GP4000S vs Gatorskins; feels like I'm pedalling in treacle!
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago I changed from my summer tyres (Continental GP4000S) to the Gatorskins that I had from last year; one too many punctures finally annoyed me so much.
Same wheels (fulcrum 3), but different tyres.
Ok I now have a few extra things on my bike too; heavy light, mud guards, but otherwise it's similar. And yet I'm consistently 2 gears higher everywhere. It feels like, as my title suggests, that I'm pedalling in treacle. Legs just don't want to get spinning!
I did have a week in Vegas (though didn't go too crazy on the food/beer) and put on a couple of kilos, but that's it.
Can the tyres truly make that much difference? Or is my fitness from the end of summer just leaving me slightly?
Same wheels (fulcrum 3), but different tyres.
Ok I now have a few extra things on my bike too; heavy light, mud guards, but otherwise it's similar. And yet I'm consistently 2 gears higher everywhere. It feels like, as my title suggests, that I'm pedalling in treacle. Legs just don't want to get spinning!
I did have a week in Vegas (though didn't go too crazy on the food/beer) and put on a couple of kilos, but that's it.
Can the tyres truly make that much difference? Or is my fitness from the end of summer just leaving me slightly?
Incremental gains working in reverse 
To be honest if you put on two kilos in a week in Vegas, thats not taking it easy - thats 18,000 additional calories
I'd suggest its a combination of everything - less fit, more weight (how much would you spend to get a bike two kilos less than your current one) and the additional equipment / tyres etc
To be honest if you put on two kilos in a week in Vegas, thats not taking it easy - thats 18,000 additional calories
I'd suggest its a combination of everything - less fit, more weight (how much would you spend to get a bike two kilos less than your current one) and the additional equipment / tyres etc
TonyHetherington said:
18000 calories?! Blimey! I was doing my hardest to eat healthily as well; I even had salads and granola stuff in burger bars 
I guess you're right - all those things that, towards the end of the summer were just right and feeling great, have now gone!
Dammit
OMG!!! I got back from pigging out in Florida this morning and have put on 15lbs, that is gonna take some shifting! Dread to think how Im going to be on my first ride on Sunday morning after 2 weeks doing nothing but walking around theme parks and malls.I guess you're right - all those things that, towards the end of the summer were just right and feeling great, have now gone!
Dammit
I just got a Schwalbe picture resistant thingy this morning from my LBS round the corner. Princely sum of £12 fitted and I was back home six minutes after leaving! I'm sure they must be heavier but through winter that is a good thing.
It will also be that you are in a trough after your summer peak.
It will also be that you are in a trough after your summer peak.
don't you value your fillings?
Gatorskins are 220g each, the GP4000S are 205g each - not as much difference as I'd have thought actually. The GP4000S claim to have far less rolling resistance, with the Gatorskins claiming to be more puncture resistant.
Weighed myself again this morning and I'm back down to 66kg again already, so that weight's gone.
Looks like it's truly just fitness! Dammit. Rule 5 it is, I fear.
Weighed myself again this morning and I'm back down to 66kg again already, so that weight's gone.
Looks like it's truly just fitness! Dammit. Rule 5 it is, I fear.
BMWBen said:
You're doing it wrong! I just bought some GP4000s as my winter tyres, replacing my ultremo ZXs which are my summer/race tyre.
I was getting quite a lot of punctures on the GP4000S hence swapping back over. Though I do use the exact same bike on the Sunday morning club runs as I do to commute every day on cycle paths and all the crap that comes with that. On the roads I imagine it wouldn't be anywhere near as much of a problem.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff