# michelin pro 4 endurance



## bmc41fish (Jul 12, 2009)

Im looking for a good set of long lasting tires, after this past year my tires only lasted for 1800 miles(i should have changed them but i stretched them to 2200 and now they are on trainer). I was thinking about getting some gatorskins , read lots of reviews and ppl getting 6k out of them. Last year i read that Michelin was coming out with a high mile tire and was wondering if anyone tried them yet? ij looking for 25s , or if anyone has a good suggestion.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

The Michelin Pro Race 4 tirs must be on the horizon because the Pro Race 3 are on sale everywhere. Bonktown had them for $29.99, but they limited the purchase to three. The had one color (grey/black) in 700x25 -- the rest was 700x23. I've been riding the Pro Race 3 700x23 tires for a year or so and they've held up pretty well. They've been on sale at Ribble as well (and Performance, but for $40). 

I recently put some Continental GP4000S on another bike. I haven't ridden these tires that much, but so far I like them. They're wider than the Michelins. 

IMO, if you can find the Pro Race 3 for $30, get some because that's a deal.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

The Endurance replace the Krylions--not the Pro Race 3s. They won't ride quite as nice as the PR3 or PR4, but they'll last longer and still ride pretty well. You can already buy all of the other Pro Race 4 tires.

The Krylions were really nice, I expect the Pro Race 4 Endurance tires will also be quite nice and be higher mileage and more puncture resistant than the other Michelin tires--or the GP4000S.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Gatorskins will last even longer--but ride worse and be much heavier.


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## skepticman (Dec 25, 2005)

MarvinK said:


> The Krylions were really nice, I expect the Pro Race 4 Endurance tires will also be quite nice and be higher mileage and more puncture resistant than the other Michelin tires--or the GP4000S.


I have a couple sets each of Krylions and GP4000S. The Krylions have multiple small cuts and holes and I have punctured once. The GP4000S look almost like new.


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## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I have a Krylion on back and Pro3 on front.
I am getting good mileage from the Krylion and the ride quality is decent although not quite as nice as Pro3. No flats so far. Pro3 does fine as a front tire since there is much less wear on front.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Yea, one of the things that is supposed to be much improved in the 4's is cut resistance. My Krylions got cut up more quickly than other long distance tires. I don't like the grip or look of Continentals, but the 4000S are great all-around tires and the Gatorskins are ultra durable.

MIchelin Unveils New PRO4 Road Bike Tire Range - Bike Rumor


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## Pitts Pilot (Dec 5, 2011)

MarvinK said:


> You can already buy all of the other Pro Race 4 tires.


Really? Where? Only thing I'm finding is the standard Open Course. No 25mm Open Course. No Comp. No Limited Comp.


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## bmc41fish (Jul 12, 2009)

should i try and find cheap Krylions or gp4000 for tires, i weight around 190ish and want 25s,because i want a lil less pressure for a softer ride. im opean to any other brands, only been cycling for a couple years and would take the advice from the vets


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## boldaddy (Oct 13, 2008)

bmc41fish said:


> Im looking for a good set of long lasting tires, after this past year my tires only lasted for 1800 miles(i should have changed them but i stretched them to 2200 and now they are on trainer). I was thinking about getting some gatorskins , read lots of reviews and ppl getting 6k out of them. Last year i read that Michelin was coming out with a high mile tire and was wondering if anyone tried them yet? ij looking for 25s , or if anyone has a good suggestion.


I have ridden man sets of Michelin Pros. They are very sticky, but not a high mileage tire. Personally I hate high mileage tires. I'd rather pony up 130 bucks every six months than deal with sliding out just once in a corner. The high mileage stuff just doesn't ride as nice and doesn't corner as well.

If you must go for distance, I use gatorskins on my commuter bike and 4-seasons on my rainbike - the are good, but not as fun as the michelin pro3 (waiting to try some pro 4s)


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## ebnash (Aug 20, 2007)

I have had 3 flats in the last 3 rides on the front Pro 3 on my bike. Every time, it was a tiny thorn and it punctured right in the middle of the tire where there is supposedly some puncture protectionh. All 3 times, it left me on a mountain road changing a tube and then having to ride out in the dark. Unfortunately, I purchased 3 sets of Pro 3's cause I loved the ride quality after 5 rides and now they are biting me in the ass.

