In this article I’m going to give you my top picks for the best Continental 26 inch mountain bike tires.
Continental is a brand I always turn to when the occasion arises of purchasing a new set of tires. I feel they are not as popular as Schwalbe or Maxxis in the mountain bike category, but that might only be the case because the marketing of the other two brands is better, not their product offering.
From both personal experience and because of my research in the subject, I can honestly say that Continental makes some of the best 26 inch mountain bike tires money can buy. Their proprietary BlackChili compound adds great durability to their premium lineup, which has the lightest tires you’ll ever come across.
From slicks to full-blown downhill mud tires, Continental has them all. So without further ado, here’s my list of the best Continental 26 inch mountain bike tires.
Continental CONTACT Speed
Meant for the road the Continental Contact Speed is a slick tire in the true sense of the word. A minimalistic profile will turn your bike into a city slicker.
In the commuting and touring range from this German brand, it sits in the fastest category and is one of the most affordable options to obtain a fast-rolling tire.
It also has excellent puncture protection with Continental’s more than adequate SafetySystem breaker technology. Chances of flats are minimized.
- Affordable slick tire, with excellent puncture protection
- None
Continental Cross King ProTection
The Continental Cross King ProTection is the newer version of a magnificent, lightweight cross-country racer.
ProTection replaces the RaceSport moniker. It’s a three- and four ply system underneath respectively the tread and sidewall, ensuring maximum puncture protection and shieldwall tearing.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that this tire is still one of the lightest in its category. A true racer.
- Maximum puncture protection in a lightweight cross-country racing tire.
- None
Continental Der Baron Apex
The Continental Der Baron Apex is Continental’s most aggressive mountain bike tire. Massive blocks sufficiently spaced ensure you have both maximum grip and maximum mud clearance, making this tire a solid downhill allrounder in both wet and dry conditions.
The BlackChili compound keeps the weight at a respectable 1245 grams, which is light enough for a 2.5 inch width tire.
Although the Continental Der Baron is a great all-round tire, you might opt for putting the Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex in the rear, since that tire has better braking performance than this one. The two make for a deadly downhill combo.
It’s hard to recommend Der Baron Apex above the tires from Maxxis on this list, if not for the fact that they are extremely durable. So in the long run, they will hurt your wallet less.
- Extremely aggressive tread pattern, light, front tire, durable
- Meant for downhill
Continental Der Baron Projekt ProTection Apex
The Continental Der Baron Projekt is a very aggressive mountain bike tire. Massive blocks sufficiently spaced ensure you have both maximum grip and maximum mud clearance, making this tire a solid enduro allrounder in both wet and dry conditions.
Even in the 2.4 inch width version, this tire weighs 890, which makes this tire a great option if you want to ride all year round, but you stay away from the trail in the worst of conditions.
The BlackChili compound from Continental is known for its great durability. So if you’re also looking for a tire that’ll last you a very long time, and save on cash that way, the Der Baron Projekt is a solid choice as well.
- Extremely lightweight gravity tire, durable
- Meant for downhill or enduro
Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex
When riding in dry conditions you might want to choose the Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex. This premium offering is faster than the more allround Der Baron in a number of respects.
Although at 1100 grams, this is a light tire, it is by no means meant to be a fast-rolling trail tire. The knobbies are spaced to wide for a low rolling resistance, something that matters less when going downhill. The horizontal rows of knobs make for some phenomenal braking power. So for those who want to go down at breakneck speeds this tire has your name written all over it.
- Fast, light, great braking power
- Meant for downhill, not the best tire in wet conditions
Continental Race King ProTection
The Continental Race King ProTection is an extremely light tire. In the weight department it means it outshines every comparable tire from every other brand by far. And it’s also the best XC tire in the rolling-resistance department.
I cannot stress enough that with respect to speed and acceleration, a light tire makes all the difference. And tires are also the most cost-effective way to reduce the overall weight of the bike.
Try reducing a couple of hundred grams of any other bike component and be ready to spend in the hundreds of dollars. Not so the case with tires. And on top of that the tire has the advanced ProTection puncture protection, with a composite breaker and a bead to bead sidewall protection polyamide fabric.
All that speed comes at a price, because traction is not this tire’s strength when compared to other mountain bike tires. And it’s the reason this tire performs best in dry conditions.
But when riding in those conditions getting up to speed and keeping it is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It rightly deserves its name.
- One of the lightest mountain bike tire on the market, with excellent puncture protection. Geared towards speed in every way.
- None
Specifications Continental 26 inch mountain bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental CONTACT Speed | 26×2.00 | 50-559 | 665 | Black | Black Reflex | SafetySystem Breaker | wired | 3/180 | ||
Continental Cross King Racesport | 27.5×2.00 | 58-559 | 600 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tlr | ||
Continental Cross King Racesport | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 495 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tlr | ||
Continental Der Baron Apex | 26×2.50 | 62-559 | 1245 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Apex casing | tlr | ||
Continental Der Kaiser Project Apex | 26×2.40 | 60-559 | 1100 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Apex casing | tlr | ||
Continental Race King Racesport | 26×2.20 | 55-559 | 465 | Black | Black | BlackChili | RaceSport casing | tlr | 3/180 |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.
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