Continental Unisex Contact Speed Tyre

Product Information

These feature 180tpi casings and skin wall sidewalls, which give a clear indication of their ride persona, straight off. That micro diamond tread pattern is also borrowed from the German marques’ Competition World Tour Tubular. Skin walls are supple and, in this instance, contributes to the aren’t the default for commuting, since they are more prone to damage than gum walls. A reflective sidewall is another small but welcome touch. Their size and the wire beads do mean, for the most part, they're a doddle to mount, with directional arrows to help. You might want a single lever to scoop them aboard deep-section hoops, otherwise it's a tool-free affair, requiring just a pair of strong thumbs. Belt 'n' braces Puncture protection and reliability is taken care of thanks to Continental's renowned hard wearing tread compound and two SafetySystem anti puncture layers beneath the tread. After 600 miles there's little sign of wear, let alone cuts or similar damage, and I've ridden through hedge clippings and shards of glass – some deliberate, some unavoidable. Value Even allowing for the test bike's moderate (34-89 inch) gearing, little effort is required to coax them up to speed, which is great for pulling away at the traffic lights, overtaking slow moving farm traffic, or catching a fellow rider napping. Otherwise, I've happily cruised along, reflecting on the world, at 18-20mph. Durability

The Micro-diamond tread patterns grips well on loose and greasy surfaces, giving the tyre true all-roads capability, and extends over the ‘skinwall’ sidewalls for added protection, making the tyre suitable for use with a bottle dynamo. Lighter and more expensive than a steel wire bead, this feature also makes it easier to carry a spare. Weight A thinner tread and a lighter, more supple carcass save weight. A 700×37C tyre is heavier than a smaller diameter 650×37B but, as a guide, expect a weight of well under 500g for either size. Puncture protectionPuncture Force Blunt Needle: The Blunt needle has a flat tip and won't split the casing wires. To puncture the tire, the blunt needle has to cut the casing wires.

There is always a trade-off between puncture protection against speed, comfort and grip. If you want truly puncture-proof tyres, solid tyres are the choice for you. But for most people, the sacrifices are just too great. Puncture Force Sharp Needle: Pre-2021, this score was known as 'Puncture Resistance'. On some tires with weakly bonded casing wires, the sharp needle can split the casing wires resulting in a lower score. I've been happy enough letting rip at 35mph along local 1-in-4s, and pushing them hard into corners. Wet manhole covers/similar ironworks call for a bit of common sense, but railway crossings, cattle grids and so on haven't taxed them – or spooked me.

What technology does it use in its construction?

Their big sections deliver a magic carpet ride quality, the sort that smooths out washboard tarmac and unavoidable/unexpected bigger bumps. Pushed along wet 1in7s at 30mph, they’ve never once lost their bite, or missed a beat, even when morale and concentration have been flagging. The other set of figures you may see is ETRTO sizing like this 28-622. The first number here is tyre width while the second number relates to wheel diameter. Tyres will generally enlist a variety of compounds for different performance enhancements. Along the centre of the tyre, a harder compound tends to be used, being longer lasting and more resistant to punctures. At Chain Reaction Cycles we found 158 products from Continental, of which 125 were in the Tyres category. The performance advantages of wide-section, lightweight cycle tyres over narrow ones were well understood prior to the Second World War but forgotten in the decades afterwards as cycling enthusiasts looked to competition machinery for technical guidance.

Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. The speed reflex certainly live up to their moniker. Now, shod with the Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Double Defence Tyres my Univega is perky and engaging on metalled roads. However, the Speed Reflex brought things up a few notches. You should make sure that you don’t go too wide for your bike though, as rubbing will damage your tyres and can damage your frame - as well as slowing you down. Tubeless tyres provide many benefits, decreasing weight, decreasing rolling resistance and increasing resistance to punctures as they can self-seal. There are pneumatic tyres that are effectively puncture-proof, significantly faster, and comfier. For the overwhelming majority of people these represent a far better compromise.

Schwalbe G-One Speed TLE

Schwalbe's Marathon Supremes have served me and said tubby tourer phenomenally well for several years, though they have a much higher list price. Summary

Similarly you’ll also want to spend some time looking at the features too. Again the table above, listing the features will give you a really good overview. However you should think about the sort of features that you’d expect when buying new Tyres. It’s worth writing a list of the “must-have” features so that you don’t end up compromising and missing some important features, or alternatively end up buying an unnecessarily high specced product. With the sealant dried out, the tyres become significantly more vulnerable to punctures. For a commuting or town bike where simplicity and reliability are most important, the need to keep topped up on sealant makes tubeless tyres a less compelling option in this area. Although heavier and with greater rolling resistance, a puncture-proof tyre won’t need a second thought once it is set up. Little efforts’ required to bring them up to speed and I’ve been able to cruise along comfortably, all day at 18-20mph, with some in reserve. These qualities are equally welcome when chasing through town, weaving around holes, opening car doors and similar hazards. I’ve regularly hustled along 1in7 descents at 35mph plus without any hint of skittishness. Nor spiteful, when carving into the corners at 25-30mph. Loose surfaces require common sense but dropping the pressures to 58 psi, made a big difference when negotiating freshly lain chippings. to mount to a very ordinary mtb touring hoop but given a few weeks, they become more compliant and I’ve only needed a single lever to start/scoop the final section of bed home. Either way, you’d be going some to get a pinch flat.But it is always going to be a very individual choice, with the right tyre for you depending on your unique combination of road surface and preferences. These tyres also suit cycle touring, with the widest examples ideal for the weight of a fully-laden machine, where their speed can significantly extend the range of a day’s riding. I'm told the 180tpi (threads per inch) casings are designed for speed and comfort. The skinwall sidewall also contributes to this; traditionally, commuter models tend to employ gumwall, which is much beefier and therefore less prone to sidewall damage. Skinwall sidewalls do require more stringent adherence to recommended pressures. The sidewalls are also retro-reflective on this model.