The first-generation Continental Grand Prix 4000 was such a popular tire thanks to its unmatched versatility: It was light enough for a hilly ride, but beefy enough to survive chip & seal unscathed; its low rolling resistance made it an ideal choice for race wheels, but it doesn't puncture at the first sign of road debris; it stuck to the road when you cornered at high speeds, but it didn't feel sluggish when you accelerated. It was a design that needed little in the way of improvement, but the engineers at Conti made some substantial improvements nonetheless -- and the finished product is known as the Grand Prix 4000 S.

The GP4000S offers Conti's brand new "Black Chili" rubber compound. Conti first developed this for the Moto GP crotch rocket circuit, and they've brought it over to their top-end bike tires. Super-tiny carbon black particles are incorporated into the rubber formula to provide benefits along three lines:

1. The tiny size of the "Black Chili" particles allows them to mold to the road surface more readily. It gives the tire greater ability to conform to imperfections in the road surface. Better contact with the road means better grip in demanding situations such as high speed cornering.

2. Since the "Black Chili" particles are so small, more particles fit into the contact patch of the tire -- reducing tire wear and increasing tire longevity.

3. The "Black Chili" particles are literally more flexible, which reduces the rolling resistance of the GP4000S.

The GP4000S has a a dynamic siped tread pattern with a Vectran layer sandwiched in place for added flat resistance. Available in 700x23.