I have been riding an Argotal-Kryptotal combo both in enduro casing and soft compound in my hardcore hardtail. In the past I had minion DHF, Assegai, Dissector experience. Let me put that straight. The grip is way more in the contis. In all situations. Argotal rolls slower comparing it to the Assegai, but it has more grip and way more predictability. Even when it lets loose, you can feel that it wants to come back. When the dirt is kind of dryish mud (sticky), unfortunately you cannot roll without digging tracks after you and it is annoying. It penetrates and grips whatever. So be careful of the choice. The Kryptotal in the back feels fast for what it is, being stubborn to let loose. And again when it does it doesn’t frighten you. I love them and appreciate the engineering behind them. Maxxis is the standard to a lot of us but from my point of view and the dirt I ride, I truly feel way more confident with the continentals.
How would you compare side wall protection between conti carcases to maxxis ones? I'm always going to Maxxis DD for my rear wheel on my "do it all" agressive hardtail, and still had some snake bites when cased stairs hard. Now I'm running it with insert Vittoria air-liner, and zero flats even on hardest hits yet. I think, can I go with Conti Trail casing, considering it's almost like they're Enduro one, but with no bead protection, and I ride with inserts anyway. I really want to have that 2.6" Enduranced compaund, wich would be long lasting enough, and this is only available in Trail carcas.
@@ThugZ3r0 no tire is invincible. I use enduro casing on my setup, 20psi in the back and I had the chance to hit the rim multiple times. No issues whatsoever. If you want to continue with inserts then go for the trail casing as you said. I personally don’t believe in inserts, not to mess the tires shock characteristics and deformation. I prefer to run a heavier casing and let the tire do its work without the influence from the inserts. But, without proper measurement instruments in a lab with controlled factors we are all correct and all wrong.
YES, I have extensive experience with them from before they were even officially released. Our entire group has ridden, or is currently riding them. THE ENDURANCE COMPOUND DOES NOT GRAB WELL AT ALL ON ROCKS. I broke a few ribs as a result, and I had another crash where I was lucky not to be injured, and had a couple of other inexplicable "slide outs" while on the Endurance Compound. I noticed in the video, I didn't see any rocks. They absolutely DO NOT hook up on them, and they deflect offline if you hit rocks at even mild angles. I can't emphasize that enough.... IN FAIRNESS, a move up to the "Soft" compound completely alleviates the issue, and they grab rocks on par with the Maxxis 3c compound. The other issue is....more than one of us had the Endurance compound Kryptotal casings go out of round, just from trail impacts. Badly out of round. I would just suggest that while the price is good, steer clear of the Endurance compound and go with Soft. They still roll well, and grip much better. There are also definite positives versus Maxxis. The side lugs don't shear off like Maxxis. They wear better than Maxxis. They are MUCH more resistant to punctures and slits. For our terrain here in Arkansas, which is pretty demanding with the sharp rock shards and square edge rocks, they are FAR more durable than Maxxis EXO or EXO+. It's not a close comparison. We've had almost zero tire issues since we switched to them. I am running the Xyontal rear and Kryptotal Fr., both in 2.4....Enduro casing, and soft compound. That's a good blend of grip, and rolling resistance.
@@LoveMTB ..... You're welcome. On our jagged rocky terrain, they hold up well. I've recently gone to the DH casing, soft compound Xynotal rear, and done away with Tannus. My insert journey started with CushCore and DD Aggressor for racing enduro. Then dropped back to EXO Aggressor with Tannus. Now, I'm running the DH casing Xynotal in soft compound with a Kryptotal Enduro in soft, and I have had one small puncture in the front tire on a trail called "The Ledges" that has sharp flint rock shards that are notorious for wrecking tires. That's it. I don't even take things to plug a tire on my rides in the Slaughter Pen System anymore....water bottle and let 'er rip!! That's how confident I have become in the durability of those Conti tires. I would say vs the Aggressor EXO 2.5 and DHF EXO+ 2.5 that I ran for years...I'm giving up maybe 5-10% rolling resistance, but the peace of mind and lack of hassle of having flats...more than makes up for it. Also, I got annoyed with shredding the side lugs on the Maxxis tires. That would retire the tire long before tread wear, riding on our chert rock trails! I don't know how well that little "teardrop" shape on the interior of the sidewall near the bead actually helps with rim protection, but I'm DONE dealing with inserts. My primary complaint with them is that they thin out the sealant over all of that added surface area and make it dry out about twice as fast...or faster. I just keep dumping more in, and end up with these "tire boogers" that will eventually make a LUMP that I roll over and can feel while riding. So over the insert life.... LOL
@@trentvlak ... Demanding on tires....read better. Our soil structure includes some places with flint rock, and when it shears and sits just in the right position in the trail, it's like running over arrowheads. But if it makes you feel better to slam on our area....blast away.
Xynotal 2.4" 'Supersoft' on the front 'Riding Downhill', 'Downhill Casing'. For hard pack, I ride loose over hard and loose dirt with rocks and roots. It grips really well, better than an Assegai or DHF. I have heard it walking but not had it let go on a corner yet. Kryptotal 2.6" 'Soft' on the rear 'Riding Enduro', 'Enduro Casing'. For mixed loose over hard, I ride loose over hard and loose dirt with rocks and roots. It also grips really well, better than anything else I have used but that could be in part, due to the larger profile size. I ride a 29" aggressive hard tail, no tyre inserts, 35mm internal width rims. The tyres are really like a double down casing with a stiff side wall, the nobs are stiff but made of soft rubber. I run them between 19 and 23 PSI and ride black technical trails and some jump lines. No rim hits or flats so far, the tyres are tight on the rims so less burping and they were easy to inflate but tight to fit to the rim. Have done a couple of 100km on them and the front still has some mold flashing "excess thin rubber" on it , which I thought would have disappeared on the 2nd ride. As I result I think even the soft compounds are quite hard wearing, certainly more so than Maxxis and Schwalbe tyres. Don't think I will be buying any other brand in the future unless something better comes along. Like some others have mentioned, the soft and supersoft are grippy but hard wearing. Got my tyres on sale at a great price.
