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Continental Town and Country

Average Rating 4.22/5
# of Reviews 83
MSRP
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Description:
    Town and Country 2.1
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      Submitted by Nick a Cross Country Rider from San Antonio, TX
      Date Reviewed: 10/3/2007 8:38:50 PM
      Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
      Price Paid: $27
      Purchased At: LBS
      Strengths: Fast rolling, round-shock absorbing profile, practical inverted tread design great for street occasional trail
      Weaknesses: Since Conti switched production of this tire to India quality has dropped DRAMTICALLY!
      Similar Products Tried: Maxxis Xenith, WTB Slickasaurus, Kenda slicks, Bontrager slicks
      Bike Setup: Rocky Mountain Routh 66 frame custom build-up with flip-flop ENO Eccentric fixed/free rear hub
      Bottom Line: This tire used to be my go-to tire for city bikes when it was "Hand Made in Germany". The quality was exceptional all the way through, and i'd still have a great set if i hadn't sold them to a buddy a while back. I bought some new ones expecting that quality, but noticed to my chagin "Made in India"!!! Sure enough quality has taken a hit. Lower quality, softer rubber compund. Inconsistency in product as well. One was a NIGHTMARE to get on the rim, while the other i got on with my bare hands no sweat, both on THE SAME RIM!! Conti *ucked up big time on one of their (formerly) best products.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 4

      Submitted by Zeke a Weekend Warrior from Chicago
      Date Reviewed: 7/13/2007 8:30:02 AM
      Duration Product Used: 1 Year
      Price Paid: $20
      Purchased At: Performance
      Strengths: Got them cheap. Rolls smooth and fast. Easy to mount, great thing when you get flats...
      Weaknesses: Not very durable
      Similar Products Tried: Stock knobbies on a Rockhopper
      Bike Setup: '99 Rockhopper
      Bottom Line: I've had these for about a year now and I still love flying down the lake front bike path on the weekends with these tires. I usually ride them on 60psi but I got tired of feeling every little bump I come across. So I dropped them to 30psi for a bit more cushion at the cost of a little speed.

      My main complaint is the tire's puncture resistance, or lack thereof. I've had 4 flats due to broken glass going right through the center of the tire, the smallest shard being about 3/16 of an inch. The good thing is now I'm faster at fixing flats... great...
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 3

      Submitted by Morgan a Cross Country Rider from Chapel Hill, NC, USA
      Date Reviewed: 3/19/2007 6:49:13 PM
      FavoriteTrail: Gooseberry Mesa, Kokopelli
      Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
      Price Paid: $30
      Purchased At: Performance
      Strengths: Low rolling resistance, highly puncture resistant, good shock absorption at lower pressures
      Weaknesses: A bit heavy
      Similar Products Tried: Various MTB slicks whose names I cannot remember
      Bike Setup: Commuter set up based on a Gary Fisher Tassajara with Currie Electric bike kit, with rigid front fork (previously, a Fat Chance Yo Eddy, but that's being restored for non-commute duty).
      Bottom Line: Great commute or touring tire. I've had these tires for years, and I commute 5 days per week, 15 miles per day. I cross gravel, glass, potholes, manholes, railroad tracks, and so on. I've only had three flats in five years of use, and two of them were due to broken spokes (due to the torque of the electric bike kit). So really, one flat that can be blamed on the tire, for 1000's of miles of abusive riding, has me very impressed. Also, with the electric kit on there, the bike is HEAVY, 50+ lbs. Yet I still hop curbs with it, and I've never had a dinged rim or flat. The tires withstand abuse.
      I've also used the tires quite a bit on some of the local gravel recreational trails, and they are the perfect tire for that kind of use. They are fat enough so that they don't sink in the soft spots, but smooth enough that I can keep more speed than with knobbies.
      As bomber as they are, these tires are also fast. Even without the electric kit on the bike, I pass roadies reasonably often.
      About the only bad thing I can say is that with the steel bead, they are a bit heavy. But if you're commuting or touring with an MTB, then weight is usually not the point....
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Mike a Weekend Warrior from Redmond
      Date Reviewed: 1/3/2007 12:22:31 PM
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Price Paid: $35
      Purchased At: LBS
      Strengths: lightweight and low rolling resistance.
      Weaknesses: no puncture resistance. No traction on anything other than asphalt.
      Similar Products Tried: Conti Grand Canyon.
      Bike Setup: Kona Cinder Cone, no shocks, fenders and rack, light system. It has seen more road miles than dirt miles. It is my primary commuter bike.
      Bottom Line: I used the Grand Canyon which is one of the best commuter tires ever made. I put about 14000 miles/10 years on a set and finally ditched them only because I was starting to get some dry rot cracks in the rubber. I replaced with the Town & Countrys and have been very disappointed. I only got 1 flat in 10 years with the Grand Canyons and that was from a roofing nail I failed to see on the road. I've had about 25 or so flats in 2 years with the T&C's.

