Continental vs Schwalbe

ohara227

Looking for some tyres, max spend up to £30 per tyre. I live in Scotland so traction on wet rock and roots a must, usually go to Glentress (yet to do the black route!) and find my speed kings (although good for up hill) dont grip very well. Protection is important and easy to pedal. The speedkings are a 2.1 x 26 and looking to get 2.2s on my Trance X2.

Im torn between these two brands, in particular:

Schwalbe Nobby Nic MTB (which I think is no longer made, but can still get them) - folding
Continental Rubber Queen Folding
Continental Mountain King II (wire / folding)

Advice on folding vs bead also would be good please. Just so much choice ie different protections etc!

Use these brands for my other bikes and really happy with them, hence to keep it simple I would prefer to stick to them.

Thanks

supersonic

Folding are lighter - and often have better carcasses and tread compounds too.

Ignore the Continental MK2 there, unless you go for the folding black chilli version.

ohara227

Is that this one? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=83000

lawman

I use Nobby Nics in Gatestar compound, very light, great sidewalls and seem very tough, bike-discount.de have them for £20 each, less than half the Uk rrp. Superb tyres.

The Northern Monkey

Currently running a conti mountain king II on the RL, best all round tyre I've used in a while!
And its the basic folding model.

Vinnyc19

All good tyres, my personal fav is the mountain king 2

rockmonkeysc

Mountain Kings are by far the worst tyre I have used. I quite like Nobby Nic's but prefer Bontrager XR4's.

raldat

A request, when talking tyres, please state type and compound. There are so many and it matters. Last writer hates Conti Mk2s. Which ones? I use MK2 race sport which is the black chilli compound with the medium weight side walls (the supersonic is the paper thin one) and they are great. Awesome grip on wet roots and pretty good in mud with good mud clearing and ok grip. Never used lesser compounds but hear they are crap.

I live in Denmark and everyone uses Schwables in the racing I do. I rarely puncture but see lots of others stopped. Why did I start using these? They are very well priced at bike components.de. Why do I keep using them? Because I love them. By the way, I also use xkings and race kings when it dries out or is a little more hard packed. Also race sport/ black chilli and I love them.

rockmonkeysc

MK2 Black Chilli 22.2". Rubbish tyre. Pinch flats too easily didn't clear mud well no grip in anything but dry conditions. Worst thing was the way I could feel it flexing badly when cornering aggressively.

raldat

RockmonkeySC wrote:

MK2 Black Chilli 22.2". Rubbish tyre. Pinch flats too easily didn't clear mud well no grip in anything but dry conditions. Worst thing was the way I could feel it flexing badly when cornering aggressively.

You see it is all about opinion and your conditions. MK2 black chilli where I ride, Never ever had a pinch flat and I am 88kg and ride them around 30psi with lots or roots and stuff. Shed the mud I ride in wonderfully and are really planted in the conditions I ride in. No idea what they are like in the dry, I use xkings and race kings for that.

Tyres = personal preference. Wear what works for you. There is no right or wrong.

ohara227

lawman wrote:

I use Nobby Nics in Gatestar compound, very light, great sidewalls and seem very tough, bike-discount.de have them for £20 each, less than half the Uk rrp. Superb tyres.

Actually found these last night before you posted and ordered them up, they seem very cheap compared to the price here - time will tell! Cheers for the info chaps.

lawman

They're great tyres and a bargain at that price!