I am currently looking for something different. Maybe Schwalbe Ultremo DD's, not sure...


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## boldaddy (Oct 13, 2008)

The pro3's are definitely not tough in the flat department. I find that I replace them by about 1,500 miles or sometime even just 1,000 because of the number of nicks and cuts that show up. 

I think I flat about as often as anyone else. during a 500 mile ride on pro3 tires I got just one flat (tires had 200 miles on them before the ride). But now, another 500 miles later I've gotten three flats on the same set within the last 200 miles. The biggest problem is winter roads where i live. The gravel that get's used when we see now makes the shoulders of the roads hard on tires.


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## mattotoole (Jan 3, 2008)

MarvinK said:


> Yea, one of the things that is supposed to be much improved in the 4's is cut resistance. My Krylions got cut up more quickly than other long distance tires.


Where is everyone riding that cuts up these tires? I've been through 6 or 7 Krylions and find them fairly impervious. I hardly bother to avoid glass. I get maybe 1 or 2 flats over the life of a tire, and they're snakebites as often as punctures. This is maybe 20k miles in southwest VA and another 5-6k in SoCal. 

I had one tread start to separate from the casing, but other than that, no problems. Last year at Tour de Palm Springs, riders were flatting everywhere. WTF were they riding on?

Try cutting an old Krylion with a razor blade. Just try it. Rubber with real carbon black is very difficult to cut. It cuts easier with some lubrication, like water, which is why we get more flats in wet weather.

I used to ride the Norwuttock rail trail in western MA, which apparently has glass used as filler in the asphalt. Flat city, until I switched to the Krylion/Carbon. No problems after that.

Contis are great too -- old fashioned rubber with real carbon black.


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## mrcookie (Mar 30, 2008)

*pro 4 Endurance*

anyone riding the pro 4 endurance yet? i need to buy new tires in the next month or so....


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## skepticman (Dec 25, 2005)

I believe the Endurance is just the Krylion with a new name.


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## valleycyclist (Nov 1, 2009)

mrcookie said:


> anyone riding the pro 4 endurance yet? i need to buy new tires in the next month or so....


The Pro4 Endurance just became available (700x23), so I doubt most people have put a reasonable amount of mileage on them yet. As far as I know the 700x25 tires will be available next month. I really like the Krylions, and I have high hopes for the Pro4 Endurance tires.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Can't imagine any reason to buy the 700x23 version...


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## Stumpjumper FSR (Aug 6, 2006)

MarvinK said:


> Can't imagine any reason to buy the 700x23 version...


Whats wrong with 700x23?
I bought 2 sets of the Service Course Pro 4's...


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## gus68 (Oct 19, 2010)

have you guys tried the michelin pro optimums? I am a big fan of the pro 3s which I use on my race wheels. I use the pro optimums for training. The POs have a similar feel to the Pro 3s, but have a softer ride and are obviously heavier. I'm curious as to how they compare to the Krylions or Pro 4 Endurance.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Considering the Pro3 tires are being supplanted by the Pro4, this info may not be of much use, but I thought I relay my experience anyway. A bit over a year ago I got a new bike with Pro3s and HED wheels with 23mm wide rims. I replaced tires with new Pro3s when the cords start to show, and when putting on a new tire, put it on the front moving the used front tire to the rear, unless the front was already nearly new. So:

Tire 1. Started on the back and lasted 3000 miles.
Tire 2. Started on the front for 3000 miles and then moved to the rear where it lasted another 1000. (4000 total)
Tire 3. Started on the front for 3000 miles and moved to the rear as of a few days ago to replace tire 4. (3000 and still going)
Tire 4. Started on rear for 2000 then died a few days ago from a 3/8” cut in the sidewall completely through the cords. (2000)
Tire 5. New on front.

(I tracked all my mileage accurately with a Garmin and it's pure coincidence that the tire replacements all occurred at nearly exactly 1000 mile increments. )

Barring catastrophic damage, rears last me 3000 and fronts last me 3000 in front +1000 in the rear.

