[Closed] Conti Mountain King 2.2 reviews?

The 2.4s are great. Good volume, nice predictable grip. My new favourite.

They're more like a 2.25 Maxxis in terms of width, so I suspect the 2.2s will be pretty narrow.

^ +1 for that.

Been using Mountain Kings for a few years now with no problems. Some feel that the sidewalls are too thin and easily damaged but aside from a tear in a tyre that was due for replacement anyway, I can't report any problems.

I have used the non-black chili versions and the were pretty rubbish on anything remotely smooth, they lost traction on damp roads, they were pretty terrible on smooth rock and roots too. The tread pattern seems OK so I would imagine that the black chili versions would be pretty good as the BC compound grips much better on the smooth surfaces.

I asked the same question the other week. Here's what I got.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/conti-mountain-king-2s-any-good

Great - thanks everyody for the replies (and the link!)

Think I will splash some cash!

black chilli 2.2 here, a bit on the small side but a good tyre imo
I ran the non tubless ones, tubeless on 355s and liked 'em

got some rocket rons on now, which are good but! the bloody things will not hold pressure when not being ridden. pump up and all good for 3+hours ride sit in the garage overnight and down to a few PSI by morning 🙁
should have stuck with the MKs

Grip amazing on the BC protection ones, but 2.2 is a bit small for anyone who uses all of the 140mm travel on their bike, and the "protection" (which i've previosuly found amazing on other Conti tyres) is shocking - i've had more pinch punctures on this one set of tryes than i care to remember. It takes nothing to pinch them, at all kinds of PSI ranges.
I never got punctures on this bike before these tyres (I've owned the bike for 5years!).
I've even written to Conti to complain - because for the £80 they've cost me i've had about £50 worth of inner tubes go pop, they have not replied - i wrote 4months ago,

i've had more pinch punctures on this one set of tryes than i care to remember.

because for the £80 they've cost me i've had about £50 worth of inner tubes go pop,

If you've got the ProTection ones, is there a reason why you're still running tubes? Despite riding like an unskilled oaf, the only times I've had a tyre go is when something sharp and too large for the sealant has gone through the tread.

(Also running 2.2" BC MKs; have only had them about a month but like them so far; do wonder whether I missed a trick by not putting an X King on the back though).

I've used Mountain Kings a lot and always been happy.

Bought a pair of the new Mountain King IIs recently and both massively warped to the extent I thought I had buckled wheels.

Yep. Excellent tyre. Wouldn't hesitate to buy again if I was running tubes.

mkII 2.2 protection tubeless 29er

as above - deformed so much I thought the wheel was buggered

If you get your wheels even a tiny bit off the ground, or ride anywhere with vaguely pointed rocks, forget it.

I inherited a pair on some new wheels and I've had mixed experiences. These are the Protection version run tubeless on an XC race singlespeed.

I've had no sidewall tears or holes that don't seal or problems burping air, which is good.

On the rear, there is much less traction in the wet than Rocket Rons, and then after a while whole side-knobs just kept getting ripped off on loose stony descents, about 8 went before I binned the tyre, and I'm skinny and by no means a fast descender. Maybe I was unlucky and it was just that particular tyre. The air stayed in though!

I still have the one on the front, and it gives me confidence on rocky stuff as it's so tough, and it rolls OK. Cornering grip seems OK too.

Big caveat: This has all been during a very dry summer.

Rocket Rons/Racing Ralphs are stickier and give me more traction on the rear going uphill but are maybe more fragile going downhill. I think I'd go for them if I was doing woods and trail centres rather than rockier rougher stuff.

2.2 bc protection here running tubeless on American classic's not a problem, good grip and rolling. my tyre choice sorted!

Slight hijacking have a black chili protection 2.2 for sale in the classifieds.

ratherbeintobago - given that I ride lots, always on Dartmoor - and always have (for 18 years), in which time i've experienced 3-4 punctures a year maximum (using every tyre imagineable) I think that the constants in the experiment (my riding style and terrain) are sufficient to point that the current variable causing me to experience the punctures is the tyres. I used Protection Verticals for 3years and had a sum total of 3 punctures on the same trails at the same speeds on the same bike.

Why would I have forked out to go tubeless before now when normally the problems i experience are so few? If someone had said "these tyres are shit unless tubeless" I would have bought something else instead of shelling out more money to convert my wheels.

This is only my experience, and maybe we all ride so sufficiently differently that actually my case is an exception?

Regardless - it's a shame - they're good tyres on all other level, but MTB tyres in my opinion should not have you thinking "better go really slow and avoid all rocks no matter what size" at the top of a descent - especially not ones that claim they are "designed with the new generation of long-travel mountain bikes in mind".

I'm stuck with them for now, but when they wear out will either buy 2.4's or 2.2 Rubber Queens if i stay with Conti.

Continental bigwigs attend Bilderberg meetings.
Buy another brand of tyres instead of one embroiled in trying to enslave you and your loved ones.

IME Grip and rolling resistance is good, can't fault them there.
Typical Conti issue is longevity, usual problem is sidewalls failing long before the tread starts to wear. That has not been a problem on the MKs but I've lost four side knobs already! Bit reluctant to ride them with webbing showing, not going to be very puncture proof...
.
Conti are a mixed bag. Race Kings are auful, no grip at all, my MKs are failing apart, the road tyre sidewalls just disintegrate whenever you take them anyway in the vicinity of a pothole andas for the sidewalls of the Twisters, I've felt thicker jonnies.
However, the 1.5XCs are awesome in the mud and last forever and the 2.3 Speedkings are fast, grippy for what they are and still going strong.

Has anybody run the BlackChilli ones tubeless? They are apparantly not designed for tubeless, but I would like to run UST??

Any experiences of this?