Author Topic: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres  (Read 2321 times)

Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« on: 29 October, 2017, 04:54:00 pm »
Is anyone in possession of a Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium tyre in '700x42', fitted to a wheel?

I would like to know the fitted actual width of the tyre (and the internal width of the rim it's fitted to), but experience tells me that Continental cannot be trusted to provide accurate data on its tyre widths - the '700x37' version of the tyre measures 31-32mm wide on a narrow Open Pro rim, and just scrapes to 33mm when fitted to a nice wide (20mm internal width) rim.

If the 42mm version is a true 42mm wide, then it is unlikely to fit the bike in question with sufficient clearance. However, if it measures under its nominal width, like a lot of Continental tyres, (e.g. if it's actually around the 37-38mm mark, which would be ideal) then it may well work.

Could be an expensive failed experiment to buy a pair on the assumption that Continental has got its widths wrong yet again, so some actual real-world data would be useful.

Thanks.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #1 on: 26 November, 2017, 11:16:49 pm »
Well in the absence of any real-world data, I took a risk and bought a pair of '42mm' tyres on the assumption that, since Continental can't be trusted to state correct tyre widths, there was a fighting chance they would come in undersize (as I would prefer for this particular instance of use).

It turns out that Continental as ever remains inconsistent with its inconsistency, and whilst the '37mm' Top Contact II Winter Premium is ridiculously undersized (32-33mm), the '42mm' is much closer to its nominal width, and actually measures 40.5mm on an 18mm internal width rim.

So they do fit the bike they were bought for.  There is plenty of room at the front.  The rear, though, has about 5mm clearance to the mudguard edges at the closest points, and the rubber fronds that protrude from the tread brush the mudguard over a lot of its length.  The fronds rubbing doesn't concern me - they will eventually wear away anyway and the resistance is negligible; however, a broken spoke could cause some difficulties if the wheel goes much out of true.

These are such good winter tyres that Continental really ought to sell them in 42mm, 37mm and 32mm real widths, not just 40.5mm and 32mm.  A proper 28mm wouldn't go amiss either.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #2 on: 27 November, 2017, 10:30:05 am »
Thanks for the feedback.

I also have been using the undersize "37" version and have been wondering which to get when the current tyres wear out.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #3 on: 28 November, 2017, 10:21:27 pm »
Tight clearances will also be a problem with skoggy roads and snow if we ever get any.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #4 on: 29 November, 2017, 09:52:07 am »
Any p*nct*r*s yet?  The Continental GatorSkins (or HamsterSkins as some of us call them) are hopeless if you have to ride on glass-strewn psyclepaths.  I had a pair fitted for a fortnight, got three flats and put them in the bin when I saw the whole tread was studded with shards of glass.  They have an uncanny ability to pick it up.

I believe, in civilised countries, they sweep cyclepaths regularly.  They probably don't have yoofs smashing WKD bottles on them deliberately, either.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #5 on: 30 November, 2017, 10:42:37 am »
I don't remember much in the way of punctures from the last two winters.
What I have noticed is that they picked up a lot of bits of grit in the cracks between the different bits of tread, which prompted me to do a more regular job of picking stuff out than would normally be the case.

I put them on for this winter last night. They (the 700x35c version) don't half look narrow compared with the Voyager Hyper that came off.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #6 on: 02 December, 2017, 04:05:34 pm »
No punctures yet on any of the Top Contact Winter Premiums I've got - in either 32mm or 40.5mm versions.  But then, I only wheel these winter-specific tyres out for when the roads are slippery with ice, frost or light snow.  I have other tyres/wheels for when conditions are slippery due to mud, leaves etc. 

I certainly don't see the Top Contact Winters as the default choice for all British winter riding - partly because the winter design makes it a lot slower than 'regular' all-season tyres.  Also, given the tread pattern, with a lot of deepish grooves, they would appear to be vulnerable to thorns getting caught and picked up more easily than with smoother tyres due to becoming wedged between the raised bits.  I therefore keep to smoother, more robust tyres (Schwalbe Marathon GT) for commuting when farmers are strewing hedge cuttings all over the road.  The Top Contact Winters are probably also more susceptible to glass than the Marathon GTs, so I would only use them on glass-strewn paths if the paths were icy, frosty or covered in light snow.  And for severe ice or deeper snow, I use Marathon Winters which of course are studded and knobblier as well as very tough.

As a side point, given their mention, I find Gatorskins to be ok for all-season general non-ice/snow road riding, although wouldn't use them as the tyre of choice for glass-strewn paths - just as I wouldn't use Schwalbe's roughly equivalent Durano for them either.  The Durano Plus would be needed for glass-strewn paths, but of course the Plus with its thick, tough and heavy protection belt and thick sidewalls is a very different tyre to the Gatorskin.  I guess Continental realised that choosing a dramatically tough-sounding word like 'gator' in naming a tyre would mean a widespread but misplaced assumption that the Gatorskin should withstand anything.  At least there is the Gator Hardshell with its tougher sidewalls, but oddly Continental does not appear too concerned at not producing a competitor to the thick-belted Durano Plus.

Re: Continental Top Contact II Winter Premium '700x42' tyres
« Reply #7 on: 06 December, 2017, 12:50:28 am »
So, having put the things on last week, and said "I've had no puncture problems", what happens tonight?

Gets the text during dinner, "we're going to $more_distant_pub tonight; they've got Pigor Mortis on".
"Jolly good",
 I reply, scoffs up, and sets off.
20 km down the road, there's this "bzzzt bzzzt" noise from the vicinity of the front mudguard. Sure enough, there's a 3 inch lump of hedge flailing attached to the tyre. It doesn't want to come off, and the tyre is reasonably firm, so I pick off what seems loose, and carry on
 5 km later, I stop for a review: the lump of hedge is smaller, but equally firmly attached, and the tyre is still firm, so I continue to the pub (50 km total), spend a couple of hours slurping beer, and ride home (79 km total).
At this point, the lump of hedge is no longer visible, and the tyre pressure is down to 49 psi (vs 65 initially). I've pumped back to 62.5 psi, and I'm waiting to see what happens.