My only experience with these is a summer of park riding like 2-4 days a week, and I was using the downhill casing, super soft kryptotal front and rear (so I can't speak to the other weights and compounds) but holy moly y'all. Coming from double down max grip assegai/dhr ii on my main bike and having soft magic mary front and rear on my second bike to compare side by side to the kryptotals, these absolutely SLAP dude. Unmatched. The cornering traction is unlike anything I could have imagined coming from maxxis and schwalbe. You can treat flat hardpack corners just like a small berm and trust in it completely. I could not believe how good they were. They lasted just barely long enough for one whole season (mind you I think I was lucky enough to ride more park than a lot of people have the chance to), so when I switched back to my normal assegai/dhr ii setup after park season, I felt like a newborn giraffe trying to figure out how to move around. I had soooo much less trust in my traction and it took me about a solid 2 or 3 weeks of riding the maxxis tires to start getting my trust back in them because they aren't nearly as consistent and stalwart as the conti's. And I still definitely can't lean as aggressively and have to go a little bit slower to stop my rear end from getting sketchy and keep the front feeling predictable.
@@LoveMTB Even bigger! I'm not even doing it justice. Again, to be fair it was the super soft compound, so I'm not sure how many people would be willing to run that as a daily tire because of the rolling resistance (which, again, I was lucky enough to not have to factor in or think about), and the accelerated wear, but for pure gravity riding, I'm absolutely floored by their performance. Maybe a super soft in the front and regular soft in the back for enduro would be a more realistic pairing that people could benefit more from?
I'm so glad Continental added these to their range. I normally run Cross kings for smoother hardpack & loam but I swap to the Kryptotals if I'm going to be on rocky, rooty trails. Cross kings grip better on pure hardpack (in the 2.6" at least) but the Kryptotals grip extremely well on roots and rocks. I especially notice their grip on rocky, technical climbs.
Congrats on 80K subscribers. I know this is the year your channel is going to go through the roof. Buying tires for my truck is a lot easier than buying MTB tires, as there are so many choices. Great review. Cheers.
I currently run the Kryptotals rears on a couple bikes. I have an Argotal front on another (though oddly not paired with the Kryptotal hah). I really like both of them, especially the Argotal enduro soft. I think I even prefer it over the Assegai. The Kryptotal on the rear is the enduro casing with soft compound and they are really stiff. I run lower pressure for them, particularly when it's muddy (PNW) to get the grip I need.
I just pulled a set of Conti Mountain Kings out of a box that have been in there for prolly 5 years. I cannot believe how fantastic they are. Cannot believe it. But on the other hand I have a dual sport motorcycle and I have run a dozen types of tires in the last 30 years and the only ones Ill have on it now are Continental TKC 70s or 80s. Conti for the win.
I picked up a set of Kryptotal's for my bike, Absolutely love them over the Schwalbe Big Betty/Magic Mary combo I had on the bike before. They work terrific on the trails down here in Texas.
On my Full Suspension I replaced my DHF/DHR with the Conti Kryptotal Fr/Re in Enduro/Soft. Continental seemed to make a tire with better grip and rolling resistance. They really widened the spectrum on both ends. I’m super happy with them and plan to switch my hardtail over once it needs new tires too.
I've been riding the Kriptotal Fr and the Xenoyal (front and rear, respectively) and I absolutely love the combination! For my local trails, I chose the trail casing and have had nothing but great rides.
I've just switched to a pair of Argotal's from DHF & DHR and the first thing I noticed is how well they clear mud in realy sloppy conditions. The cornering grip is remarkable, very confidence inspiring even in the slippery clay mud at my local trails.
I've been using TruckerCo sealant and brake pads for over 3 years. Never had an issue with either of them. The price is amazeballs, when shipped in the U.S.
I am not sure I would feel much difference between conti and maxxis tires if you match the equivalent stiffness and rubber compound. But I do find conti has made the options and choices easier. Combined Kryptotal and Argotal in different rubber and stiffness, with an insert in the back…..that will be my go to combo for the foreseable future for sure.
Started with Kryptotal R (at rear) enduro casing but after I sliced it very bad on my 4th or 5th ride I switched to Kryptotal R DH casing soft compound on my Norco range. Survived 3 full shuttle days in Finale Ligure (about 10 000m of descending) and some smaller days peddling up with very little sings of use, so lets hope it will last.
Absolutely love the Kryptotal FR/Xynotal both in endurance/trail casing on my 120/100 full sus "downcountry" bike winter setup on the heavier aluminium wheelset. The toughest tyre before that I've used was a Nobby Nic so I'm not the ideal person to comment how they compare to something similar, however the grip is phenomenal, predictable, and they add certainly 10 - 15 % to your bike's intended use scenario.
One word of caution. The Trail Casing with Endurance compound doesn't grip or conform well to rocks. If you start noticing that the front seems to want to dart to the side on angled rocks and roots more than previous tires you've used, take that to heart. I started out on the Enduro/Soft Kryptotal, and loved it, but then switched to the Trail/Endurance compound when it was all that was available. I don't know what terrain you ride on typically, but on our limestone rocks, it was NOT a good tire choice, and like an idiot I ignored that limitation while waiting for a Enduro Casing, Soft Compound Kryptotal to arrive. I had a few near misses on it, and it finally cost me two broken ribs and time off the bike when the bike just went out from under me on a very short angled rock that I'd ridden over hundreds of times on a DHF with no problem. That was on the heels of losing the front similarly multiple times. Just beware....it's a definite concern, and I've since had two buddies have similar experiences. That all goes away by moving away from the Trail/Endurance combo...and up to the Enduro/Soft.
@@willbros1499 Sorry for your crash, and thanks for the advice. I will for sure try a SOFT when available in Trail casing since I have some tarmac riding before the first trail, and therefore I'm not keen on using a 1.2 kg tyre. I't like some clay/mud here, mega sticky when wet. Roots mainly rocks only on some higher altitudes, but since I use pretty low PSI and I'm a beginner, so not very aggressive, I haven't noticed the problem yet.
@@goingdowncountry .... Fair enough. I was stubborn, and thought I could be careful and continue on the tire while waiting for the new soft compound to arrive. I was showing a close buddy a trail called "Dragon Scales" and riding behind him, and I caught the edge of a rock that you would never expect to affect the front tire, and it just went hard left and I want hard right...onto the rocks on my side. What made me furious was...the day before I had contemplated putting my previous DHF back on the bike, because I was afraid of that issue after some close calls. Ugh. Definitely use caution, because I had two other buddies who had the same issue, but they were smarter than me and took the tire off immediately after the first few scares. LOL
I switched from the classic Assegai + DHR2 combo to Krypto F+R Enduro Soft last year. Rolling speed even in this compound was a pleasant upgrade. Grip is excellent all around and especially on off camber stuff. That is partly due to how stout the side knobs are how they resist folding under extreme cornering. I've smashed them in sharp rocks on the regular and they held up great. This year I will be testing the Argotal DH SS for front and Xynotol Enduro Soft rear for alpine riding. The install was tough for Enduro and DH casing and required tire levers. Never had to use tire levers for Maxxis DD casing tires. Contis are significantly more durable than Maxxis Maxxterra/grip compounds which have been lasting me barely a season.
@@rrolleman4879 the Assegai Maxxgrip sticks really well in the wet. The DHR2 Maxterra rear was a little sketchy but for those days the Maxxgrip version worked really well
Switched from the Maxxis Dissector/Assegai combo first the Xynotal rear (rolls just as fast but better grip and stouter side knobs and doesn't wear out in 20 rides like the Dissector). The Kryptotal-F in the Enduro Soft compound is comparable replacement for the Assegao EXO+ but a bit burlier/rolls quicker. Only place it loses out to the Assegai EXO+ MaxxGRIP is wet off-camber traction on roots (slightly). Not really an issue here in Aus as it's not usually that wet. Just wish Conti did their Extra Soft compounds in at least the Enduro casings. Maxxis tyres are still easier to mount - Contis in classic Conti style undersize their tyres slightly vs. Maxxis.
I'm now with kryptotal enduro soft fr/re on scott ransom eride, total riding weight 124kg. Before had dhr2/assegai. Only difference I could notice is that maxxis was wearing way faster than conties in simullar compund. Would love that kryptotal come in 2.5 and 2.6 too.
I have always had good luck with Conti MTB tires. I haven’t tried that model but I will look into getting a set for my gravel bike and maybe get the Argotal 29x2.6 this summer paired with the Krytotal 2.6” rear. (It gets really loose on my SoCal trails and I like the high volume tires.
Running argotal and kryptotal combo. One rocky and loose tracks this combo wins hands down. More predictable and when it let's go the front has that mechanical traction to always hook back up. Just find the continentals edge of traction to be predictable and easy to manage. Just ordered the xynotal and krytotal fe for the trail bike. Hopefully just as good. I've ran the endurance/trail in the rear and destroyed it in 3 rides. Holes and slashes. Ran the downhill casing since and not a drama, so if you ride double blacks I'd suggest a better casing, never flatted on exo+ prior.
If they don't, give the Kryptotal Fr in 2.4 Enduro Casing/Soft Compound up front...and the Xynotal 2.4 Enduro Casing/Soft Compound out back a try. I think you'll find them to be every bit as good as the Trail Kings.
I went from Maxxis Dissectors to Continental Xynotals (enduro, with soft compounds and enduro casing), we ride park mostly. But they perform better than the Dissectors, even over loose leaves and wetter conditions. The Maxxis tyres I felt, were a little vague on the edge. Though that may be down to me. In short, I feel more confident on the Continentals.
I ride the kryptotal fr/rear Enduro casing. I like it better than maxxis mainly bc they have lasted much longer for me. For me, Maxxis has the edge w options in compounds, casing and lately, killer sales w non packaging version.
I used to use tire sealant straight tubeless but since I used inner tubes now with tire sealant inside the tube, I never had any tire problems. It's been a year and the tire pressure still the same. Actually when I'm on top of the mountain and it's hot, the tire pressure is actually higher. I dont know if that's normal, is that normal? It seems I'm reducing air more than I put air in it.
Been riding the Kryptotal front (29) and rear (27.5) since July. Really like them, although I wish I'd been able to find the enduro compound. I could only find trails at the time (and it still seems pretty hit-and-miss), but since they're on an e-bike, the slower enduros would've been nice for a touch more traction.
The tail and enduro are the casing protection.. For traction, you would go either, endurance, soft or super soft. I just got the xynotal in the enduro casing/soft compound for the back. Haven't ridden it yet.
Just finished building my AM Bike. Considered them, would have liked a Trail Casing / Soft and an Enduro Casing / Endurance which is not available. Enduro casing options had been on Back Order. So went with Tacky Chan Super Trail and Hans Dampf Super Gravity both in Soft, like them a lot.
Am finished building my kona honzo al up a went for those deore mt6100 brake with just the shimano logo as they was ome part am using 150mm lyrik wtb vigilante are great
What do you mean by winter? I forgot where you live. Does the sealant work well in sub zero temps? It can get to -10C here for a long time, even down to -15C some days. But few days ago it was between -18C and -23C. Not been crazy cold since I was a kid. But not ridden those days, nor were good enough to do so anyway. But I ride in -10C often so need a sealant to handle that. I got Muc Off this time, but I had use double the recommended dose,. But I saw a high pressure road tyre puncture test it did 7mm I think. But shame I have to use so much of the sealant. I will see how it does long term.
I'm curious how the bead holds up and if anyone experienced cracking. So how is it? Anyone had used it long term? I use Michelin Wild Enduro the bead stays like new but the knobs crack, knobs wear faster in both compounds than Maxxis Maxterra, But with Maxxis I wear the bead faster.
Been riding these on my Commencal ebike and my Ibis RIpmo AF in Pisgah/Dupont for over a year. I did have an issue with a couple of warped tires I got off of Amazon. I thought my wheel needed to be tuned but it was the tire. This happened twice but returned them and the next ones were fine. Really weird. As you spun the tire there was an extreme wobble in on place.
@@LoveMTB They still look good even after 6 to 12 months later and work great in any condition. I do like the pattern on the sidewalls compared my to DHR/DHF Maxxis tires that seem to leak sealant.
Good improvement then, the Contis used to be bad with leaky sidewalls. So far so good for us but we did not ride them a lot, crazy weather outside😊@@netposerx
@@LoveMTB I feel you. I'm a few hours east of Pisgah in North Carolina and it's going to get well below freezing in a few days. I'm heading back to Florida where the coldest it gets during the day in might be in the low 50F/10C.
