MTB Tire Test: Continental Cross King Protection 29x2.2

NOTE: We added hard surface wet grip test data on 2023-6-9. The rating of the Continental Cross King Protection 29x2.2 has been upgraded by 0.3 points because of very good results in the hard surface wet grip test.

The Continental Cross King replaces the X-King as Conti's most versatile mountain bike tire. Although the name has changed from X-King to Cross King, the tread pattern appears to be unchanged. Continental did change the casings which is most obvious when comparing the Protection models as they dropped the 4/240 casing that offered bead to bead protection. The Protection models now use the lighter 3/180 RaceSport casing with additional sidewall protection and tubeless-ready beads.

Many people use the X-King/Cross King as a front tire with a Speed King or Race King on the rear. Although the Race King (read review) and Cross King look very similar and both use the same casing design and Conti's Black Chili compound, we've found a big difference in the rolling resistance tests between these tires. We're now convinced the Cross King uses a slower version of the Black Chili compound that is optimized more towards grip.

This may not necessarily be a bad thing but we feel it's good to have as much information as possible when buying tires. To learn more about the differences between the Race King and Cross King, you can compare the Protection models side by side.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Continental
Model	Cross King Protection 29x2.2
Year	2020
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	0101471
EAN	4019238798043
TPI	3/180
Compound	Black Chili
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	55-622
Size Inch	29"
Width Inch	2.20
Specified Weight	640 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	58
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	26x2.20 26x2.30 27.5x2.20 27.5x2.30 27.5x2.60 27.5x2.80 29x2.20 29x2.30

Continental Cross King Protection 29x2.2 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	640 grams
Measured Weight	615 grams
Measured Width Carcass	52 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	53 mm
Measured Height	52 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.7 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	1.9 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 35 psi / 2.4 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (40 ml sealant)
Measured Width	52 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 51-55 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 56-60 = 34 psi/2.3 barHigh Air Pressure (38 psi / 2.6 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 bar 51-55 = 32 psi/2.2 bar 56-60 = 29 psi/2.0 barMedium Air Pressure (32 psi / 2.2 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 bar 51-55 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 56-60 = 23 psi/1.6 barLow Air Pressure (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	24.5 Watts CRR: 0.00734
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 bar 51-55 = 19 psi/1.3 bar 56-60 = 17 psi/1.2 barExtra Low Air Pressure (19 psi / 1.3 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 55 psi / 3.8 bar	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 45 psi / 3.1 bar	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 35 psi / 2.4 bar	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 25 psi / 1.7 bar	Pro Data
The MTB section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	32 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	7 Points
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	1.9 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	66 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.7 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 MTB grip test rim width = 30.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

If you're looking for the fastest mountain bike tires, the Cross King Protection isn't the right tire for you. The Race King Protection (read review) rolls much faster as it uses a faster version of the Black Chili compound that likely offers less grip. The Race King rear / Cross King front combination still looks good to us as the rear tire takes the largest load and therefore adds the most to the total rolling resistance.

We're disappointed Continental doesn't specify what kind of Black Chili compound is used on which tires. We're convinced they use at least 2 different versions of the Black Chili compound (and possibly more) that make large differences to the characteristics of their tires.

RATING: 3.3 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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