening of the tread intended to improve cornering grip, while Active Comfort is an elastomer embedded in the tyre to damp vibrations. The PureGrip Compound is an advanced rubber mix based on activated silica compounds. It provides much grip and is also very durable. Thus, you will be able to ride a great many kilometres with the Ultra Sport III! The Continental Ultra Sport III is the renewed version of Continental's reliable entry-level touring and road bike tyre, the Ultra Sport II. The Ultra Sport III has a redesigned dynamic profile on the tread and shoulders, which optimises performance even further. Like its predecessor, the Continental Ultra Sport III is made of the PureGrip Compound.

In theory that means sealant isn't required, but Continental recommend you use 30-60ml of sealant to protect against punctures. Everything else being equal that extra layer also means increased rolling resistance, but it seems everything else is far from equal. According to Jarno Bierman at bicyclerollingresistance.com, the tubeless GP 5000 has very low rolling resistance, second only to the Vittoria Corsa Speed Open TLR, which has thinner tread.The Road Bike section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width.