The Continental Mountain King ProTection Tire has been a workhorse for cyclists all over Europe and North America. The previous generation was clearly the most versatile in the Conti MTB line-up. You could run it as a front with a matching rear, or with an X King or Race King. You could run it as a rear with a Trail King up front. In developing the new King series tires, the Mountain King received the most substantial tread pattern re-design, but Conti clearly believes the new version is still the most versatile tire. Is it? Let's consider.

As with it's siblings, the Mountain King was redesigned from the inside out: revamping the Black Chili compound, using a lighter, more flexible Cordura material for the ProTection feature, and updating and optimizing the tread pattern. The tubeless bead was modified as was the mold of the tire, creating a wider "mouth" to the tire, with the two changes resulting in and easier tubeless mounting and faster, more effective seal. Special attention was also made across the whole mountain bike tire series for their offerings to be true to the listed size. The end result is a lighter weight, more flexible tire with improved grip, traction, and overall performance that includes puncture protection.

If we look from the outside in, reversing Conti's process, we start with the rubber and the tread pattern. First, BlackChili isn't just a uniform rubber. Each and every category of tire carrying the BlackChili logo has it's own compound recipe, engineered for the needs of the expected rider and conditions. On the mountain side, each model also gets its own mixture to enhance grip, rolling speed, puncture protection, wear, etc. Continental creates and refines special synthetic rubbers along with proven natural rubber to result in a high-performance mixture, then adds tiny soot particles, which in turn are optimized in shape and surface properties. The complex compound technology is so sensitive and proprietary that tires with BlackChili Compound are produced exclusively in their Korbach, Germany plant. The end rubber and tread vary for the requirements of each tire, but there are some characteristics that are somewhat universal. The particles actually help to create a lightweight density that serve to protect against wear, stop or seal small punctures, while increasing tread wear capability- enhancing performance based on current bike and wheel technology.

Why? With the lower pressures associated with tubeless use, more actual tire rubber is applied in the footprint to the terrain. The deformity of a softer tire increases the usable friction zone. The knobs have more ability to do their job, and are enhanced by the incredible potential of the BlackChili compound used in the Mountain King. The result is greater confidence, especially at speed or in more aggressive cornering angles, were you can feel the improved deflection and conformity. The new tread block system is frequently compared to the old Tioga Farmer John, with it's longer, angled alternating center tread blocks. The difference is that tire was run at a reasonably high pressure, and the knobs actually cross each other, providing a virtual constant center tread. The Mountain King has a pair of opposing blocks, angled, one side shorter, one longer, and the set alternates each time. The real key is that there is no true center tread though the long-short pattern does create a semi-consistent bridge across the center of the tire.

In the past a no-center tread front tire would tend to want to track to one side or the other, especially down slope, making it much better as a rear tire where traction rules, as it carries more rider weight. The Mountain King was built for today's world, with wider rims and tubeless tires at lower pressures. Which means you have to throw out old perceptions and expand new knowledge. At lower pressures the tread blocks work differently. Conti has lowered the overall block heights, and alternated the tread angles and shoulder levels of the edge blocks. There is no true transitional block pattern, but when you think about the alternating system and lower pressures, you can see it develop in the footprint on the ground. Will the new Mountain King be a great front tire for all riders- no. But it will be a fantastic rear (especially with a Trail King up front), and a solid front choice for less rocky and less technical trail riding? Yes. Bikepacking? For sure.

The new casing is a 4-ply, 240tpi system that is amazingly supple for a ProTection level tire. The lighter, more flexible Cordura sidewall protection is much more flexible and compliant than the previous version, still with high-level resistance to cuts, impacts, abrasion, etc. Again, this allows the tire to react and conform to the terrain better without the rider being concerned about flats or blowouts. The improvement of the newer, flatter tubeless bead is also enhanced by the sidewall and casing suppleness. What does a wider "mouth" refer to? The natural bead to bead distance and how it relates to the overall shape of the tire and how it sets up on the rim. Tires with a naturally open mouth seal and seat more easily when mounting tubeless, and create a better overall shape for the tire on the rim. Continental has optimized the tread and volume of each tire size for specific internal rim widths, and that is listed on the sidewall of each tire. Keeping the rim/tire combination size appropriate will result in best performance. New TruSize standards direct that the tire be within 1-2mm of listed size with the proper rim and inflation.

We suspect this Mountain King ProTection will require a leap of faith for riders who loved the first two generations of the tire. Surely if you ride to the higher end of the pressure range or prefer sharp, rocky, technical trails, it may not be the right front tire for you, but embrace it as a rear. We see riders from the Southeast, upper Midwest, Mid Atlantic and New England who have more seasonal time on softer, rich soil- wet or dry- will appreciate the new tread pattern. Think Kingdom Trails in Vermont, around Asheville NC, Chicopee Woods in Georgia, or the UP in Michigan. The larger open zones will release dirt and mud easily. It will handle smooth rock transitions well, and deliver speed and control all day long. As versatile as the old? That is truly a judgment that can only be made by riding.