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Continental Mountain King 29 29er Tire

3.52/5 (29 Reviews)
MSRP : $44.00


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Product Description

Continental Mountain King Kevlar Bead 29er Tire: The Continental Mountain King is an all-around tire available in a 2.2 or 2.4" width. The 2.4 width is recommended for Trail and All Mountain bikes. The 2.2 is best fitted to an XC bike...


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Reviews 1 - 15 (29 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Joshua Gore a All Mountain Rider

Date Reviewed: May 12, 2012

Strengths:    Hard Pack slick trails, very durable.

Weaknesses:    Slightly heavy, and slow. I directly compare these tires to Maxxis Ardent 2.5's which have worse slick trail grip but roll noticeably better, and have much more volume.

For the bigger riders, these tires are EXTREMELY slow.


Bottom Line:   
Early in the year when trails are damp, and late in the year when leaves, and pine needles can cause super slick conditions these tires really shine. They pierce through and absolutely bite, creating a feeling of confidence unparalleled. That being said they are not a do anything tire. The knobs are slightly unsteady on slickrock or granite(maybe better with a lighter rider but I am a clyde), and the biggest drawback of these tires are there speed... they are SLOW.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Kettle Moraine

Price Paid:    $55.00

Purchased At:   Universal

Similar Products Used:   Maxxis Ardent 2.5, Geax Saguaro, Bontrager 293, Wolverines, Weirwolfs, Kenga Nevegal, and now testing UST Ardent, and Crossmark

Bike Setup:   Turner Sultan


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:3
Submitted by jdnewe01 a All Mountain Rider

Date Reviewed: May 9, 2012

Strengths:    Holds the trail very well. One of the better 29er tires I've ridden for New England trails. A very good all-arounder; handles wet, dry, muddy, rooty, rocky, trails very well. Strong and well built.

Weaknesses:    2.35 is probably like a 2.2. Heavy. Rolling resistance is not the best (maybe due to knobs being a bit farther apart than other tires). It's not the fastest tire on smoother singletrack - it tends to excel at the nasty stuff.

Bottom Line:   
Overall I really like em. I think they are a great tire for New England singletrack. A true AM 29er tire.

Expand full review >>

Bike Setup:   Salsa Horsethief


Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by NTXrunner a Weekend Warrior from DFW, TX

Date Reviewed: March 8, 2012

Strengths:    Surprisingly strong against flatting

Weaknesses:    Rolling resistance

Bottom Line:   
For stock tires I cannot complain. They have held up well for 2 years. I am switching to something with a better rolling resistance. I ride 40 road and the rest is trails in the DFW area.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Boulder

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Purchased At:   OEM

Bike Setup:   Windsor 29er


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by jsunstar a All Mountain Rider from Beaver County, PA

Date Reviewed: February 24, 2012

Strengths:    mud shedding design (so good i added a fender!!!)
good sidewall strength
long lasting tread


Weaknesses:    Wee bit heavy (860G for 2.4 folding)
slick on wet roots
Need to pump over 80 lbs of air in them to get them to pop onto rims.


Bottom Line:   
I have used the Continental Mountain King (in the 2.4 as well as the 2.2 width) on 2 different 29er bikes that I use for different trails and have found them to be a favorable tire in just about all conditions.
As most riders, I dont have a tire sponsor so I don't have the money to have different tires for every season,weather condition and type of dirt or trail so I was looking for a tire that would be good for all conditions. An "all season tire" you could say.
I ride a few days a week in the summer at an average of 8-12 miles on singletrack per ride and these tires seem to last forever. I have gotten at least 2 seasons out of them.
The mountain king 29 seem to grip well on almost everything. I found that they corner well in dry dirt, mud and soggy leaves. (they corner HORRIBLY on pavement cornering at high speeds! I found out the hard way at the punk bike enduro....)
They shed mud well due to their wide spaced knob design although the wide spaced knobs seem to slip alot on slick roots (i do not know of many tires that don't). They plow through mud with ease and I never have to stop to clean them off... A few bunny hops and they are clean.
They stick well to turns and inspire confidence which helps me ride to my full potential and are great climbing tires as long as you get the right air pressure.
Getting the tire pressure right can be tricky as I run tubes in these. It seems to me that about 30-35 lbs is good for my 215 lb frame, any less and im pinch flatting and any more and I have less traction than I like. You can easily dial it in through trial and error for your weight and riding ability.
All in all, I like these even know they are a little heavy but I think that comes with a good strong sidewall... and at +/- 45.00, for a tire that will last 2 seasons, you cant beat it.

I am ready for a new set of tires and Continental is replacing this tire with the Mountain King II so look for my next review at the end of this season...
Continental says that they are improving the MK and if this is true, in my opinion, it will be tough to find a better all around tire.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Allegrippis at raystown lake

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Price Paid:    $42.00

Purchased At:   LBS

Bike Setup:   fisher 29er with nice wide rhythm comp wheels.


Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:2
Submitted by Cycle Nomad a Cross Country Rider from Hudson Valley

Date Reviewed: November 13, 2011

Strengths:    Strong Sidewalls, good company

Weaknesses:    Wet conditions, weak thin knobs tear off pretty quickly

Bottom Line:   
In wet conditions with loose debris and mud, wet leaves, rocks and rooty, this tire doesn't impress.
My #1 complaint is: Not enough knobs!!
The "widely spaced lugs," are too few and are too weak.
This may be a decent front tire, but don't put it on the back it will dissappoint.
I ride what I guess you would call very technical cross country, loose messy rooty and rocky east coast conditions that seem to always be pretty wet...... Not hardpack.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   909

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $36.00

Purchased At:   don't remember

Similar Products Used:   many other 29er tires

Bike Setup:   two wheels, handlebars, etc....STEEL HARDTAIL


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Fire-dog a Weekend Warrior from Nu-Hampsha

Date Reviewed: August 10, 2011

Strengths:    Tons of grip in wet slimy and muddy conditions. Dual compound rubber,

Weaknesses:    Heavy

Bottom Line:   
I traded the weight for the sheer grippy ride-over-everything-iness and have not looked back. I have the 2.4's and ride about 25 psi. I set these up ghetto tubeless with Stans and have only developed a slow leak on the back after two years. I would not recommend these for racing or weight saving.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $40.00

Purchased At:   Dealer

Similar Products Used:   Kenda Karma, Kenda small block 8's

Bike Setup:   Mounted these ghetto tubeless on Easton XC rims, riding a Kona King Kahuna


Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:2
Submitted by IndianaXC a Cross Country Rider from Milford, Indiana. U.S.

Date Reviewed: June 20, 2011

Strengths:    (2.2 version) Light, somewhat fast rolling, tollerable climbing grip on the rear.

Weaknesses:    Super tiny, more like a 1.9 maybe even less. Not at all confidence inspiring for the front, Impossible to get the right PSI without it being to hard or rimming out all the time.

Bottom Line:   
Super small, no cushion whatsoever, grip on the front is terrible, while on the rear it is just O.K. I have played with the PSI alot, and i cant find a happy medium, one snakebite in the first 5 miles of riding, i blame it on to low of psi, but it shouldnt do that anyway. If i add enough PSI to keep i from rimming it feels like a rock. Only reccomend for XC riding on smooth hardpack course, with no sand or mud.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Winona Lake XC

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Purchased At:   Came on a lightly us

Similar Products Used:   no 29", but maxxis advantage and many other oldies on the front and rear.

Bike Setup:   Cannondale singlespeed 29er with lefty.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by goose8 a Cross Country Rider from Saranac Lake, NY USA

Date Reviewed: May 26, 2011

Strengths:    Good traction, decent rolling resistance. They've performed admirably in all sorts of East Coast conditions. Mud, rocks, roots- they work well on all of them.

Weaknesses:    A little narrower than advertised. They got showed some wear after a long ride I did with lots of exposed rock.

Bottom Line:   
These tires work well for nearly everything I've thrown at them. I will definitely buy another set.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Good Luck

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Purchased At:   Placid Planet

Similar Products Used:   Exiwolf

Bike Setup:   2 wheels and some parts. 2.4 Mountain kings front and rear.


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Hobbyfreak a Weekend Warrior from Chantilly Va USA

Date Reviewed: March 24, 2011

Strengths:    Very grippy, Strong sidewalls, used for about 1 year and absolutely no blowouts.

Weaknesses:    Bad for Stans. It took several stans fill to plug sidewalls. has alot of tiny holes. Weight. The 2.4 looks like 2.2!

Bottom Line:   
Despite of failures using it as tubeless. It still a very good tire. Good on climbs, mud, rocks and logs. I have never felt scared or going to slip. I must have hit tons of schrubs and sharp rocks and the sidewall holds up very well. Hasnt had any blowouts or side cuts. I recomend it!

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $45.00

Purchased At:   Ebay

Similar Products Used:   Specialized captain, Kenda nevegal

Bike Setup:   Spot Ti single speed, Full rigid!


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:3
Submitted by TwoHeadsBrewing a Cross Country Rider from Chico, CA

Date Reviewed: July 16, 2010

Strengths:    Great grip, very confident inspiring, good round profile, tough in the rock gardens, and puts up with abuse.

Weaknesses:    Wears REALLY fast on rocky terrain.

Bottom Line:   
I REALLY like these tires, and since they came stock on my bike I was surprised at how well they performed. Very solid feeling and provided lots of traction for how little knobbies are on them. The rubber compound is very soft, however, and this proved to be a bummer for the rear tire. I've only had the bike for a little over 3 months, and the middle knobs are all torn/worn down bald. The side knobs are still intact, but the middle of the tire is a slick(!). On the front, the tire looks great however, and I'll continue to run it as it feels good and handles well.

I think for forest paths, wet/muddy conditions these would do great, but just not for the rocky and rough conditions I ride in. This is almost more of a bike path tire and not a try cross country or all mountain tire. I'd recommend it as a front, but not a rear tire.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Guardian's Trail

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $35.00

Purchased At:   Stock Tire

Similar Products Used:   WTB Velociraptor, Nanoraptor

Bike Setup:   Windsor Cliff 29er Pro


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by anthony.delorenzo a Weekend Warrior from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Date Reviewed: July 9, 2010

Strengths:    Decently light and fast tire that corners well. Good all-rounder.

Bottom Line:   
Love these tires. I have run them front and rear for a great balance between speed and traction. They corner very well. Currently using one in the front with a Race King in the rear for extra speed.

Set up converted tubeless with some fuss, but no problems since the initial set-up.

Best all-around 29er tire I have ridden yet.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Similar Products Used:   Wierwolf, Exiwolf, Rampage, Racing Ralph

Bike Setup:   Singlespeed 29er hardtail, tubeless Mountain King front, Race King rear


Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by greasy_physique a Cross Country Rider from Corn Vegas, Or

Date Reviewed: April 28, 2010

Strengths:    lightweight, not too expensive, good tread design, has the word 'king' on it. Good rear tire for XC riding in general.

Weaknesses:    Width, definitely not 2.2, closer to 2.0 of contact at best. Not the best in wet conditions. Not a great font tire for me. Tried to set up two as tubeless with UST rims + Stans. Would not recommend. Would not hold air after over 300 miles of riding now. Have added Stans again, rotated, shaken, ridden, everything i can. Sidewalls have thousands of micro-holes that may never seal. Others have had better luck, just not sure the QC is up to tubeless standards. Okay tire but would not risk it on tubeless or maybe try caffe latex or some other sealant...

Bottom Line:   
I tried to use this tire outside of its intentions. Is a nice, light, tire but not enough to trust tubeless. If it was UST i would not hesitate to return it but it does not claim to be run that way. Tread pattern is nice, would be good in moist or tacky conditions but slips out in Dry and Wet conditions; kind of a moderate weather tire. I think there are better options out there. Other people have had good luck with the sealing issues but 2 friends have still run into the same tread consensus as i have. Not as wide as printed.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   North ridge? too many...

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $45.00

Purchased At:   lbs

Similar Products Used:   Specialized Captain (UST), Nevegal 'Tomac' (not UST)

Bike Setup:   Red with chili peppers on it.


Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by 92gli a Weekend Warrior from west chester pa

Date Reviewed: April 14, 2010

Strengths:    Grip seems very good on tacky and rocky terrain. Only 1 short ride so far. Bead locks on to stans rims easily with an air compressor.

Weaknesses:    Way freakin smaller than advertised!!!!

Bottom Line:   
Beware ! The 2.2 is 1.8 across the casing and a hair less than 2 across the widest point of the knobs mounted on a stans 355 rim. I knew I wouldn't like this but I was eager to ride my new 9er. Not nearly enough volume on the rocky terrain I ride. I have to sell these and get the 2.4's.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Tested or demo'ed only



Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by hawx732 a Cross Country Rider from belmar,nj,usa

Date Reviewed: April 9, 2010

Strengths:    grip, all around performance, cost, size, sheds mud

Weaknesses:    tall thin knobs wear relatively quickly.

Bottom Line:   
I use the 2.4" for my front tire and do not run it tubeless. I ride in a mixture of all types of surfaces but there is a predominance of sand and stone on my home trails here in central NJ. I find the tall well spaced knobs perfect for fast sandy trails and have total confidence in them when I ride at 100%. The tire also rolls well and does its job well on all surfaces. If you ride allot of hard pack or lots of stone the knobs will wear quickly. I would recommend this tire to anyone who needs a bit of extra traction in loose conditions, especially as a big fat front tire.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   allaire

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $40.00

Similar Products Used:   wtb veloceraptor, maxxis spitfire

Bike Setup:   07 Jamis Dakota 29er, stocker.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by sinac84 a Cross Country Rider from Snellville, Ga

Date Reviewed: January 29, 2010

Strengths:    Can handle any kind of terrain here in Georgia. I haven't ridden any trail that these tires couldn't handle. Big grippy knobs. Work well tubeless.

Weaknesses:    If you set them up ghetto tubeless they don't hold air as well as other tires I've set-up. But then again, I'm making them do something they weren't designed too. Just have to check air pressure before I ride.

Bottom Line:   
I love these tires and as long as they make them I'm gonna ride them.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $40.00

Purchased At:   Lifetime Bikes Logan

Similar Products Used:   Kenda Nevegals, Maxxis Ardens and CrossMarks, Picenti Neo-Moto

Bike Setup:   2008 Haro Mary SS: Origin8 Carbon fork, stock wheels with Conti. Mountain Kings 2.4 ghetto tubeless on both wheels, Avid Elixir R breakset, Answer carbon handlebar, KMC 10-speed chain.
2009 Haro Beasley 1x9: Converted to 29er with Shimano XT 29er wheelset with Mountain Kings 2.4 front and 2.2 rear ghetto tubeless, Answer carbon fork, XT cassette, KMC gold 10-speed chain.



Reviews 1 - 15 (29 Reviews Total) | Next 15

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