These new clincher tyres from Continental are designed for riding fast against the clock and were used by Tony Martin when he won the 2011 World Time Trial Championships.
They offer low rolling resistance and a light weight of 170g each and come with a slick tread for better grip (more rubber on the road). We found they gripped well in the dry and were above average in the wet.
The rubber is made from Continental’s soft and tacky BlackChili compound, with a thin Vectran belt that runs underneath to protect from flints and thorns. Like all fast and light tyres they’re best saved for short dry races on good roads as they don’t wear as well in wet weather and gritty roads. Don’t expect them to last long if you’re using them every day.
They might help you shave a few seconds off your PB though. Our resident time triallist Jeff Jones has used them to good effect in a few races this year, scoring a bronze medal in the British national 50 mile time trial championships and leading his team to a silver in the 37 mile team time trial championship.
This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine.