Continental Cross King Tire - 29in reviews and deals for sale

Yep, pretty durable!

Years ago, I got the 26" X-King, which is a similar tread, for my 125 pound intermediate wife. She tore those tires up within ten miles or so. I decided to give them another try, in the reincarnated Cross King version, 29x2.3 and they have definitely solved the durability problem! 750 grams, 2.28" carcass width at sub 20 psi and knobs slightly wider. If you like the Rocket Ron… read more or the Rekon, you'll like these. They roll fast and hook up well. I've only tried them on the back, but they work well on the mellower XC type trails on the Wasatch Back. I decided I needed a little more traction, so I went to a Mountain King on the back, and wrote a review on those, but if you don't need more rear wheel traction than a Rekon, for example, these are 5 star. BTW, I did not notice the stiff sidewalls described and in fact, found them supple. Similar to a 29x2.35 Nobby Nic, or Rekon, in fact, but grippier than the Rekon.

Amazing durability but stiff ride

This upgrade to the X-Kings makes the new tire super durable. I can ride pretty low psi with these bad boys because they are so tough. The downside is that they are tough and you'll notice it in the ride quality. Small bump compliance takes a serious hit with these tires on since the sidewalls are so stiff. They still have an amazing tread design though and they roll fast but still… read more grip up. I think this tread patter is one of the best overall out there. I'd still be running these tires if it wasn't for the stiffness. After riding for 3 or 4 hours with these, my arms and hands physically hurt because of all the vibration. Compared to the old versions (X-Kings) they are identical with regards to rolling speed and grip. The 2 main differences are: 1. The sidewalls no longer leak sealant (yay!) and 2. these new ones have super stiff sidewalls.

Excellent XC Tire

Anyone who has ridden a lot of XC knows the Cross King is one of the best all-round XC tires. It rolls very well, corners super well, and offers great stopping power under braking. This is a 5 star tread design and rivals other impressive tires like the Maxxis Ardent. Unfortunately, I give this tire a 4 star rating because of the lack of casing options. The current casing is great… read more for most riders but it would be nice to see Continental offer an even lighter-weight casing as well as a more durable Apex option. After 3 rides I put a hole in the tire and had to plug it. Besides the lack of casing options I really believe that Continental has one of the best tread designs on the market. It offers tons of traction and rolls super well. If you are looking for a fast rolling tire and you don't ride rocky terrain then this tire is worth serious consideration.