Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • Continental Trail Kings (Rubber Queens of old), anyone had problems?
  • Leadfold
    Free Member

    I have run Rubber Queens and their replacement Trial Kings for years. However on tough rides the last three have all developed a twist in the casing, so they wobbled from side to side, even though the wheel was still true. Have I just been unlucky or have others had problems?

    Larry_Lamb
    Free Member

    No problems for me, using the protection versions.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I used to ride them a few years ago and had the same thing.

    Was never sure if it was the tyre not being seated squarely or the carcass being deformed though.

    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    Not unusual. Sort of a known issue with them. I assumed they would have at least sorted it by now.

    I’ve had issues with them in the past. Deforming, happened to me once on a fast descent in the Alps. Locked the wheel, scared the crap out of me.

    Have had to send a few back, one also blistered on the sidewall (brand new)

    jamj1974
    Full Member

    Yes. Had two arrive that way and one of my bro’s went that way after a ”firm’ landing. All returned and swapped.

    Edit: All UST versions.

    OCB
    Free Member

    Good to know, given that I’ve got a pair on their way as we speak.

    😯

    jamj1974
    Full Member

    Must have had 10 pairs that have been trouble free though!

    rickon
    Free Member

    It’s not limited to Conti TKs though. I’ve done this to two Magic Marys, after landing nose first off a drop, and my mate’s done it to a Maxxis Shorty, similar scenario.

    sgn23
    Free Member

    I had exactly the same problem. I was convinced the wheel was buckled but it turned out to be the tyre. Got it replaced under warranty (it was only a few rides old) and the replacement tyre (from a different supplier- non OEM) also failed so got a cash refund and switched to Specialised Purgatory which have been great.
    Bit of googling shows it’s a regular issue.

    chestercopperpot
    Free Member

    I’ve buckled every tyre I’ve had across several brands including dual plys, what a ham fisted goon I must be!

    On paper Contis look great, especially the Der Baron/Baron Black Chillis, not the CRC budget shitters permanently on sale!

    What’s the verdict? As the rest of the range IME seem to come in for a lot of bashing as weak and puncture prone. Is it just a case of peeps smashing DH trails, big jumps and drops with the cheapest/weediest tyres in the range? With high prices (they seem to be in the 50 quid tyre war along with Schwalbe and Maxxis) come high expectations or are they just worse than other big names?

    milky1980
    Free Member

    Had 3 do it. First one was a UST version which was replaced under warranty after it buckled at Chicksands on a 6″ drop, gave me a few broken ribs. Used the replacement one and a few more trouble-free for a while. Second one was a ProTection 26″ version that got all wobbly halfway through a day at BPW, switched it for a Minion at the shop then binned it. Got one as a winter tyre when there was no 650b mud tyres available and that one went wobbly before the mould hairs had even worn off, the MountainKing MkII on the back did it too so chucked them as soon as I found alternatives. EDIT: all were Black Chili expensive ones, not the budget versions.

    Now back on Maxxis and Bontrager tyres, too risky to tempt another failure at an inopportune moment.

    jamj1974
    Full Member

    All mine were UST Black Chili – so the most expensive not the cheapest.

    nikk
    Free Member

    What pressure y’all inflating to?

    jamj1974
    Full Member

    35psi.

    chrisdiesel
    Free Member

    I must have 6/8 2.4/2.2 trail kings/rubber queens love the tyres but I’ve sent a good few back for being so warped it won’t spin in the frame and a few I’ve used have a wiggle when span. Now I’ve gone to a different brand a dye straight.poss just lucky/unlucky
    All black chilli UST

    james
    Free Member

    Another other tyres do it too
    2.3 Spesh Ground Control Grid
    Though in fairness having several very poor true ups post Fort Bill coupled with a fair sideways landing it also buckled the rim beyond truing

    PaulGillespie
    Free Member

    If anyone’s interested, i’m selling a brand new pair of the TK 2.2 Protection in 27.5 size. These are the black Chili made in Germany ones. Came new on my Canyon Spectral but have not been used. £25 posted per tyre. email in profile.

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Not had any since they renamed them, I do believe before they were Rubber Queens they were Mud Queens, which is odd because they’re an appalling winter tyre imho.

    Anyway, the OE non black chilli ones that always pop up for £10-£15 are a **** liability, utterly useless levels of grip, but the Black Chilli ones are quiet good for a fast tyre (comparing 2.2 Conti’s with 2.3 Maxxis) I’ve never worn the tread on them because the side walls always failed first, usually resulting in a complete loss of air faster than ever a pinch flat and a walk home, for that reason alone I’ve stopped using them – I hear the protection ones are better, but I’ve gone back to minons and hr2s on the front and Ardent on the rear as they haven’t let me down yet.

    simons_nicolai-uk
    Free Member

    I ran through a few without any issues but the last 3 Rubber Queen 2.2s (bought just before name change) all buckled.

    sillyoldman
    Full Member

    Only had that happen on a Maxis High Roller.

    chorlton
    Free Member

    2 sets of Mountain Kings have turned into clown wheels with very little riding for me too.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    I’ve had 4 Rubber Queen UST and 3 Trail King Protection and all have been fine. I’ve heard that Continental tend to replace warped/buckled tyres under warranty.

    acidtest
    Free Member

    I bent one 29er black chilli protection riding around the Surrey hills. Barons have been fine though.

    Stevet1
    Free Member

    Hmm I’ve had this problem with mountain kings, second one just buckled so thought I’d try a trail king hoping it was more beefy – sounds like I’m going to get the same problem.
    My LBS have been good about it, sending them off to the importer and giving me a new tyre in return. They did try and steer me onto Specialized or Maxxis tyres as they reckon they have less issues. When I mentioned Schwalbe they practically rolled around on the floor laughing.

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)

The topic ‘Continental Trail Kings (Rubber Queens of old), anyone had problems?’ is closed to new replies.