      By comparison I actually put more miles on my road bikes and typically only have about 2 flats/year on those.

      I've alwasy been a fan of Conti tires and use them on my road bikes, but they really dropped the ball on this POS.
      Value Rating: 1 Overall Rating: 1

      Submitted by revcounter a Cross Country Rider from foster city, ca
      Date Reviewed: 1/2/2007 3:54:06 PM
      FavoriteTrail: trousdale-ralston loop
      Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
      Price Paid: $28
      Purchased At: REI
      Strengths: Superb, stiff design. Unrivalled comfort matched with great high speed stability on pavement. Pretty good in sand/mud if you stay seated. Low rolling resistance.
      Weaknesses: Out of their pavement element they cannot keep up with dedicated dirt tires. Decontented Indian-built model is not the same. Can't trust it.
      Similar Products Tried: Conti Grand Canyon
      Bike Setup: '98 Voodoo Wanga hardtail. 48-tooth big chain ring with an XTR derailleur to reach it. Marzocchi Bomber coil-over hydraulic front shock.
      Bottom Line: My neighborhood is basically a paved-over ski resort where it never snows. I weigh 220. The tan sidewalled German version of this tire pumped up to 53 pounds was everything I needed.

      The new, black version developed a tear at the bead so that the tube gave out yesterday as I was cranking on the 48 in top gear on a long steep descent back to sea level.

      The new version of this tire is inferior to its forebearer by every criteria. I have been using the model since the Grand Canyon went out of production. So I know what to look for.

      Sadly Conti has ruined a great thing.


      Value Rating: 2 Overall Rating: 2

      Submitted by Dean from Milwaukee, WI USA
      Date Reviewed: 11/7/2006 8:23:45 PM
      Duration Product Used: 3 months
      Price Paid: $35
      Purchased At: Wheel & Sprocket
      Strengths: Pump them up to 70psi and roll like a road bike on pavement. Perfect if you ride 90% pavement like I do on my commuter bike. Long life. Easy to install.
      Weaknesses: A couple pinch flats, but then they probably weren't meant to ride up stairs... Be careful off the pavement.
      Bike Setup: Giant ATX 830 converted to commuter bike with these tires, stiffy fork, mud guards, lights, etc..
      Bottom Line: I have a 10 mile commute to work that is mostly pavement, but I've found a few fun jaunts into the woods in the park along the way. I wanted a tire that would roll nice on the pavement, but not kill me on some tame off road or going up and down stairs. These really roll nice on the pavement and therefore deserve a high rating for their intended use. Off the pavement, they're generally fine on dry stuff and hard packed gravel, but you'll be slipping and sliding on anything wet and don't even think about getting up a hill if you still have them at max psi from your road riding. I've learned some new skills the hard way with these.

