Looking to switch up my tires from the perennial favorite Continental GP4000II. Great tire, until the sidewall tears that is.

Looking at bicyclerollingresistance.com, decided to try out the Michelin Pro4 Endurance. I did once try a Michelin tire, and it shredded after only 1000 miles. The site reviews a 2015 model, but I noticed that there might be a 2018 version? Michelin keeps rebranding their line, so not sure if the 2018 tire is equivalent.

I think the Power Endurance is supposed to be the successor of the Pro4. Wonder if they returned to the Pro4 name, or is it simply some clueless online retailer.

I'm still working through my stash of Pro4 Endurance but I think you're right.

If they went back to Pro, it'd probably be Pro5 anyway if history is any indicator.

The Pro4 Endurance is a discontinued tire(but many are still available). It appears that Michelin is still making essentially the same tire, but it is now called the Krylion 2 Endurance.

Pro4 Endurance V2s supposedly come in a different color box (blue) than the originals. I've run 23mm and 25mm this year, over 1,000 miles on both and haven't had a single durability issue. They replaced a GP4KIIs front tire that punctured the first day I commuted on them, but I've run the same tire on the rear for over 2,0000 miles without issue, so who knows.

Got my Michelins from Performance Bike. They occasionally get backordered and then restocked, so Performance is at least getting new stock.

Rolling Resistance focuses on watts and puncture protection but they can't measure ride quality.

IMO Vittoria's second tier Rubino is equal to either the Michelin or Conti top tier tires.

Supple and forgiving, never twitchy or bad mannered. They love being driven to the limit and will never scare you. The "Speed" version is really fast if you don't mind a somewhat shorter lifespan.


-Tim-

Where would the Corsa G+ fall on that spectrum? I tried them last week and didn't notice a bit of more confidence or ride quality, but it was a fairly straight ride.

Pro4 name is gone.

I recently bought this 2 pack to replace the last of my Pro4 service course, which is their top tire. I haven't tried them yet, but the price was right.

https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...jor=1&minor=27

They also sell the Krylion 2 Endurance in a 2 pack, although I prefer the race tire.

https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...jor=1&minor=27

Power Endurance is comparable to the Pro4 Endurance. Kyrlion is a down market tire that in my experience sucks, although the endurance version may be more durable than other kyrlions, the ride quality just never appealed to me.

For me, nothing else rolls like Pro4 Race tires. I preferred only Pro2 Race/Pro3 Race/Pro4 SC until changing over to tubeless. If I was buying regular tires they would def be Pro4 Race or Power Competition.

I've used all three tires extensively, and found the Power Endurance to be the superior tire(but faster wearing), The Krylion 2 Endurance and Pro4 Endurance, are damn near identical.

Do let us know about the durability, please.

Durability is very good on Krylion 2 Endurance. I get almost exactly the same mileage out of the K2E and the Pro4 E.

Sadly they are out of 25mm Krylion 2 Endurance.

How's flat resistance though? I honestly don't mind short-lived tires; I do mind fixing flats out on the road. Mileage often correlates to flat-resistance, but not always.

I agree entirely.

Pro4 service course durability has been better than the Pro3s, but still, it's not a long-lived tire. I can't speak to the Power Competition because they're still in the box. I tried a set of the original Krylions years ago and they held up well but I didn't like them.

Puncture(and cut) resistance is very good. I wouldn't use them if I was constantly flatting.

This is my personal opinion, nothing more. I have ridden both Corsa G+ and Rubino G+ Speed.

I don't like the Corsa G+. They are expensive and pick up every little piece of glass and debris. I also don't notice better ride quality and they don't inspire any more confidence. If anything I found them more nervous/twitchy than the Rubino G+ Speed.

The G+ Speed are 198 grams. The Corsa G+ are 256 grams. Both actual weights on my scale. The Rubino G+ Speed wear very fast. The rear tire is toast after 1200 to 1500 miles.

The Vittoria website said (past tense) that the Rubino G+ Speed had less grip and were less supple than the Corsa G+. My experience with the Rubino G+ Speed is that they are very forgiving to the point where I can push them harder than I'm willing to push the Corsa. I use the past tense because Vittoria has tweaked the product lineup and changed the names recently. Things might have changed.

Back on topic, I'd like to try the Pro 4 Service Course. 3x110 TPI and 200 grams might make this a really nice tire. In the past I've not liked Michelin and found then twitchy and nervous but I'd be willing to give them a try again if the price were right. Where are you guys buying these?


-Tim-

More than a year ago, Michelin said they were replacing the Pro4s with the Power series, but there seem to be a few odd ones around in the US. Availability seems better across the pond. For example, you can get a pair from Wiggle for $60 including shipping -- I didn't shop very hard, so you can likely do better.

wiggle.com | Michelin Pro4 Service Course V2 Folding Road Tyre | Road Race Tires

When Michelin said these were done, Comp Cyclist sold them out for about $25 each, so Wiggle's price seems alright.

FWIW, I like the tires quite a bit, though be aware that they run wide -- the 25s measure almost 28 on Dura-Ace C24 wheels.

I've very rarely flatted and never ripped pro4 endurance, and they're on my commuting/rough road bike for a couple years now.

Nor have I blown or torn the sidewall of a gp4kii, which I've been riding for years.

The Pro4 Endurance were good, just not good enough to get me to buy them twice. As they wore, flat resistance went from "better than average" to "absolutely none at all" like the flip of a switch. Went ~2k miles without a problem, then recorded 4 flats in a week. They rolled... okay. Nothing exceptional about them at all, really. This was on 700x28s.

who can keep track? i'm a bibendum fan and always rock the michelins. usually opt for the pro4endurance 700x23 (pick 'em up
at performance bike on sale for $40 apiece). 2 pairs will cover the 5-6k miles a year that i generally do.
used to be a conti guy because that's what the shops in my area heavily carried but the flat resistance was meh and the durability was
less than the pro4's (and the krylions before that). performance bike has so much stock that you can probably find older stuff you like
either on their website or in store a year or two after the change(s). love the pro4's and the krylions for the bang for the buck.
picked up some cheap chicken michelin lithions for about $25 apiece just to see how they worked. after my worst tire day ever
(4 flats (3 thorns, 1 industrial staple) in 80 miles-2 front, 2 back on my first ride with them just over 80 miles), they kicked *ss.
they saw plenty of dirt and what passes for gravel here in socal as i was actively abusing them on my road bike out of curiousity.
they did just fine at the 6 month mark on a 90+ mile ride with the op on angeles crest hwy (ach) in april. may pick them up again for giggles.
never had any sidewall issues with any of the michelins, even with the pro3's which i always regretted buying. the pro3's were just not
worth the $$. better to drop down or jump up in price. durability and flats were the main issues.