Continentals’s new Grand Prix 4 Seasons Black Edition road tire gets a black rubber coating over the usual brown DuraSkin sidewall. It adds a negligible amount of weight, less of a difference than the usual variance from tire to tire. It’s available in North America only and only in a 25mm width. Comes as a box set of two tires for about $140. It has two layers of their Vectran puncture and cut protection belt. It’s purely a vanity thing, there’s not performance difference.
Check out a close up, and some new mountain bike tires, below…
The Protection Apex casing was teased at Eurobike 2014 (but is finally available) is a urethane insert in the sidewall that helps keep the tire upright in hard cornering (less squirm) and protects the rim during hard impacts. That lets you run lower pressures for better traction without the tire just rolling sideways.
It comes on the Der Baron Projekt 2.4 in 26, 27.5 and 29er sizes. It was developed with the Athertons and is Continental’s top Enduro tire. The tread pattern is based off their mud tires, so it works well in wet and loose conditions. The Black Chili compound keeps it grippy and durable. Retail is $85.
The Double Fighter is billed as their city slicker, with enough side knob to grab on gravel paths and dirt roads. It comes only as a wire bead 2.0 for 29ers.
Weight is a health 910g, so it’s definitely meant more as a recreational tire than a semi-slick racer.
