Continental Sport Contacts

[richie_b]

Potentially a bit of a dark side question, but need to replace my Marathon Sports which, whilst having been the bane of the faerires' lives, are somewhat lacking in grip on damp roads.  Given that I stay in Glasow, we only get damp roads...
I've had one off on them recently, which has completely broken my fading trust therein.
So I need a tyre that comes in 26" & 20", that the faeries won't like &, ideally, is not a very slow thing on a day when it doesn't feel very fast & is pulling a big weight.
I thought of the above tyres, but have read mixed things about them, the biggest downside of which seems to be that they don't like snow, which isn't a bother since we don't get much....
Reviews & alternative recommendations are more than welcome!

On a slightly related note, given how much we change tyres, would it be possible to put a sticky somewhere for tyre reviews with some scoring system that some kind soul averages out & puts in the initial post?  I'd happily volunteer to do the stats & scoring & it would mean an end to dafty questions like mine.
Just a thought.....
(Which if it needs to be elsewhere, then please let me know & I'll put it there...)

[andygates]

I like 'em.  Nicer ride than the armadillos.  Good flat resistance.  You do need to be sure not to run 'em hard when wet or they'll slide a bit.  My MTB-slick tyre of choice.

[Gus]

They are great in  summer conditions.

But they are completely crap when it's around 0^oC and slush or snow.
Absolutely no grip because of they are very rounded and have no thread pattern.

I will not recommend it for winter use

[Biggsy]

On a slightly related note, given how much we change tyres, would it be possible to put a sticky somewhere for tyre reviews with some scoring system that some kind soul averages out & puts in the initial post?  I'd happily volunteer to do the stats & scoring & it would mean an end to dafty questions like mine.

The Review section would be the place for that.

[mrcharly-YHT]

You mean something like this:

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1720.0

Not for winter use.

Erm, I think Paselas are good.

[Jacomus]

I would add my “not best suited to damp conditions” opinion to these tyres.

Almost sublime in the dry, through are fairly harsh over coarse tarmac.

They are very vague in the damp, though are pretty decent when it is actually wet.

Their round profile is brilliant to start with, but as with all contis I have tried, the rear squares off instead of wearing evenly.

Their P* resistance is faultless.

Get thee some Schwalbe SuperMotos.

[Mrs Pingu]

Snap! I was actually thinking this morning about posting a thread about this. My last off (pictures available here somewhere...) was on damp roads on my commuter. Can't remember but I think I've got Sport Contacts on as well. I have been rather nervous in the wet since my off and wondered if there was something more grippy I could try.
Oh, and it's snowing

[Mr Larrington]

If you want a matching set then choice would appear to be somewhat limited - the Super Moto, for example is available only as an enormously fat 559.  AFAICT Marathon Racers have been superceded by the Kojak, though there may still be a few in captivity if you hunt around.  However, I've only used these on a trike, so wet weather grip is less of an issue.  Stelvios are available in 20 & 26 and seemed OK in the swimming contest that was PBP, but are possibly a bit fragile.  AFAIK Kojaks are essentially fat Stelvios.

Vredestein Perfect Moirée are available in a 20/26 combo.  Not tried them, though I did have SLicks for a while and they seemed OK, if a little sluggish in comparison with Stelvios.

You can probably get various sorts of Primo too, but these have in the past had a rep for sticking to wet roads in much the same way as slippery things don't stick to other slippery things.

Conti City Contact?

[FyPuNK]

Conti City Contact?

I have used these for 12 months now, I am guessing around 2000+ miles. Not had any punctures as yet but they are starting to look pretty cut up now. Now I am not the fastest bunny on the block, my average commute speed is 18mph, with the odd down hill (man made) reaching 25ish but at the bottom I take a left bend. I have so far not had any problem, they stick pretty good even in wet. I also have a new pair of contacts which were bought for this years winter but as yet I haven't needed to put them on, saying that we don't get snow here in tropical Blackpool.