I'm running the kryptotal-front and rear on my ebike in the downhill casing super soft front and soft rear. They have been really great for me here in socal. I bought the trail version for my trail bike and the front is crap. Traction is nonexistent. I tried several rides and then front end slide out and crashed🤦♂️ went back to assegai and dhrII combo. Super bummed about the trail endurance compound.
Running Conti's on my GT Force Amp+ (MX)... 29x2.6 Argotal Enduro Soft (F) & 27.5x2.6 Enduro Soft (R). Great tyres on my Eeb. They measure up 67mm wide (tread to tread) on 30mm ID rims. They're massive!! Thinking they're a tyre that runs over spec aka wider than stated... I bought a 29x2.4 Argotal Enduro Soft, for my long travel Amish rig. To my extreme disappointment... they blow up more like a 2.3 tyre!? If you put the 2.6 side by side with the 2.4, they look like totally different tyres!? I'd be happy if they took 2-3 mil off the 2.6 and gave it to the 2.4 Pricing wise the Enduro Soft tyres I purchased are similar to a 29x2.5 Assegai, double down, 3C Maxxterra, WT tyre (you do get more letters with Maxxis) 😁 Re, casing - the Conti Enduro casing is proper Enduro ready... Slightly burlier than a Maxxis double down :imho:
@@LoveMTB yeah... couldn't find much info about 2.4 Argotal width... if I'd known it was so narrow, would've looked elsewhere. Anyone want a basically new 2.4 Argotal??
Looks ok, but really since I’ve tried Pirelli’s Cinturato Gravel M tires for my gravelbike and their Scorpion XC RC (following your review) for my hardtail, i can’t envision myself running anything else!
I've been running the 27.5 rear trail endurance on my Bronson mullet for 5 months. It has shined in wet muddy conditions all the way to dry loose summer conditions. This is my first deviation from Maxxis Assegai in quite a while. It is very grippy, burley and predictable. I will buy this tire again! It is now very worn but still rides pretty well.
Continental is dropping the ball huge by not making a Kryptotal-F in a super soft with the enduro casing. Not everyone needs a DH casing on a front tire, but needs the grip of the super soft. Maxxis you can get an EXO casing and Maxxgrip compound on a DHF or Assegai.
I rode Kryptotal & Argotal for the last 3 weeks on a Revel Rascal trail bike and I'm not really impressed. They run different. Have to be way softer for any root/ rock riding or they ping off everything making the ride very uncomfortable. Downhill loose crumbly shale or loam, dry, rock & root they held at 17psi but they are noisy, swirling & squirrelling on any hard or off camber surfaces. In wet conditions they suck on any smooth surface. So not for me unless I get into a dry weather downhill situation.. My go to tires are still Maxxis Forekaster front & Specialized ground Ground Control Grid rear for non winterror adventure riding.. Even the Pirelli Scorpion tires are in 2nd place.
@@chris4536 that was Dec-Jan2024, I'll have to ask the guy that loaned me the bike. However, talking with other guys that ride in Trinidad, they had similar experiences and lately found the tires suffering to often from pinch flats... I'll ask for the tire details and get back to you.
I found That a Argotal F (trail/soft)/Kyptotal R (Enduro/soft) combo sticks like shit to a blanket. Got them in 22, they lasted all winter - they were good enough so I've put them both back on for another season, so far so good.
I've used most of their line up. Kryptotal are mediocre and I don't use them anymore. Standouts are the Xynotal in trail or soft (for the rear, no need to buy an Aggressor or Dissector anymore) and Argotal in soft and super soft.
@@LoveMTB Regular pedal bike. Mostly dry, rocky, hardpack, loose powder. I found the Krypt soft surprisingly bad on hardpack and loose powder considering the size of the size knobs. The Argotal is quite good in the wet so I have a set of DH SS on one wheelset.
I would appreciate if manufactures would make the logos a little subtle. I get they want to advertise their products but I’m personally not a fan of the yellow.
I have been riding an Argotal-Kryptotal combo both in enduro casing and soft compound in my hardcore hardtail. In the past I had minion DHF, Assegai, Dissector experience. Let me put that straight. The grip is way more in the contis. In all situations. Argotal rolls slower comparing it to the Assegai, but it has more grip and way more predictability. Even when it lets loose, you can feel that it wants to come back. When the dirt is kind of dryish mud (sticky), unfortunately you cannot roll without digging tracks after you and it is annoying. It penetrates and grips whatever. So be careful of the choice. The Kryptotal in the back feels fast for what it is, being stubborn to let loose. And again when it does it doesn’t frighten you. I love them and appreciate the engineering behind them. Maxxis is the standard to a lot of us but from my point of view and the dirt I ride, I truly feel way more confident with the continentals.
Continental's been making tires for a long time, they know what they're doing, just like Pirelli.
How would you compare side wall protection between conti carcases to maxxis ones? I'm always going to Maxxis DD for my rear wheel on my "do it all" agressive hardtail, and still had some snake bites when cased stairs hard. Now I'm running it with insert Vittoria air-liner, and zero flats even on hardest hits yet. I think, can I go with Conti Trail casing, considering it's almost like they're Enduro one, but with no bead protection, and I ride with inserts anyway. I really want to have that 2.6" Enduranced compaund, wich would be long lasting enough, and this is only available in Trail carcas.
@@ThugZ3r0 no tire is invincible. I use enduro casing on my setup, 20psi in the back and I had the chance to hit the rim multiple times. No issues whatsoever. If you want to continue with inserts then go for the trail casing as you said. I personally don’t believe in inserts, not to mess the tires shock characteristics and deformation. I prefer to run a heavier casing and let the tire do its work without the influence from the inserts. But, without proper measurement instruments in a lab with controlled factors we are all correct and all wrong.
