If you get a lot of flats, you should consider the Michelin Pro 4 Service Course as it's the most puncture resistant tire that still has a relatively low rolling resistance. With road bike tires, you'll always run into the rolling resistance/puncture resistance trade-off, there's nothing you can do about it.
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This means that, depending on air pressure, rolling resistance is 2.7 to 4.6 watts higher when compared to the Continental Grand Prix 4000S II. The Michelin Pro 4 Comp should perform a bit better in the rolling resistance test when compared to the Service Course. It should also be more comparable to tires like the GP4000S and Schwalbe One.
The Pro 4 line consists of 5 tires which all excel in their own discipline as grip, puncture resistance, rolling resistance, and durability. The Pro 4 Service Course tries to combine the best of these disciplines in one road bike tire.
This race-ready tire beautifully balances speed with durability, using a supple 110 TPI casing and a completely redesigned tread. Knowing not to mess with a good thing, Michelin shifted their redesign focus from materials to shaping.
The rest of the Pro4 lineup includes the Pro4 Endurance, a direct replacement to the puncture resistant Krylion, as well as the Pro4 Service Course Comp and the Pro4 Service Course Comp Limited, both of which are race-specific event tires. B-Stock - This product has one or more B-Stock units available.
No easy task: extra grip usually comes with a softer compound at the expense of durability. The Pro4 uses a bi-compound silica and elastomer compound with an egg shaped tread shape. This means when you're riding in a straight line, the contact patch is smaller, and when you lean over, that patch increases in size.
In this regard the Pro4 is a big improvement. Where the Pro3 was fragile and looked tatty after a few rides, the Pro4 still looks box fresh.
The old tyre never felt fast, though performed well in roll down tests. The Pro4 however feels rapid out of the box and even compared to the reasonably light Pro4 Endurance tyres they replaced, the transformation in the bike's speed and handling was profound.
Well, like any new product, “substantial research” was put into the development of the Pro 4. Michelin claims longer lifespan due to a dual tread compound with a more durable center tread. They also claim that technology trickling down from MotoGP has led to a more pointed profile which rolls faster and corners 13% better than the Pro 3.
My Rubino Pros weighed in at an average of 236 grams. The Pro 4s weighed in at 198 grams (average.) This equated to a total savings of 72 grams (about 1/6th of a pound, which isn't much.) The Pro 4s were quite a bit harder to mount up than the Vittorias, even for a set of new tires.
Since I've mounted them, I'v put about 250 miles on them. 250 miles is really not even close to enough time to form a solid opinion on these, but you know what they say: you only have one chance to make a first impression. So far, the Pro 4s have made a good one, and I hope that continues to be the case.
After graduating from Ithaca College with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science/Pharmacology, I continued my education with a doctorate of Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College. As I progressed through my education, I was able to apply the concepts I learned in the lab to my own daily workouts and goals.