[richie_b]

Thanks for the really helpful responses!
It's not so much that I want a matching set, but I don't really want two tyres that I don't know & trying to spend forever working out which one's working.
I wasn't concerned about grip in snow, but it seems that the Sport Contacts are crap in damp conditions, which is the main thing that concerns me, so I can rule them out, thank you!
So, City Contacts stick well in the wet, can I ask, FyPuNK, does this include damp, greasy roads (you're in Blackpool, it can't be that different from Glasgow in climate)?
Mr Larrington, do you know how the Kojak compares to the Big Apple (or the City Contact)?  Or what might be a better 26/20 combination (matching is less important than a recommendation)?
Mr Charly, aye, something like that, but stickified, condensed & scored, as outlined in the OP.  & paselas don't come in 406/20"
Jacomus, the Supermotos look fine, but, as noted, don't come in 20".  Thank you, however, for giving the info I really wanted to know.
It appears then (& sorry if this misses your needs, Mrs Pingu) that my choice is between City Contacts, Kojaks & Big Apples: does anyone have any opinions?
It's damp grip that concerns me: I'm getting a trike for bad conditions (which will be my 3rd bent in 18 months: is this a problem?)

[Becky]

Having lived and breathed Paselas on most of my bikes for a few years and in all four seasons, I'm finding my set of Marathon Racers to be most confidence inspiring, especially in the wet.  They're on my bike and I would say they're just about as quick as Stelvios but with a lot more shock absorption; I'm running 40-406 and 35-622.  Resistance to attacks of The Faeries...well, a couple of hundred miles and none yet.  I haven't tried Vredestein Moires or Schwalbe Kojaks or Big Apples.

[FyPuNK]

As regards to sticking, I have complete confidence in the city contacts, but as I say I don't do some of the speeds others do. Here on the Fylde coast (the FY bit in my name not f*** you) the roads are pretty greasy and to add to this, as pretty much the entire area was once a beach the quality of the roads are dire. This is my second winter in them and I put a pair on the wife's bike. They seem to wear well and unless some thing changes I will stick with them. I am in spring going to put the Contacts on to see how they are, a friend recommended them for all round performance and they do look grippy but it will allow me to compare the two.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Mr Charly, aye, something like that, but stickified, condensed & scored, as outlined in the OP.  & paselas don't come in 406/20"

We don't really have a 'scoring' review system on the forum. I think it would be difficult to do for tyres, because what it suitable varies so much depending on the type of riding and conditions.

Sport contacts are heavy, btw, compared to Pasela and similar slick tyres. Big apple are very very heavy. I've afraid I have no experience of 406, so can't comment on the tyre range available.

[Biggsy]

We don't really have a 'scoring' review system on the forum. I think it would be difficult to do for tyres, because what it suitable varies so much depending on the type of riding and conditions.

Because of those variations, plus large amounts of luck and objective perception, I think average scores would have very little meaning.

FyPuNK, don't have complete confidence in any bicycle tyre.  That's really dangerous.

[fhills]

Thanks for the really helpful responses!
Mr Charly, aye, something like that, but stickified, condensed & scored, as outlined in the OP.  & paselas don't come in 406/20"

I have used 406 20 inch on my Dahon Speed Pro when Schwalbe Stelvios were unavailable for a while (Stelvios nice and fast but boy do they cut badly).

Got a Sport Contact onto back wheel of Dahon and used for a while - it performed well - seem very strong and can believe are very puncture proof - not as fast as Stelvios though, maybe due to fatter profile and fact that max pressure is far lower.

Had to give up with hands a bloody mess trying to get one onto front though - impossible, even though it should go on according to spec.

Paul

[FyPuNK]

Sorry Biggsy, figure of speech. I respect what you are saying, I rode motorcycles for a good few years so know the dangers of the road surface. What I meant to say was with my style of riding (lack of speed etc) the tyres have never stepped out and feel very sure on the road surface, giving me confidence, I don't tear arse round corners so I feel they do the job they should be doing. I have never used any other company's so I can't give a comparison.

[Biggsy]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things, Punky, but I can't emphasise enough that you mustn't put much faith in any bicycle tyre.  They just don't grip like motorcycle tyres.  Part of that may be down to lack of (or less) suspension on a bicycle, but anyway you've got to be so careful.

By painful and embarrassing coincidence, I've just had an experience this afternoon that has reinforced this view.