YES, I have extensive experience with them from before they were even officially released. Our entire group has ridden, or is currently riding them. THE ENDURANCE COMPOUND DOES NOT GRAB WELL AT ALL ON ROCKS. I broke a few ribs as a result, and I had another crash where I was lucky not to be injured, and had a couple of other inexplicable "slide outs" while on the Endurance Compound. I noticed in the video, I didn't see any rocks. They absolutely DO NOT hook up on them, and they deflect offline if you hit rocks at even mild angles. I can't emphasize that enough.... IN FAIRNESS, a move up to the "Soft" compound completely alleviates the issue, and they grab rocks on par with the Maxxis 3c compound. The other issue is....more than one of us had the Endurance compound Kryptotal casings go out of round, just from trail impacts. Badly out of round. I would just suggest that while the price is good, steer clear of the Endurance compound and go with Soft. They still roll well, and grip much better. There are also definite positives versus Maxxis.
The side lugs don't shear off like Maxxis. They wear better than Maxxis. They are MUCH more resistant to punctures and slits. For our terrain here in Arkansas, which is pretty demanding with the sharp rock shards and square edge rocks, they are FAR more durable than Maxxis EXO or EXO+. It's not a close comparison. We've had almost zero tire issues since we switched to them. I am running the Xyontal rear and Kryptotal Fr., both in 2.4....Enduro casing, and soft compound. That's a good blend of grip, and rolling resistance.
Thank you for all the info!👍
@@LoveMTB ..... You're welcome. On our jagged rocky terrain, they hold up well. I've recently gone to the DH casing, soft compound Xynotal rear, and done away with Tannus. My insert journey started with CushCore and DD Aggressor for racing enduro. Then dropped back to EXO Aggressor with Tannus. Now, I'm running the DH casing Xynotal in soft compound with a Kryptotal Enduro in soft, and I have had one small puncture in the front tire on a trail called "The Ledges" that has sharp flint rock shards that are notorious for wrecking tires. That's it.
I don't even take things to plug a tire on my rides in the Slaughter Pen System anymore....water bottle and let 'er rip!! That's how confident I have become in the durability of those Conti tires. I would say vs the Aggressor EXO 2.5 and DHF EXO+ 2.5 that I ran for years...I'm giving up maybe 5-10% rolling resistance, but the peace of mind and lack of hassle of having flats...more than makes up for it. Also, I got annoyed with shredding the side lugs on the Maxxis tires. That would retire the tire long before tread wear, riding on our chert rock trails!
I don't know how well that little "teardrop" shape on the interior of the sidewall near the bead actually helps with rim protection, but I'm DONE dealing with inserts. My primary complaint with them is that they thin out the sealant over all of that added surface area and make it dry out about twice as fast...or faster. I just keep dumping more in, and end up with these "tire boogers" that will eventually make a LUMP that I roll over and can feel while riding. So over the insert life.... LOL
"terrain in Arkansas...pretty demanding..." thanks for the laugh.
@@trentvlak ... Demanding on tires....read better. Our soil structure includes some places with flint rock, and when it shears and sits just in the right position in the trail, it's like running over arrowheads. But if it makes you feel better to slam on our area....blast away.
Xynotal 2.4" 'Supersoft' on the front 'Riding Downhill', 'Downhill Casing'. For hard pack, I ride loose over hard and loose dirt with rocks and roots. It grips really well, better than an Assegai or DHF. I have heard it walking but not had it let go on a corner yet.
Kryptotal 2.6" 'Soft' on the rear 'Riding Enduro', 'Enduro Casing'. For mixed loose over hard, I ride loose over hard and loose dirt with rocks and roots. It also grips really well, better than anything else I have used but that could be in part, due to the larger profile size.
I ride a 29" aggressive hard tail, no tyre inserts, 35mm internal width rims.
The tyres are really like a double down casing with a stiff side wall, the nobs are stiff but made of soft rubber. I run them between 19 and 23 PSI and ride black technical trails and some jump lines. No rim hits or flats so far, the tyres are tight on the rims so less burping and they were easy to inflate but tight to fit to the rim.
Have done a couple of 100km on them and the front still has some mold flashing "excess thin rubber" on it , which I thought would have disappeared on the 2nd ride. As I result I think even the soft compounds are quite hard wearing, certainly more so than Maxxis and Schwalbe tyres.
Don't think I will be buying any other brand in the future unless something better comes along.
Like some others have mentioned, the soft and supersoft are grippy but hard wearing.
Got my tyres on sale at a great price.
@@pebbleinspector Yes they do, I suggest you actually go and look.
My only experience with these is a summer of park riding like 2-4 days a week, and I was using the downhill casing, super soft kryptotal front and rear (so I can't speak to the other weights and compounds) but holy moly y'all. Coming from double down max grip assegai/dhr ii on my main bike and having soft magic mary front and rear on my second bike to compare side by side to the kryptotals, these absolutely SLAP dude. Unmatched. The cornering traction is unlike anything I could have imagined coming from maxxis and schwalbe. You can treat flat hardpack corners just like a small berm and trust in it completely. I could not believe how good they were. They lasted just barely long enough for one whole season (mind you I think I was lucky enough to ride more park than a lot of people have the chance to), so when I switched back to my normal assegai/dhr ii setup after park season, I felt like a newborn giraffe trying to figure out how to move around. I had soooo much less trust in my traction and it took me about a solid 2 or 3 weeks of riding the maxxis tires to start getting my trust back in them because they aren't nearly as consistent and stalwart as the conti's. And I still definitely can't lean as aggressively and have to go a little bit slower to stop my rear end from getting sketchy and keep the front feeling predictable.
Wow that big of a difference 🍺
@@LoveMTB Even bigger! I'm not even doing it justice. Again, to be fair it was the super soft compound, so I'm not sure how many people would be willing to run that as a daily tire because of the rolling resistance (which, again, I was lucky enough to not have to factor in or think about), and the accelerated wear, but for pure gravity riding, I'm absolutely floored by their performance. Maybe a super soft in the front and regular soft in the back for enduro would be a more realistic pairing that people could benefit more from?
I'm so glad Continental added these to their range. I normally run Cross kings for smoother hardpack & loam but I swap to the Kryptotals if I'm going to be on rocky, rooty trails.
Cross kings grip better on pure hardpack (in the 2.6" at least) but the Kryptotals grip extremely well on roots and rocks. I especially notice their grip on rocky, technical climbs.
I rode these since they hit the market. I absolutely love them. I got most of my riding crew on them now.
Congrats on 80K subscribers. I know this is the year your channel is going to go through the roof. Buying tires for my truck is a lot easier than buying MTB tires, as there are so many choices. Great review. Cheers.