      I just put some knobbies back on this bike to mess around on some trails this fall. I put over 1200 miles on these tires over the summer and they hardly look worn at all. They'll go back on in the spring when I'm back to 80 miles a week commuting to work.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Ricky a Weekend Warrior from Easley, SC
      Date Reviewed: 10/11/2006 12:03:36 PM
      FavoriteTrail: Pisgah Forest
      Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
      Price Paid: $30
      Purchased At: Great Escape
      Strengths: Grip, very quiet, and they look cool. I don't have to wear out my good mud tires for weekday cycling.
      Weaknesses: If I have to say something, weight?
      Similar Products Tried: Kenda and Bontrager
      Bike Setup: Diamondback hardtail. RST front fork 120mm, Shimano XT brakes and no fear of speed
      Bottom Line: Great STREET tire. I wouldn't use these tires other than what they were made for - the street. I bought these at a good price and perform very well. I take turns with the pedals almost scraping and it grips. Very responsive and much easier than the gummy mud tires I have. I thought they were very easy to mount. I didn't use any tools other than my hands.
      Taking this tire off-road will make you want to go to church more often. It's very loose in gravel and soft sand. It feels like you're pedaling with bald tires.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 4

      Submitted by Len Carter a Weekend Warrior from Omaha Nebraska, USA
      Date Reviewed: 9/8/2006 12:42:17 PM
      FavoriteTrail: none really
      Duration Product Used: 3 months
      Purchased At: 30 local bike shop
      Strengths: low rolling resistant, fast, easy to mount on rim
      Weaknesses: thin sidewalls. Minimal puncture protection. I got a flat the first time I used them; There is thicker tread down the center of the tire, but in between that is thinner tread. I actually had a rose thorn go right into the thinner tread and it was flatsville.
      Similar Products Tried: Ritchey Tom Slick, Kenda Kwest, Specialized Nimbus
      Bike Setup: Klein Attitude Comp
      Bottom Line: These are very fast rolling tires and wide enough to handle city riding. If you are counting on fairly decent puncture protection, I would not get this tire-you will get flats..
      Value Rating: 3 Overall Rating: 3

      Submitted by zeke a Weekend Warrior from Chicago, IL, USA
      Date Reviewed: 7/19/2006 4:21:18 PM
      Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
      Price Paid: $20
      Purchased At: Performance
      Strengths: Rolls fast and smooth and silent, black sidewall
      Weaknesses: Very scary in sand or loose gravel. But then again, that's probably not what it was intended for...
      Similar Products Tried: Specialized Dirt Control/Master (came stock w/ bike)
      Bike Setup: Mostly stock '99 Specialized Rockhopper A1 FS, Manitou FS TI
      Bottom Line: Great tire so far. I've had them for a few weeks and I wish I had gotten them sooner. I can keep pace with most road bikes and even blow past a few of them. I haven't been this happy to ride my bike since it was brand new. Can't tell you about it's durability or its performance in hard dirt yet. I'll write a follow up later.
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Lee a Weekend Warrior from Sydney
      Date Reviewed: 7/18/2006 2:36:42 AM
      Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
      Strengths: Tough sidewalls, fast rolling, very durable.
      Weaknesses: Feels heavy, brown sidewalls.
      Similar Products Tried: Specialized tires which came with bike.
      Bike Setup: XC hardtail
      Bottom Line: This tire is very durable and tough. 4yrs without a single flat tire, even over very rough terrain! Limited traction in loose stuff so care must be taken when braking hard or fast cornering. Surprisingly confident traction in wet conditions for a semi-slick. Overall, a very good pavement tire. Would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a durable semi-slick tire.
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by DAVID a Weekend Warrior from CUMMIMG , GA
      Date Reviewed: 6/4/2006 5:13:24 PM
      FavoriteTrail: THE GREENWAY.
      Duration Product Used: 6 months
      Price Paid: $60
      Strengths: Great tire. Very good traction and a smooth ride. Very durable, takes a long time to wear out.
      Weaknesses: None that I've found so far and I ride them pretty hard.
      Similar Products Tried: Mavic cross riders and preformance slicks.
      Bike Setup: Specialized mtn bike, most of the time use continental tires. Specialized Hard Rock 24 Speed 2006
      Bottom Line: All around the best tire I've used and I would not want to use anything else. My friend rode my bike and he went and got him a set.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Brian from Frederick, MD
      Date Reviewed: 4/26/2006 5:08:01 PM
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Strengths: Bulletproof! Great tread design/wear, smooth rolling, sticy on the corners.
      Weaknesses: None, really-- maybe the brown sidewalls:(
      Bike Setup: rigid GT mtb used as street tooler and commuter.
      Bottom Line: Great tires for a reasonable price. I've rec'd these to several other people. They've been on my bike for over 2 years, not one flat, and the tread is wearing very nicely.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 4

