Conti MK2 -the verdict
Not entirely scientific but I have been mixing and matching tyres recently and think I can draw some conclusions. Bear in mind I hated old MKs with their irregular edges and like Maxis HRs for the opposite reason.
Anyway, I needed to take the excellent WTB semi slicks off the hard tail due to lack of climbing grip in the squidge. I bought two 2.4″ plastic MK2s for £15 each. I immediately liked the way they ran at low pressures without pinching, plus the nice edges, and the big spaces between knobs giving them room to dig and shed mud. But I had noticed worrying low sheer grip, being able to easily lock my front wheel on the wet brick-tiled surface of my street. I thought nothing of it until a wipeout at Brecfa on Saturday when I messed up and the front tyre slid sideways off a rock. So I picked up a black chilli variant and put it on the front. Trying the same lock up experiment on the street was interesting. No matter how hard I braked it would not skid.
So it seems black chilli isn’t just a marketing gimmick it does actually grip.