🎉🎉🎉thank you Don! And isn’t that true?😊
I currently run the Kryptotals rears on a couple bikes. I have an Argotal front on another (though oddly not paired with the Kryptotal hah). I really like both of them, especially the Argotal enduro soft. I think I even prefer it over the Assegai. The Kryptotal on the rear is the enduro casing with soft compound and they are really stiff. I run lower pressure for them, particularly when it's muddy (PNW) to get the grip I need.
I just pulled a set of Conti Mountain Kings out of a box that have been in there for prolly 5 years. I cannot believe how fantastic they are. Cannot believe it. But on the other hand I have a dual sport motorcycle and I have run a dozen types of tires in the last 30 years and the only ones Ill have on it now are Continental TKC 70s or 80s. Conti for the win.
I picked up a set of Kryptotal's for my bike, Absolutely love them over the Schwalbe Big Betty/Magic Mary combo I had on the bike before. They work terrific on the trails down here in Texas.
Very cool!😎
On my Full Suspension I replaced my DHF/DHR with the Conti Kryptotal Fr/Re in Enduro/Soft. Continental seemed to make a tire with better grip and rolling resistance. They really widened the spectrum on both ends. I’m super happy with them and plan to switch my hardtail over once it needs new tires too.
Thanks for sharing a lot of great feedback on these tires, unexpected for me
I've been riding the Kriptotal Fr and the Xenoyal (front and rear, respectively) and I absolutely love the combination! For my local trails, I chose the trail casing and have had nothing but great rides.
Thanks for sharing!
I ride the same combo. They are great.
I've just switched to a pair of Argotal's from DHF & DHR and the first thing I noticed is how well they clear mud in realy sloppy conditions. The cornering grip is remarkable, very confidence inspiring even in the slippery clay mud at my local trails.
Good to know thanks!🤘
I've been using TruckerCo sealant and brake pads for over 3 years. Never had an issue with either of them. The price is amazeballs, when shipped in the U.S.
Hmm hav to try their pads next, thanks!
I am not sure I would feel much difference between conti and maxxis tires if you match the equivalent stiffness and rubber compound. But I do find conti has made the options and choices easier. Combined Kryptotal and Argotal in different rubber and stiffness, with an insert in the back…..that will be my go to combo for the foreseable future for sure.
Started with Kryptotal R (at rear) enduro casing but after I sliced it very bad on my 4th or 5th ride I switched to Kryptotal R DH casing soft compound on my Norco range. Survived 3 full shuttle days in Finale Ligure (about 10 000m of descending) and some smaller days peddling up with very little sings of use, so lets hope it will last.
Wow nice riding on toop of everything 😊
Absolutely love the Kryptotal FR/Xynotal both in endurance/trail casing on my 120/100 full sus "downcountry" bike winter setup on the heavier aluminium wheelset. The toughest tyre before that I've used was a Nobby Nic so I'm not the ideal person to comment how they compare to something similar, however the grip is phenomenal, predictable, and they add certainly 10 - 15 % to your bike's intended use scenario.
One word of caution. The Trail Casing with Endurance compound doesn't grip or conform well to rocks. If you start noticing that the front seems to want to dart to the side on angled rocks and roots more than previous tires you've used, take that to heart. I started out on the Enduro/Soft Kryptotal, and loved it, but then switched to the Trail/Endurance compound when it was all that was available. I don't know what terrain you ride on typically, but on our limestone rocks, it was NOT a good tire choice, and like an idiot I ignored that limitation while waiting for a Enduro Casing, Soft Compound Kryptotal to arrive. I had a few near misses on it, and it finally cost me two broken ribs and time off the bike when the bike just went out from under me on a very short angled rock that I'd ridden over hundreds of times on a DHF with no problem. That was on the heels of losing the front similarly multiple times. Just beware....it's a definite concern, and I've since had two buddies have similar experiences. That all goes away by moving away from the Trail/Endurance combo...and up to the Enduro/Soft.
@@willbros1499 Sorry for your crash, and thanks for the advice. I will for sure try a SOFT when available in Trail casing since I have some tarmac riding before the first trail, and therefore I'm not keen on using a 1.2 kg tyre. I't like some clay/mud here, mega sticky when wet. Roots mainly rocks only on some higher altitudes, but since I use pretty low PSI and I'm a beginner, so not very aggressive, I haven't noticed the problem yet.
@@goingdowncountry .... Fair enough. I was stubborn, and thought I could be careful and continue on the tire while waiting for the new soft compound to arrive. I was showing a close buddy a trail called "Dragon Scales" and riding behind him, and I caught the edge of a rock that you would never expect to affect the front tire, and it just went hard left and I want hard right...onto the rocks on my side. What made me furious was...the day before I had contemplated putting my previous DHF back on the bike, because I was afraid of that issue after some close calls. Ugh.
Definitely use caution, because I had two other buddies who had the same issue, but they were smarter than me and took the tire off immediately after the first few scares. LOL
Changed to Conti's after trying a set... they are Fantastic.
I switched from the classic Assegai + DHR2 combo to Krypto F+R Enduro Soft last year. Rolling speed even in this compound was a pleasant upgrade. Grip is excellent all around and especially on off camber stuff. That is partly due to how stout the side knobs are how they resist folding under extreme cornering. I've smashed them in sharp rocks on the regular and they held up great. This year I will be testing the Argotal DH SS for front and Xynotol Enduro Soft rear for alpine riding. The install was tough for Enduro and DH casing and required tire levers. Never had to use tire levers for Maxxis DD casing tires. Contis are significantly more durable than Maxxis Maxxterra/grip compounds which have been lasting me barely a season.
Which Assegai/DHR2 combo did you use (EXO+/DD, Maxxgrip/Maxxterra)? And on what type of terrain?
Assegai Maxxgrip EXO+/DHR2 Maxterra DD. The Rockies so Alpine terrain in Alberta and BC. Lots of steeps on loose rocks/scree.
@@sprungmass how were they in the wet?
@@rrolleman4879 the Assegai Maxxgrip sticks really well in the wet. The DHR2 Maxterra rear was a little sketchy but for those days the Maxxgrip version worked really well
Best tire out there. I’ve ridden all casings and compounds in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Texas.
