Conti Kryptotal Front – flipping amazing

I bought one of the above at Dyfi bike park as I’d slashed my rear tyre the day before and I was a bit of a captive audience. Got the DH casing / ultra soft front one – it’s a heavy beast to pedal so I took it off after the uplift day. Thought I’d chuck it on for BPW in a few weeks time and ride it as a front tyre and see how it is.

The answer is flipping amazingly – went to the Mendips this morning and it was pretty wet there – plenty of deep puddles / oozy mud patches and wet roots everywhere. The tyre literally didn’t slip or flinch at anything – it was stuck like poo to the carpet.

1290g is too heavy for me as an allround tyre  but it’s inspired me to order the enduro / soft front version and I’ll probably sell the DH one as I won’t get much use out of it. Shame they don’t do the ultra soft rubber on the trail or enduro casings really. Will also sell the Wild Enduro I had on there before I think….debating getting rid of the Assegai too.

Also the soft / enduro Xynotal that I put on for the summer is still plugging away surprisingly well – despite the heavily ramped blocks it still seems to be finding drive through the muddiest bits and braking pretty confidently. Loving the new Conti tyres so far.

I spent ages agonising over whether that super soft DH casing would be too heavy but I haven’t taken it off since I finally brought one. I can’t honestly say I notice the weight difference over an exo+ maxgrip assegai, I think it’s because the conti rolls better. I’ve got it paired with the enduro soft rear which I’m also very happy with.

I’d buy an enduro or trail super soft if it ever existed, but if I were you (and I am me) I’d just keep it and enjoy all that lovely grip plus some assurance that you probably won’t puncture it.

I’ve only ever punctured 2 tyres and both were on the back. One was a paper thin Maxxis Exo 27.5×2.6” Rekon exo and the other was slashing the sidewall of a Conti Xynotal enduro around the Climach x trail at Dyfi (particularly on the Tony the Tiger descent which I was enjoying / flying down at the time). I live in Bristol and most trails near me aren’t killers of exo level casings.

So enduro / soft is probably a decent compromise between weight and grip I reckon in Conti.

The rear is pretty fantastic too, I went with trail/endurance even though it’s a little lighter than I wanted, and it’s been faultless. I loved the dhr2 I had before but it edges it out I think. Faster I think, grippier most of the time (though a wee bit more skittish and less predictable on hard/slippy stuff, slabs etc), and I’m pretty comfortable that it’s real-world tougher than an EXO+ even though it’s a little lighter. Just really bloody good. I’m still tempted to try the enduro/soft on the back.

And the argotal soft/enduro on the front is incredible, definitely one of the best tyres I’ve ever used… I mean, basically just “take a magic mary and make it usefully better, all the time, with no drawbacks at all except price”, and the Mary was already damn good. It’s not quite shorty maxxgrip sticky, and I’ll probably go back to that on the big bike for real winter, but then it’s better all the rest of the time. Again I might try it on the rear, I wouldn’t usually put a soft tyre on the back but it rolls faster than it should

They can’t keep up the current range in stock right now despite the huge prices, but hopefully once they can, we’ll see a wider range of carcasses and compounds, some stickier lighter fronts and hopefully the endurance rubber on some enduro carcasses for the rears. But to cover all the bases does need quite a lot of additional variants even if they restrict sizes. I’d like to see a superfast rear but I guess semislicks are a bit out of fashion

I’ve got a trail / endurance kryptotal rear for when my Xynotal starts to struggle with mud. Tan it last winter and was impressed with it. Similar to a 2.4” DHR2 I reckon – but cheaper. Defo harder rubber than 3c maxxterra but didn’t have too many issues with it slipping. Wouldn’t run endurance compound on the front though 

Wouldn’t run endurance compound on the front though

For context, would you run MaxxTerra? Is Endurance grippier or less than it?

IMO this is hard to compare, the Endurance is a lot like the older black chili, it’s grippier than it feels. I <think> that conti are using clever rubber chemisty to get more grip out of a relatively hard compound, whereas maxxis more or less just use softness to do the same job. The Endurance definitely feels a lot harder in a pinch test, I reckon it’s higher duro probably. And the kryptotal is usefully faster than a maxxterra dhr2. But it grips a lot better than you’d think from all that. It’s slower rebounding too I reckon, ie less pingy. Be interesting to see how it wears.

But where the conti really loses out is just that predictability- a dhr2 on the back is superb when it slides, just so confidence inspiring, even on the front it’s more managable when it breaks away than most tyres. The conti endurance, I think not so much, it grips well when it grips but it’s a bit more abrupt when it doesn’t. A much worse trait in a front than a back! Haven’t used it on the front, have no plans to.

