I have searched the archives and i am after any stw's opinion on the race kings, i am use vert pro in ust and was wondering if anyone has used both or similar to give me the low down on grip, rollerbility etc thanks

Seriously?

Totally different tyres. The Race King is a race tyre and ideally a dry conditions one at that. It is very fast rolling, but it has no side grip. Put it into a damp corner or camber and you'll be off. I got caught out on a long ride with these on and I said I'm gonna hurt myself…and I did.

Verts on the other hand are old school and predictable and never ever claimed to be a race tyre. These were once the darlings of the early generation STWers. Your safe with Verti's but they don't fit a niche.

And both my Race Kings are torn.

Vert Pro in Black Chilli will be my next tyre purchase.

I run a 2.3 vert black chilli on the front of my Trek Fuel. It's non particularly trendy but a good grippy winter/trail centre tyre. I ran a mountain king in the summer (remeber when trails were dry) and on ran speedkings on my HTs. Race Kings are quite alot like speedkings.

very shallow tread on those race kings. I've got a pair of explorers which are more similar to verts but with a slightly shallower tread, still not as shallow as the race kings. I won't be using the explorers 'til the ground has dried up a bit, at least March/April.

http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/mtb.shtml

Kev

Race kings are the dogs danglies IMO.

absoloute velcro on anything other than claggy mud.
they dont look it but ime, ive had them squirming over off camber wet roots and rocks without so much as a squeak of slip.
fast as death too on climbs

LOVE them. (2.2 folding)

Race Kings are quite alot like speedkings.

…….. say what?!

has anyone actually ridden them, or just compared the treads visually in the shop or on the website??

Racekings – velcro

speedkings – greased ice with a layer of algae over it

Olly

Wow, mind you I did use mine on a wet chalky flinty Chiltens circle, perhaps it's because they were the basic wired ones. Anyway I broke my ribs that ride. I was trying them as an alternative to RRs which I do use all year round.
I race Speed Kings on my crosser and I finds them great.
The comparrison between the two is nuts IMO.
This just goes to show it's how you ride and not the tyres, like I say that's why I use RRs all the time.
I do wish I'd had a better time with my Race Kings as they were mental in the dry.

i get a lot of comments from people asking "are they actually any good"
and seeming suprised.
they dont look much, but i get on with them very well 🙂
even with the narrow profile and rounded carcass
each to thier own of course, but its a yes from me 🙂

Hi Olly

Yep I've ridden this year on my bikes, RaceKings, Speedkings, Verticals and Mountain kings. I find (black chilli everytime) that RaceKings/Speekings ride quite similarly. Lots of people ride the non black chili versions and I think that they are very poor in comparisons especially the less agressively treaded tyres.

thanks oldgit and olly it really helps to user feedback looks like i will get a pair for this years races, most of the courses dont have claggy mud if wet but really sloppy and a few rocks for good measure