Thanks for sharing! It seems to be the general consensus that Contis are back in the game
Switched from the Maxxis Dissector/Assegai combo first the Xynotal rear (rolls just as fast but better grip and stouter side knobs and doesn't wear out in 20 rides like the Dissector). The Kryptotal-F in the Enduro Soft compound is comparable replacement for the Assegao EXO+ but a bit burlier/rolls quicker. Only place it loses out to the Assegai EXO+ MaxxGRIP is wet off-camber traction on roots (slightly). Not really an issue here in Aus as it's not usually that wet.
Just wish Conti did their Extra Soft compounds in at least the Enduro casings.
Maxxis tyres are still easier to mount - Contis in classic Conti style undersize their tyres slightly vs. Maxxis.
I'm now with kryptotal enduro soft fr/re on scott ransom eride, total riding weight 124kg. Before had dhr2/assegai. Only difference I could notice is that maxxis was wearing way faster than conties in simullar compund. Would love that kryptotal come in 2.5 and 2.6 too.
Might be their next move, thanks for sharing your experience!
I have always had good luck with Conti MTB tires. I haven’t tried that model but I will look into getting a set for my gravel bike and maybe get the Argotal 29x2.6 this summer paired with the Krytotal 2.6” rear. (It gets really loose on my SoCal trails and I like the high volume tires.
Using a rear Kryptotal great tire great traction. ❤
Great vid thank you!!There is so many awesome tires out today it's makes it hard to decide.Cheers!!!
Couldn't agree more! Hope you’re keeping warm Glenn😉
Running argotal and kryptotal combo. One rocky and loose tracks this combo wins hands down. More predictable and when it let's go the front has that mechanical traction to always hook back up. Just find the continentals edge of traction to be predictable and easy to manage. Just ordered the xynotal and krytotal fe for the trail bike. Hopefully just as good.
I've ran the endurance/trail in the rear and destroyed it in 3 rides. Holes and slashes. Ran the downhill casing since and not a drama, so if you ride double blacks I'd suggest a better casing, never flatted on exo+ prior.
I love my trail kings... Hope they continue making them
If they don't, give the Kryptotal Fr in 2.4 Enduro Casing/Soft Compound up front...and the Xynotal 2.4 Enduro Casing/Soft Compound out back a try. I think you'll find them to be every bit as good as the Trail Kings.
Race Kings and Cross Kings are fantastic tyres but they need an update to modern standards... 2.4 would be much appreciated.
No kiddin'
I went from Maxxis Dissectors to Continental Xynotals (enduro, with soft compounds and enduro casing), we ride park mostly. But they perform better than the Dissectors, even over loose leaves and wetter conditions. The Maxxis tyres I felt, were a little vague on the edge. Though that may be down to me. In short, I feel more confident on the Continentals.
And that’s all that matters isn’t it? Cheers
@@1xbikes Do you ride Xynotals front and rear? Thanks
@@benjaminmiller3835 when I ride Xynotals, I have them front and back. As a rear only would also be a good choice.
I can def tell more grip when scrubbing. Great tires
I ride the kryptotal fr/rear Enduro casing. I like it better than maxxis mainly bc they have lasted much longer for me. For me, Maxxis has the edge w options in compounds, casing and lately, killer sales w non packaging version.
I used to use tire sealant straight tubeless but since I used inner tubes now with tire sealant inside the tube, I never had any tire problems. It's been a year and the tire pressure still the same. Actually when I'm on top of the mountain and it's hot, the tire pressure is actually higher. I dont know if that's normal, is that normal? It seems I'm reducing air more than I put air in it.
Been riding the Kryptotal front (29) and rear (27.5) since July. Really like them, although I wish I'd been able to find the enduro compound. I could only find trails at the time (and it still seems pretty hit-and-miss), but since they're on an e-bike, the slower enduros would've been nice for a touch more traction.
The tail and enduro are the casing protection.. For traction, you would go either, endurance, soft or super soft. I just got the xynotal in the enduro casing/soft compound for the back. Haven't ridden it yet.
Just finished building my AM Bike. Considered them, would have liked a Trail Casing / Soft and an Enduro Casing / Endurance which is not available. Enduro casing options had been on Back Order.
So went with Tacky Chan Super Trail and Hans Dampf Super Gravity both in Soft, like them a lot.
Very nice! Still to see in flesh the Tacky Chan
I went with Magic Mary Trail Soft / Hans Dampf Gravity Soft - liking them so far!
Great review. What internal width rim did you put those on?
They are on a 27.5 ID rim
Best tires for Arizona, Colorado and Texas. Loose rocks, silt over hardpack, kitty litter are no problem for the Kryptotal’s.
I ride in Phoenix before, I think I know what you’re referring to👍
How do these new conti's fit? The previous ones were a pain to fit much like Gatorskins and Tufos.
Just like normal tires no issues
Am finished building my kona honzo al up a went for those deore mt6100 brake with just the shimano logo as they was ome part am using 150mm lyrik wtb vigilante are great
What do you mean by winter? I forgot where you live. Does the sealant work well in sub zero temps? It can get to -10C here for a long time, even down to -15C some days.
But few days ago it was between -18C and -23C. Not been crazy cold since I was a kid. But not ridden those days, nor were good enough to do so anyway. But I ride in -10C often so need a sealant to handle that.
I got Muc Off this time, but I had use double the recommended dose,. But I saw a high pressure road tyre puncture test it did 7mm I think.
But shame I have to use so much of the sealant. I will see how it does long term.
Yeah no riding when it’s that cold, it’s called ski⛷️ 😊
I'm curious how the bead holds up and if anyone experienced cracking. So how is it? Anyone had used it long term?
I use Michelin Wild Enduro the bead stays like new but the knobs crack, knobs wear faster in both compounds than Maxxis Maxterra, But with Maxxis I wear the bead faster.
Been riding these on my Commencal ebike and my Ibis RIpmo AF in Pisgah/Dupont for over a year. I did have an issue with a couple of warped tires I got off of Amazon. I thought my wheel needed to be tuned but it was the tire. This happened twice but returned them and the next ones were fine. Really weird. As you spun the tire there was an extreme wobble in on place.
Interesting, thanks for sharing! How do you like them? Kryptotal?