(Then again I stopped using maxxterra too on the front, it gives away too much compared to maxxgrip, and gains too little)

Currently running Argotal front and Kryptotal rear on both my enduro bike and eeb.

DH supersoft on both fronts and DH supersoft on the rear of the eeb and enduro soft on the rear of the G1.

Replaced Assegai maxxgrip fronts and DHR maxxterra rears.

Only had one puncture in the enduro rear so far.

Definitely more grip both front and rear.

Both rears are lasting so much better than DHR maxxterras.
I’d say the DH supersoft has lasted twice as long as the DHR it replaced and it’s still got a few weeks of life left in it.

I’ll be switching all my other bikes over as and when.

I think Endurance Conti rubber is less grippy then 3c Maxterra Maxxis rubber – I’m generally happy with maxterra as a compound for most of my riding – I think on the front the endurance compound in Conti would be a bit more slippery. Where the tread pattern is important it’s great but where you need to stick to something I think endurance is a little lacking for a front.

I think of endurance to be a bit like maxxis dual compound – which I’m happy to run on the back but not the front.

@OP -which bits of Mendip did you ride? I looked at the Kryptotal, but since its pretty much a copy of the Assegai, I thought it would probably clog up on the ‘dips.

Might get away with it on the built stuff in Rowberrow though.

@scienceofficer – I parked by badass bikes and pedalled up ham lane all the way to the top of Rowberrow. On the way up there was some pretty boggy mud stuff – one puddle went almost up to my hubs. I mostly rode the built stuff on the downs but it was pretty greasy and had some huge puddles on – especially on the way into jumps – the Kryptotal just ploughed dead straight through them with confidence. Probably going to try and ride Risca this coming weekend (unless I come down with something – got a bit of a cough this morning).

Probably less greasy in terms of what I’d ride (except Conda can be amusing) but I find the Assegai can slip in the few corners where there’s some loose stuff accumulated there (Hillbilly just grips through it). Will be interested to see how the Kryptotal does there.

Oh this is good timing as my current magic mary is getting a bit tired coming up to winter, so reckon give this a try then?

This the correct one?

https://www.tweekscycles.com/continental-kryptotal-front-tyre-4000597/

Yeah that’s the one I’m talking about – I’ve gone for the following option in terms of ordering to try. In terms of the one I rode on this weekend it’s the downhill super soft version – but it’s a chunk heavier.

I suspect vs something like a 2.6” soft magic Mary it’ll give a little bit of grip away in the sloppiest conditions, but everywhere else you’ve got more rubber in the ground / less flex on the nobbles. So better than a DHF / Wild Enduro – I reckon it’s a bit like an Assegai but with better mud manners.

The Argotal is probably more similar to the Magic Mary as the tread is a bit more open so should clear mud a little better.

Thats great many thanks @joebristol

We have plenty of Contis on a variety of bikes and loving them. After having a Krytotal fitted to the rear of their bike child no. 2 pleaded for one on the front too saying “they’re bloody magic….. you can go ….like…. twice as fast”. Some youthful exaggeration there of course! No punctures in more than a season of enduro and DH. The supersoft we had on the rear of one bike far outlasted a Maxxis maxgrip. 

What are the side walls like? Cont tyres used to a complete joke – couldn’t run lower pressures with them at all.

@Scienceofficer One child who uses Enduro soft now runs 17psi front (with an ARD) and 24 rear (with a tubolight HD insert) for some fairly enthusiastic riding. He was down to 21psi rear with a DH carcass.

The enduro 2.6″ Argotal was OK down to 16psi but prob could do with a >30mm rim.

The only one have noticed an issue with is the 2.6″ trail kryptotal on my HT. Even my weak “schralping” at Tarland in the bone dry caused some sealant leaks at ~22psi. Solved with an insert. Again would have benefited from a wider rim.

Oh this is good timing as my current magic mary is getting a bit tired

I’d go for the Argotal as a mary replacement.

anyone care to attempt to describe how much slower rolling a DH supersoft argotal would be compared to a maxxis assegai exo+ maxterra, when fitted to the front?

I already have a kryptotal enduro soft on the rear, and have been pretty pleased with it, currently have a assegai max terra on the front, which is wearing out, so due for replacement soon, and I’m not averse to trying the argotal out , as long as its not going to be mega draggy.

I’ve not run the Argotal but with the weight difference it might feel a bit more sluggish getting up to speed (in DH casing). I’m assuming the Argotal has bigger knobs than the Assegai (pretty sure the kryptotal does – although I’d have to pop down to the garage to check) which could also add to the higher rolling resistance on certain surfaces.

Without running the tyres back to back in similar conditions it’s really hard to tell though.

The Assegai in exo+ and maxterra is probably most like the Kryptotal in soft / enduro flavour. 