I was doing only about 15 mph on a straight stretch of wet road.  I tried to cross a ridge in the tarmac at a diagonal angle.  The front tyre slipped; I tried to correct, but failed and down I went, hitting my hip hard on the road.  That was bloody stupid of me, but still it shows how little grip bicycle tyres have on wet roads.  It was a perfectly respectable make & model of tyre, and not over-inflated.  I reckon the same thing could have happened with any other.

Just glad I didn't break the hip.  I broke the other one a few years ago after taking a funny line round a corner.  I've been so careful ever since as well.  What a bugger.

What I'm concerned about is people thinking they've got great tyres and then letting that influence the amount of risk they take.  It's better to always assume your tyres have rubbish grip, whatever they are.

[edit in purple]

[Jacomus]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things, Punky, but I can't emphasise enough that you mustn't put much faith in any bicycle tyre.  They just don't grip like motorcycle tyres.  Part of that may be down to lack of (or less) suspension on a bicycle, but anyway you've got to be so careful.

By painful and embarrassing coincidence, I've just had an experience this afternoon that has reinforced this view.

I was doing only about 15 mph on a straight stretch of wet road.  I tried to cross a ridge in the tarmac at a diagonal angle.  The front tyre slipped; I tried to correct, but failed and down I went, hitting my hip hard on the road.  That was bloody stupid of me, but still it shows how little grip bicycle tyres have.  It was a perfectly respectable make & model of tyre, and not over-inflated.  I reckon the same thing could have happened with any other.

Just glad I didn't break the hip.  I broke the other one a few years ago after taking a funny line round a corner.  I've been so careful ever since as well.  What a bugger.

What I'm concerned about is people thinking they've got great tyres and then letting that influence the amount of risk they take.  It's better to always assume your tyres have rubbish grip, whatever they are.

Ouch! Glad you got away with it Biggsy!

One thing I have noticed going from a roadbike with 700x24c tyres to a full-sus XC bike with 60-559 Schwalbe SuperMoto's is the change in handling.

Little bumps and ridges in the road don't do anything at all, larger bumps and cracks get absorbed by the sus, especially noticeable on fast descents and corners. The tall ridges caused by trucks and busses make the bike weave uncomfortably if you are unlucky enough to have to cross one, but don't create the same sphincter clenching that hitting one on my roadbike does.

[Mr Larrington]

Mr Larrington, do you know how the Kojak compares to the Big Apple (or the City Contact)?  Or what might be a better 26/20 combination (matching is less important than a recommendation)?

I haven't tried any of these, I'm afraid.

[Biggsy]

It's amazing what adrenaline does.  I didn't feel toooo bad immediately after the accident and could put full weight on my leg and managed to ride 9 miles home ok.  Later last night and still now, I'm having to use walking stick to hobble about in slow motion.  Twisted my back as well, which really doesn't help!  Hopefully I'll be better in a few days.

Yes I'm sure the silly little slip wouldn't have happened with big fat tyres and full sus!  Having that kind of bike instead would be preferable to giving up cycling altogether anyway

I'm thinking of getting some kind of hip protectors now, even though the risk-compensation argument against is considerable.

[Jacomus]

It's amazing what adrenaline does.  I didn't feel toooo bad immediately after the accident and could put full weight on my leg and managed to ride 9 miles home ok.  Later last night and still now, I'm having to use walking stick to hobble about in slow motion.  Twisted my back as well, which really doesn't help!  Hopefully I'll be better in a few days.

Yes I'm sure the silly little slip wouldn't have happened with big fat tyres and full sus!  Having that kind of bike instead would be preferable to giving up cycling altogether anyway

I'm thinking of getting some kind of hip protectors now, even though the risk-compensation argument against is considerable.

Biggsy - the Cyclo-Force is strong with you! Turning a small (but painful) crash into n+1 is excellent work.

RE: The hip protecting shorts - I've had a pair of Dainese ones, which were very good at the time because I was crashing constantly (dirt jumps you see).

[Biggsy]

Cheers 

I'll have to look into those shorts (so to speak).  Was thinking about these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110260354154 - but I suppose I won't have the right kind of tights to keep them in place 

[Jacomus]

Found them.


   Dainese MTB Impact Short Only £51.99


Those were the ones. They stood up to washing and were perfectly comfortable once you got some body heat into them.

[Biggsy]

Thanks a lot.

They might be OTT for what I need, but I will definitely give them lots of thought at least.