@@LoveMTB They still look good even after 6 to 12 months later and work great in any condition. I do like the pattern on the sidewalls compared my to DHR/DHF Maxxis tires that seem to leak sealant.
Good improvement then, the Contis used to be bad with leaky sidewalls. So far so good for us but we did not ride them a lot, crazy weather outside😊@@netposerx
@@LoveMTB I feel you. I'm a few hours east of Pisgah in North Carolina and it's going to get well below freezing in a few days. I'm heading back to Florida where the coldest it gets during the day in might be in the low 50F/10C.
@@netposerx nice 👍 enjoy the riding! And I hope to ride Pisgsh in the next couple of years😊
I'm running the kryptotal-front and rear on my ebike in the downhill casing super soft front and soft rear. They have been really great for me here in socal. I bought the trail version for my trail bike and the front is crap. Traction is nonexistent. I tried several rides and then front end slide out and crashed🤦♂️ went back to assegai and dhrII combo. Super bummed about the trail endurance compound.
Interesting a few others said the same about the Endurance! Thanks for sharing
Running Conti's on my GT Force Amp+ (MX)... 29x2.6 Argotal Enduro Soft (F) & 27.5x2.6 Enduro Soft (R).
Great tyres on my Eeb.
They measure up 67mm wide (tread to tread) on 30mm ID rims.
They're massive!!
Thinking they're a tyre that runs over spec aka wider than stated... I bought a 29x2.4 Argotal Enduro Soft, for my long travel Amish rig.
To my extreme disappointment... they blow up more like a 2.3 tyre!?
If you put the 2.6 side by side with the 2.4, they look like totally different tyres!?
I'd be happy if they took 2-3 mil off the 2.6 and gave it to the 2.4
Pricing wise the Enduro Soft tyres I purchased are similar to a 29x2.5 Assegai, double down, 3C Maxxterra, WT tyre (you do get more letters with Maxxis) 😁
Re, casing - the Conti Enduro casing is proper Enduro ready... Slightly burlier than a Maxxis double down :imho:
Thanks for sharing I’m learning a lot from you guys 👍
@@LoveMTB yeah... couldn't find much info about 2.4 Argotal width... if I'd known it was so narrow, would've looked elsewhere. Anyone want a basically new 2.4 Argotal??
Looks ok, but really since I’ve tried Pirelli’s Cinturato Gravel M tires for my gravelbike and their Scorpion XC RC (following your review) for my hardtail, i can’t envision myself running anything else!
With you on that 💯😎
I have not rode the new ones...But, I sure wish Conti would make a Race King w/Black Chili compound, 2.4 and 2.6.
Maybe that's next?? I would guess so
I've been running the 27.5 rear trail endurance on my Bronson mullet for 5 months. It has shined in wet muddy conditions all the way to dry loose summer conditions. This is my first deviation from Maxxis Assegai in quite a while. It is very grippy, burley and predictable. I will buy this tire again! It is now very worn but still rides pretty well.
Continental is dropping the ball huge by not making a Kryptotal-F in a super soft with the enduro casing. Not everyone needs a DH casing on a front tire, but needs the grip of the super soft. Maxxis you can get an EXO casing and Maxxgrip compound on a DHF or Assegai.
Great point!
Continental makes one of the best MTB tires in the world and few people knows it
i have been running them since they came out, never going back to maxxis
@@danytheunicorn95 we’re getting close to that conclusion as well…
I rode Kryptotal & Argotal for the last 3 weeks on a Revel Rascal trail bike and I'm not really impressed. They run different. Have to be way softer for any root/ rock riding or they ping off everything making the ride very uncomfortable.
Downhill loose crumbly shale or loam, dry, rock & root they held at 17psi but they are noisy, swirling & squirrelling on any hard or off camber surfaces.
In wet conditions they suck on any smooth surface. So not for me unless I get into a dry weather downhill situation..
My go to tires are still Maxxis Forekaster front & Specialized ground Ground Control Grid rear for non winterror adventure riding.. Even the Pirelli Scorpion tires are in 2nd place.
Which casing and compound you using on the Rascal? Thx
@@chris4536 that was Dec-Jan2024, I'll have to ask the guy that loaned me the bike. However, talking with other guys that ride in Trinidad, they had similar experiences and lately found the tires suffering to often from pinch flats... I'll ask for the tire details and get back to you.
@@chris4536 Kryptotal front, Argotal rear both trail casing with endurance compound
@@AndreLaurentMTB Aaah OK, thanks! Seems like the endurance compound has pretty poor grip from what else I've read. Cheers
I found That a Argotal F (trail/soft)/Kyptotal R (Enduro/soft) combo sticks like shit to a blanket. Got them in 22, they lasted all winter - they were good enough so I've put them both back on for another season, so far so good.
They don't make a Trail Soft mix? Are you sure you didn't buy an Trail / Endurance front tyre?
Possibly - the grades are a little confusing….
I've used most of their line up. Kryptotal are mediocre and I don't use them anymore. Standouts are the Xynotal in trail or soft (for the rear, no need to buy an Aggressor or Dissector anymore) and Argotal in soft and super soft.
Thanks for sharing youe experience. What kind of terrain do you usually ride? Bike or ebike?
@@LoveMTB Regular pedal bike. Mostly dry, rocky, hardpack, loose powder. I found the Krypt soft surprisingly bad on hardpack and loose powder considering the size of the size knobs. The Argotal is quite good in the wet so I have a set of DH SS on one wheelset.
Hi , Made in ?
Dang I thought this was about new tires like a Enduro or Trail Super Soft.
Over 1kg for their lightest trail tyre?
Gravity line of tires though...
I would appreciate if manufactures would make the logos a little subtle. I get they want to advertise their products but I’m personally not a fan of the yellow.
Uphill battle?
Sharpie!
I haven't ran any of the new Coni tyres yet. I prefer Schwalbe because they're just better imo
Hmm I use to ride Schwalbe exclusively, not anymore
How do you know they are better unless you try them both properly? What's your preferred Schwable combo for your bike, terrain and style? Cheers
only like these in dh casing as the trail/enduro ones puncture easily
those logo does not mean anything why dont put classic name !! those last years all industrials make thing more more complicated
Tires is tires stop the bs I ride with cheap tires and there's no difference it's your tire pressure that makes the difference
Sure!......
LMAO!!! 🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