I weigh 160 lb and have for the most part run 100 psi front and 110 psi rear. I usually went several months (~1000 miles) between flats but there was a stretch where I was getting flats almost every ride and even double flatted a few times. The only thing I attribute this to is luck. The tires would get small cuts in the tread rubber but other than inspecting them , I left them alone.

I really like the ride, traction and handling of these tires and bought a few more when the recently were being cleared out for $30.


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## thebikinguru (Oct 2, 2012)

*Michelin Pro4 Endurance Review*

Michelin's new Pro4 had peaked my interest from the early reviews, albeit from Michelin itself. Michelin’s own page has the moniker “A Better Way Forward-Longer Tire Life and Enhanced Protection”. My response is; well maybe not on VT rain soaked roads with variable road debris. ( aka death pebbles ) 

Michelin has revamped their line of tires a bit. Their previous famed Michelin Krylion Carbon 3 was pretty good, had a pair and flatted one of the tires after only 200miles in dry weather. They had the same bead to bead protection and supple casing that the new tire line from Michelin is boasting. Fast forward, Michelin brings out the new set of tires. In the order of puncture protection, they are the Pro4 Endurance, Pro4 Service Course,Pro4 Comp Service Course and Pro4 Limited Service Course, all in clinchers and foldable. The Pro4 Service course offers a nylon breaker for puncture protection, the Pro4 comp service course and the Pro4 limited service course do continue along the lines of the Pro4 service course but it is unclear from Michelin's own website what type of puncture protection is being offered. Michelin does say " Its dual-compound technology employs new silica-based compounds and elastomers ". So, how do the the Michelin Pro4 Endurance measure up to the Gartorskin? Read on! at my blog site 

It appears this forum you must have 10 posts to be able to add links, but I think you can you your http and tpye the 3 W's then --thebikinguru DOT com

Hopefully the administrator will find it in his good graces to look at my full review and allow the link! As it shed some light onto the Michelins vs the Gatorskins


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## morgan1819 (Nov 22, 2005)

thebikinguru said:


> Michelin's new Pro4 had peaked my interest from the early reviews, albeit from Michelin itself. Michelin’s own page has the moniker “A Better Way Forward-Longer Tire Life and Enhanced Protection”. My response is; well maybe not on VT rain soaked roads with variable road debris. ( aka death pebbles )
> 
> Michelin has revamped their line of tires a bit. Their previous famed Michelin Krylion Carbon 3 was pretty good, had a pair and flatted one of the tires after only 200miles in dry weather. They had the same bead to bead protection and supple casing that the new tire line from Michelin is boasting. Fast forward, Michelin brings out the new set of tires. In the order of puncture protection, they are the Pro4 Endurance, Pro4 Service Course,Pro4 Comp Service Course and Pro4 Limited Service Course, all in clinchers and foldable. The Pro4 Service course offers a nylon breaker for puncture protection, the Pro4 comp service course and the Pro4 limited service course do continue along the lines of the Pro4 service course but it is unclear from Michelin's own website what type of puncture protection is being offered. Michelin does say " Its dual-compound technology employs new silica-based compounds and elastomers ". So, how do the the Michelin Pro4 Endurance measure up to the Gartorskin? Read on! at my blog site
> 
> ...


Holy thread resurrection, Batman.

I think most of us were already aware that a gator skin is more cut resistant than a PR4. I've got 1500 trouble free miles on a PR4, and much prefer the ride to the Contis. 

Nothing new here...


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## DocRogers (Feb 16, 2006)

Having changed 5 flat resistant tires today (Michelin Lithions and Contis), I'm thinking I'd rather put up with a few flats per season and be able to change them without a struggle. Pro3's and 4's are easy to pop off and on without levers.


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## DocRogers (Feb 16, 2006)

Plus they ride so much better...


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Just went back to these in preparation for the fall /winter weather. These are great tires. They never seem to let me down.


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## Buckeye Jim (Nov 10, 2009)

I like the pro 4 endurance 4200 mi on a front before a cut that i rode 100 miles on before it went flat. Got 4500 on the rear before i changed to a new set. I rotate every 1000 mi, i think it helps.


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