      Submitted by Joe from Roswell
      Date Reviewed: 3/9/2006 7:09:11 AM
      Duration Product Used: 3 months
      Price Paid: $20
      Purchased At: Performance
      Strengths: concave tread, easy to put on rim, plush ride
      Weaknesses: seems to have a flat spot/balance problem.
      Similar Products Tried: Michelin Wildgripper Rock, Continental Sport Contact, Continental Traffic, Michelin Wildgripper City.
      Bike Setup: Ted Wojcik, King hubs
      Bottom Line: It would be a good, plush tire if it did not have a balance issue. At low speeds it was smooth but at high speeds it would cause some vibration. This was annoying. Yes, my wheels are true.
      Value Rating: 2 Overall Rating: 2

      Submitted by Humpje a Racer from Holland
      Date Reviewed: 1/2/2006 11:55:45 PM
      FavoriteTrail: hard road & deep mud
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Price Paid: $18
      Strengths: FAST! Quiet, durability, price, versatile, reasonably puncture resistant.
      Weaknesses: Goofy name, sidewalls.
      Bike Setup: XTR,XT upgraded Giant Terrago.
      Bottom Line: Great tire if you are spending more time on the road than off. Holland is quite flat and urbanized, it takes me at least 15 miles on-road before i get to any significant off-road and with such conditions this tire works great. This tire makes i'm not shy when it comes to duelling with road bikers, sometimes even smoking them. I've ridden 4000 miles on these tires and still no significant wear! Had a flat 2 times, front&rear, due to an embedded small piece of metal which was hard to detect and kept cutting up my inner tube until i found and removed it. Front tire went flat for reasons unknown (probably a thorn). So these tires are not puncture proof, but hey, what is? Off-road they're not super, but work better than one might expect. I do lots of mudcrawling, keeping it at max. pressure (too lazy to in-/deflate) and they've gotten me through any stretch of goo i've come across so far, although often slippin'&slidin' but in a predictable manner. Loose sand however, is another matter, but that's a problem for any tire i think. Tree roots (wet): no problem if taken with care. Steep climbs (love'em): no problem except with very loose dirt. Wet leaves, pine needles etc.: no problem, but you have to use your BRAIN as well as your LEGS. Rocks: here is where its only weak point, the thin sidewalls, are showing. Road, straight&cornered, wet&dry: no problem, period.
      So, this thing is not an off-road supergripper but it will do. On-road there has not been a single MTB with "normal" tires that kept me behind him (all are welcome to try!)
      If you want on-road performance and off-road sufficience, get these tires! And finally: why the stupid name??(sounds like a commercial for womens hygiene products or something)
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Tim a Cross Country Rider from Eureka, CA
      Date Reviewed: 12/30/2005 10:50:06 PM
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Price Paid: $29
      Purchased At: Performance Bike
      Strengths: Low rolling resistance. Very resistant to flats. Great traction in wet and dry conditions. Good for occasional offroad adventures.
      Weaknesses: Good at many things, not GREAT at any.
      Similar Products Tried: None
      Bike Setup: Fully rigid Cannondale mtb used primarily for commuting.
      Bottom Line: I've ridden these tires for two years, five days a week fifty weeks a year, to and from work. I have not flatted once yet. I have not experienced trouble mounting the tires as others have stated (lose the rhyno-lites, they're terrible for mounting any tires). I have not experienced poor traction on wet or dry pavement as others have stated. Humboldt county is wet in the winter and I have the utmost confidence in these tires on wet pavement. On dry pavement, I can rail corners as fast or faster than my riding buddies on their road bikes. They perform very well in the dirt too. I pre-rode the sea otter XC course last year on this bike with these tires and was able to keep up with riding buddies on suspended bikes who ride in sport class. These tires are fat enough they float through sand and soft stuff as well as most, and better than some knobby tires I've used.