I think Endurance Conti rubber is less grippy then 3c Maxterra Maxxis rubber – I’m generally happy with maxterra as a compound for most of my riding – ……

I think of endurance to be a bit like maxxis dual compound

I’m running Enduro casing soft and, while they’ve not had a lot of miles on them, still surprised how little wear they’re showing.

Maxxis do a multi-layer thing I think.  The 3C has a hard base with medium compound in the centre tread and soft on the shoulders.  That means the shoulder knobs wear pretty quickly and then tear off. https://www.maxxis.com/uk/technology/bike-technology/. I’m guessing the dual compound is just hard base and medium right across (would make much more sense for a rear tyre but they don’t seem to offer it in their modern WT tyres)

Conti use the same compound throughout so, on older black chilli tyres, they seem to wear much more evenly.  Endurance compound on Enduro carcass for the rear would be good

I’d say that when I switched from an EXO+ Assegai maxxgrip to a Argotal DH super soft I was expecting it to roll slower.
The reality was i didn’t find it any harder going at all.

But i did find a difference from maxxgrip and maxxterra Assegais, so by default I’d say Argotal supersoft was a fraction slower than a maxxterra Assegai.

Just went out and did a bit of measuring – I reckon the knobs are slightly taller in the Kryptotal vs the Assegai – I’d also say they’re spaced slightly further apart. Both of which seem to support my view that the Kryptotal is better in mud than the Assegai. Few photos – the Kryptotal is mounted to a rim – the Wild Enduro and Assegai aren’t

I’d go for the Argotal as a mary replacement.

High praise indeed.

@beargease – thanks, but without knowing the weight of the riders and their riding styles, using psi as a proxy for sidewall stiffness/durability is kinda difficult to interpret.

Those pictures are quite informative. Nice one!

@Scienceofficer 77kg and racing SDAs and Tweed Valley enduros in the seeded U18 class. So faster than your average STWer! :-))

Also based on testing the vast pile of used tyres in my garage I feel that the Conti tyres have more structure than the equivalent Maxxis e.g. the Conti Enduro is about as siff as a Maxxis DD. etc

I’ve just bought a Krypto and an Argo for some testing over winter.

Which Kryptotal – front or rear? I’ve got a rear and it’s pretty good vs a dhr2

Dunno. I messaged a mate on Whatsapp and he sent me a list… i said “i’ll have one of each, you can tell me what one i’m running where and when”.

Apparently the Kryp can be used front or rear in medium dry to soft. The Argo more suited soft-wet. I’ll likely throw one on the front of mine for a few rides as the boy has the MMary and likes that on the front.

There are front and rear specific Kryptotals – although the person at Dyfi bike park said ‘some of the pros’ run front on the rear and vice versa 🤷‍♂️

Aye, considering the facts, i’ll take his word for which to fit where over any magazine review 😀

Collected both the Argo and Cyrto both in DH super soft

I haven’t tried it but the kryptotals don’t really seem massively end-specific, tbh I wouldn’t have wanted to bet on which was for which end if they hadn’t told us? Might pick up a front soft to experiment with. Considerng the limited range they’ll definitely have done it for sensible reasons but that doesn’t mean it’s right for any one person.

The Re looks a bit DHR2 / Big Betty like to me. Slightly different number of knobs down the middle but similar. Dhr2 is used by some people on the front so could see the Kryp Re could be too.

The front Kryp however I think definitely feels more front specific. 

According to Dan athertons bike check, for the dolomites video he ran the kryptotal FR on the front and rear.

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-gee-athertons-am170.html

person at Dyfi bike park said ‘some of the pros’ run front on the rear and vice versa

Ben Cathro said some of the Pinkbike team did because the front has a smoother transition from centre to edge, rear has a firmer cornering hold and clears mud better. I can imagine Fr/Fr and Re/Re combinations, but a Re/Fr (if they actually do that) seems weird, would be like a DHR2 on the front with an Assegai rear.

kryptotals don’t really seem massively end-specific

The rear one is squarer.

I can see myself ending up running part worn fronts on the rear and replacing the front (as I end up doing with most tyres).  Though I’ve got another new rear in the box after bikeinn shipped the wrong tyre when I was looking everywhere for fronts 

Looks like trail softs are on the way.

https://www.racycles.com/searchresults/?keyword=trail+soft

I’ve just fitted the boys Pro5 with the Argotal front for tomorrow at FoD for him. I’m testing the Hillbilly on the Trek tomorrow, but i must admit, his Argotal looks really nice. Both of his are DH Supersoft which arguably isn’t much use to me otherwise i’d have stolen one.

That’s good news, thanks bikesandboots! I guess I’ll hold fire and get a trail front soft when they come along.

It’s a step in the right direction but I’d like a Super Soft trail Argotal please.