Continental Kryptotal and Argotal tyres

Background

I have ridden many brands of tyres in the past, with Maxxis or Schwalbe typically being my go to brands. This is the first time riding the Continental brand upon my Cotic RocketMax enduro bike, and Santa Cruz Reserve rims.

What was tested:

• Continental Kryptotal F and R tyre, DH cassing, supersoft compound

• Continental Argotal tyre, DH cassing, supersoft compound ridden as a front tyre

The Pro’s

The first thing that stood out to me about these tyres was how impressive the side walls were. Compared to some other brands I have used, they were robust enough that I didn’t need a tyre insert, but supple enough that I didn’t feel a harsh ride where the tyres were being deflected everywhere. The grip of both tyres in the intended conditions was superb and up there with the best of them. The Kryptotal range is a stand out to me, with a wide use case and very predictable feeling for grip. The Argotal in muddy conditions shed mud well and cut through the sloppy stuff to find grip. Having tested the supersoft compound in both tyres, they definitely offered lots of grip and have lasted 6months + of regular riding, so I’d say durable too. This durability is in line with other tyre brands and a good balance of grip/durability in my opinion.

The Con’s

The con’s of these tyres are hard to write about… mainly because the con’s that I experienced are exactly what you’d expect, i.e., if you use them in the wrong use case, there are better options. The Kryptotal is an extremely versatile tyre, however in claggy conditions it does not shed mud as well as a specific mud tyre and so grip can come at a premium. The Argotal is a mid-point mud tyre (e.g., not an extreme mud tyre such as the Hydrotal) and so does a broad range of muddy conditions well, however if you ride hard pack and rocks, you can feel the knobs role slightly, especially in well cambered berms. Having said this, the Argotal still performed well in comparison to other mid-spike tyres, such as the Maxxis Shorty.

Conclusion

This test was of the DH casing supersoft tyres, so I cannot speak to the other casings/compounds. Much to the design, the Kryptotal is a fantastic all weather tyre, with a wide range of use cases. I was impressed with the balance of predictability, grip and the rolling resistance. The Argotal was brilliant in the weather conditions for its intended use, but with how good the Kryptotal is, I would struggle to justify putting these on unless for racing specific conditions, or if where you ride, the wetter months mean lots of pre-longed loose mud (as apposed to rocky terrain I typically ride in). The Argotal mid-spike tyre is now my go to, over and above my previous go to, the Maxxis Shorty due to the overall feel of the tyre and the impressive sidewall. Grip is similar, however due to the other benefits of the Continental sidewall, these are now the gold standard (in my opinion). In both tyres, they came in at a good weight (not that I care too much about the weight - performance is more essential), however, the casing of the new range of Continental tyres was the real stand out point. I really can’t talk high enough of this, meaning I can run lower pressures (23f, 25r, compared to 26f, 29r I have to run with other brands to not pinch the tyre or break rims) and do not feel the need for a rear tyre insert, something I normally have to run to protect the rear rim.

Pro’s

• Great casing (both tyres)

• Lots of grip (in intended conditions)

• Predictable (in intended conditions)

• Kryptotal is very good, meaning the Argotal has

  less of a use case unless racing / regularly ride in very muddy conditions.