Continental
Needed a tire that would hold up to the "Cino Montana" ride. Its a very rough ride (Forest service roads, not just gravel roads) and a wide and deep tire help. A 650b wheel/tire combo would work too, but on pre-1983 steel bikes, this may not be possible / reasonable / etc. Not one pinch flat in over this 100 mile 2 day event. Braking power on Campy New Record brakes was a much bigger issue than the now-solved tire issue. Glad this tire is made!
The early versions of this tire were hit and miss. They've always had a great ride but sometimes I found it impossible to get them to seat correctly and there would be a lump when you spun the wheel. The bigger the tire the worse the problem. ( 32 opposed to a 47 ) When they changed the name from Tour Ride to Ride Tour and added puncture protection I thought I would give them another try. I bought some 650 B 42's for my Rivendell Saluki and they mounted great. They spun perfectly. The ride is dreamy and buttery. Then I bought a set of 47s for my Rivendell Atlantis with 26 inch wheels. (559) Those mounted perfectly as well and spun straight. The ride was the same. Really nice and smooth. I would put these up against any Compass tire. I love compass tires. They have a delicious ride and I would highly recommend them but they're 80 bucks a tire. These are cheap and they handle mud really well which is a plus. Get the Ride Tour, you won't regret it.
A wide variety of riding and these tires have a reputation. Mud, uphill trail drain creats a deep gritty soil mix. The kind you would tell yourself lets skip this one...and as a disregard common thinking with ample grip Im at the top. With a scores of other trail textures and disciplines...that one won me over. Like a much needed Kenda comp 3 for 29in bicycles it something that becomes a long term must. And forever plays an important part of mtb journey. Thanks for reading, J.T.
I used to get a puncture flat once per month on average with Conti Grand Prix 5000. With these Conti Grand Prix 4-season tires I get far fewer flats, once or twice per year, riding 2,500 to 3,000 miles per year. Tire grip is excellent, though not quite as good as the G.P. 5000, but I can live with the small grip difference to avoid spending time fixing flats. Love the look of the Black Edition. Biketiresdirect.com provides excellent, fast service and great prices.
