Hi! Cyclist from India here. I’ve been using GP5000 clincher with cream sidewalls for about 1.5 years now. Everytime, the tires develop cracks in them, revealing the cream colored layer from between like so-
This has happened with two batches of tires purchased at different times from the same site. These aren’t the S TR versions so maybe they are old?
I wanna know what might be causing this fast deterioration. I ride on nice roads and keep the tires clean. The summers are very hot though, with 32+ C mornings being the norm for most of the summer. I store the bike inside away from direct sunlight.
I need to buy another pair of tires and it would be nice to know if it was just bad tires or something I did.
Thanks! Keep riding!
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First don’t bother with the cream ones. They have been tested as slower than the full black version. Secondly, my gp5000 only last a year before they start cracking, I can usually finish a set off in a year so it hasn’t been an issue but would be annoying if I did less miles.
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I got the cream ones purely for aesthetic purpose. The current pair was installed in August last year. October-March was spent purely riding indoor, with maybe 1-2 outdoor rides a month. It’s only since March last week I started riding outdoor again. So basically I got 4.5 months of use with them until they developed big cracks 
Yes same here, it’s a time issue rather than actual riding. This year I’m going to use them through winter a bit more and not be as precious about them as they go in the bin after winter anyway.
In your case I’d potentially try the Vittoria pro, no tan wall penalty and maybe last a little better when not in use.
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How old are the tyres? Your vendor could be selling old tyres? Continental tires have a date code molded into the sidewall so you can check when they were made e.g, 1224, made in the 12th week of 2024.
Heat and UV are the main causes of tyre cracking but you’re already doing all you can to reduce this.
Other causes of premature cracking are chemicals and ozone. Ozone could be the reason if air pollution a problem where you live, another source of ozone is brushed electric motors, do you have a fan or other appliance that runs in the room where you store your bike?
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What kind of indoor trainer do you have? Is it wheel on? If yes, then you should consider a more durable trainer tire and save your gp5000s for outdoors.
I bought the tires in April/May 2023 and started using them in August 2023. Ride outdoor for AUgust-October, November to March was indoor and then april was outdoor.
I haven’t taken the tires off the wheels yet but as soon as I do, I’ll check out the date code.
Heat, yeah, unfortunately not much control over it. Here in Delhi, even the mornings are 30C < April to October and days go up to 45 C for many weeks. While the bike in indoor, I have the AC running only for a couple of hours in the day, rest the room does get hot. But this month is the first month of real summer heat this tire is seeing.
There is indeed a ceiling fan in the room that runs almost 20 hours. day, every day for all but a couple of months because its Indian’s summers 
No other motor in the room other than an AC compressor, but thats outside the room.
Its a direct drive trainer, Elite Suito.
@JonGreengrass I checked the date code, its 0322, so manufactured in Jan 2022, bought in April 2023, Installed in August 2023, and failed in April 2024.
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