It says somethIng about the UK that the Baron was originally an exclusively wet weather tyre. Its compound and carcass make it brilliant all year round if you push right to the edge on every ride.
It’s relatively skinny, but the hefty reinforced Apex carcass lands and sucks up hits better than most bigger tyres, and it handles tubeless-ready running fine. The ramped knobs and Conti’s Black Chili compound mean it rolls okay once you’ve heaved it up to speed.
The predictable and totally trustworthy grip from the split knobs and shock-soaking carcass make it probably the best mixed-conditions gripper we’ve ever ridden. Flowing across rocks and roots or carving wet berms, you can almost forget it’s wet, making it worth the price.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