      I realize my review is contrary to most of the others here but I have nothing but praise for these tires. I'm fixin' to buy another one as I gashed the sidewall on the rear tire on some gnarly volcanic rock in Bidwell Park, Chico, CA. I've been riding it with a duct tape patch for a couple months now.

      I recommend these tires for commuters who like to adventure with their rig offroad from time to time and don't want to have to change tires every time.
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Ron Shufflebarger a Cross Country Rider from Winfield, Ks.
      Date Reviewed: 11/9/2005 10:37:11 PM
      FavoriteTrail: Kaw-eagle trail, Mc Murtry
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Price Paid: $20
      Purchased At: Rising House
      Strengths: Rolls well, looks good, not as heavy as everyone puts on
      Weaknesses: Expensive retail, lots of flats, have had two sets and had wobble in both
      Similar Products Tried: Avocet cross 11, WTB all-terrainasaurus, Conti 26x1.0, and many 1.5's from different vendors
      Bike Setup: Town bike is obed frame, with ti fork, older Softride racing suspension stem, avocet O2 Ti saddle, Bontrager rims, xt hubs
      Bottom Line: I wanted these tires to work and tried many times, but each time I ended up taking them off because of several flats or a wobble in front tire, that I could feel at higher speed. I would put them back on after awhile and would flat again. I don't know the reason, but they seemed to flat very easily. I gone months with other city tires and not had this problem, and this tire looks as if it shouldn't have that type of problem, but it does.
      Value Rating: 2 Overall Rating: 2

      Submitted by Matt1976 a Weekend Warrior from USA
      Date Reviewed: 6/25/2005 8:07:08 PM
      FavoriteTrail: anything
      Duration Product Used: 3 months
      Price Paid: $30
      Purchased At: Durst Cycle
      Strengths: Low Rolling Resistance and Grip
      Weaknesses: A tad heavy
      Bike Setup: Specialized M2 Hardtail with XT/LX mix... This tire on the front... Michelin Country Gravel on the back (has more dirt grip than these Conty's)
      Bottom Line: I commute to my university and as much as i do try to dodge the broken beer bottles and such I know i have run over some fairly crappy stuff...These tires take the hits no problem! I havent had a flat yet! These tires rock for roads and some marginal lines...Get them!

      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Ron Baker from Regina
      Date Reviewed: 4/22/2005 10:36:21 PM
      Duration Product Used: 2 Years
      Price Paid: $20
      Purchased At: MEC
      Strengths: Great feel - low resistance for a larger tire. Nice ride.
      Weaknesses: Flats! Not the easiest to install.
      Similar Products Tried: Kenda; Nokians.
      Bike Setup: Giant Rincon
      Bottom Line: I like the tire and heard about the great durability. But too many flats for me. Its not the tires fault that I have to run through glass, but I'be had a lot of flats with it.

      Other then that, great traction (for city use), watch it in wet pavement (like any tire) and it does give a nice, smooth ride.
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 3

      Submitted by Dex Tao a Cross Country Rider from Toronto
      Date Reviewed: 1/9/2005 9:32:33 PM
      Duration Product Used: 1 Year
      Price Paid: $15
      Purchased At: Mountain Co-op
      Strengths: Smooth comfortable ride, extremely durable rubber/tread, semi-puncture resistant, high availability
      Weaknesses: Hefty considering the mediocre puncture resistance.
      Similar Products Tried: Conti Super Contact(the BEST 26x1.75city tire currently), Vredestein Skarab, Michelin Supercomp HD, Tioga Cityslicker
      Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Tassajara+Kona P2 fork+X517s+Conti SuperContact (rear) + Tioga Cityslicker
      Bottom Line: Nice n cushy but, too heavy considering the mediocre flat protection and being flat-free is more important than xtreme comfort! Best for bearing constant hvy loads.
      >>>Continental Super Contact<<< has maximum flat stoppage cuz of new "Safety System" + faster rolling + durable blackwall. My opinion: Super Contact is the best mid-width city tire ever (making it lighter would b the only thing) = 40CAD. It's beautiful. Vred Skareb equally effective but has useless side knobs and very rare.
      Value Rating: 3 Overall Rating: 2

      Submitted by Eric Laugen a Weekend Warrior from Seattle
      Date Reviewed: 5/25/2004 5:12:52 PM
      Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
      Price Paid: $25
      Purchased At: ebay
      Strengths: I don't know, the bead ripped out after 16 miles.
      Weaknesses: Sidewalls totally inadequate.
      Similar Products Tried: Michelins
      Bike Setup: Klein Palomino Team
      Bottom Line: I blew a tube at 16 miles. After taking off the tire to change tubes, I discovered the bead ripping away from the sidewall in about a 3 inch long section. This after only 16 miles of easy going city riding. I was kind of worried about sidewall durability when I bought these. Guess my concerns were well founded.
      Value Rating: 1 Overall Rating: 1

      Submitted by Chuck a Cross Country Rider from Minneapolis, MN
      Date Reviewed: 5/21/2004 9:38:23 AM
      Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
      Price Paid: $50
      Purchased At: rei
      Strengths: low rolling resistance, low wear
      Weaknesses: spendy, a little tough to get on wheel, a little scarey on wet grass.
      Similar Products Tried: none
      Bike Setup: cannondale f700
      Bottom Line: I just bought these last weekend for this season because I primarily ride paved trails with friends and commute with my bike. In the past the knobbies were okay but I've had many people tell me to switch tires for the type of riding I do so I finally did. I just did about 40miles yesterday with a friend (my first longer ride this year) and what a difference these tires made on my ride. I'd guess theres over 100miles on them at this point and they still look new. All the nubs and molding ridges are on there still! Take the plunge if you're primarily on the road.
      Value Rating: 5 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Daniel Reitz a Cross Country Rider from Centennia, Colorado
      Date Reviewed: 1/15/2004 7:09:10 PM
      Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
      Price Paid: $25
      Purchased At: Performance
      Strengths: Low resistance, smooth ride, better cornering than my old nobbies
      Weaknesses: VERY hard to get on my mavic rims
      A little pricey
      Similar Products Tried: None
      Bike Setup: Cycle-cross used moslty for commuting
      Bottom Line: So far I've very happy with the extra 20% boost these tires give to my commute. They were freakishly hard to get on my rims, so I'm hoping they never go flat. The ride is super-smooth. It's a real rush to feel my hard work finally getting turned into some speed!
      Value Rating: 4 Overall Rating: 5

      Submitted by Blondie from Arlington, VA
      Date Reviewed: 1/4/2004 10:40:12 AM
      Duration Product Used: 1 Year
      Price Paid: $25
      Purchased At: Performance Bike
      Strengths: Low rolling resistance
      Great tread life
      Weaknesses: Flat prone
      Really difficult to put on rims
      Similar Products Tried: