my first tyre thread.. conti speed kings

Just bought 3 of these on the buy 1 get 2 free offer at on one, but I have no idea if theyre any good, & its too late now I guess!!

But are they any good as an intermediate kind of condition tyre?

I tend to swap tyres for seasons and conditions, and I got mud tyres for winter and SB8's for when its rock hard, kinda hoping these are ok for the stuff inbetween.

Have I made a boo boo?

Which compound are they?

I have them on my HT I use for local rides. Came on the ehweels. Find them really fast, great on the stuff I use then for, very pleased with them. But…. doesn't seem much grip when cornering, wouldn't use them anywhere I was trying to go quick and go round things at the same time.

Dunno, it just says 2.1 folding but theyre quite light at 510g.

They look nice.

Yeah they are ok – I use them for gravel paths and a bit of dry/moist forest work on my 'winter' hardtail.

Well pleased no one has really slated them, at a tenner each well worth a punt, my old intermediate tyres are shot… 🙂

You've only had 2 posts from people who use them Tinsy! Give it time

I've got a pair of 2.3's. They're nice and fast on tarmac and have enough grip on gravel or when the conditions are quite firm. Forget about going steep uphills on loose stuff or mud though. The knobs are quite widely spaced so I find that if the conditions are damp I tend to spin out on roots and smooth rocks.

they are fast but not super grippy. i like them.

That will do CG, no doubt I will ride on the hardpack tyres until about feb like I did last year!

And still be the only one to clean shouty hill.. 🙂

Also like them here – haven't tried them in heavy mud though.

Not had any particular problems spinning out uphill on loose stuff either with a bit of control. Only used in the south though, so no idea what they're like on rock.

Yeah Tinsy, keep dreaming. Next time you're going to be allowed out to play is going to be next summer so they will be ideal for then!

I run 2.3's. Like them but they seem to puncture too easily compared to other tyres i've used.

The standard ones (which you've bought) are useless in the wet.

I use the supersonic and protection version and find them usable in most conditions, the tread pattern clears mud quickly and they roll really well at high pressures.

However, even the SS and PT versions (which have the black chilli compound) are flummoxed by wet rocks and to a degree, roots. The standards must be a nightmare.

I agree with chunky_pott, I like them but the standard ones do puncture easy, so I got the protection version which offer more puncture protection for more ££££

I've got the cheapy cheap version and think they are pretty good. They don't grip to well on loose, gravelly corners I have found – they tend to wash out. I just back off a bit if I think they are gonna let go.
Aside from that, they are fairly fast & predictable – not huge amounts of grip on loose steep uphills, but not bad either.

As an all round tyre they are pretty good.
They disappear quickly if you use them on the road though & on very rocky terrain.

Only rocks where I ride are in country gents head…. 🙂

See you sat CG and bring your wellies….

Found standard 2.1s really, really horrible in the wet. Very noticeable lack of grip when comapred to other Conti tyres I ride on. Found them ok in the dry though..

used the standard ones in all but the depths of last winter, really good grip in light mud given the speed they roll at. no worse than anything else on wet roots. however they were a little sketchy on wet rock.

minimal puncture problems with the local flints and hawthorn.

bought mine from crc a while back £10 each for the folding 2.3s. As with most conti's the 2.3 is more like a 2.1

bargain tyres, will buy more for next summer i reckon.

Bit rubbish on wet rock,grass,roots etc be careful! fast in the dry though, quite puncture prone but no worse than Cinders or Rampages.

They're very fast tyres. One for the race course only for me though.

Fast, easy rolling, not great in damp conditions. Seem to wear down very quickly.

I got lots of flats with the Speed Kings that came on my P7. The 'speed' part is right though.

Changed to Panaracer Cinders, much better suited to my clumsy riding style… no more flats

I've got the 2.1 Supersonics on my Epic. Even pumped up to the recommended 50psi the have a lot more grip that the Ralphs that I'd been using before.

Quite impressed with them so far.