MTB Tire Test: Continental Dubnital Trail Rapid 29x2.4

Continental's new mountain bike tires are available with different casings and compounds. The Dubnital is no exception, and after testing the Dubnital Race Rapid and Dubnital Race Grip, we already have a good view of the differences between the Race Compound and the Grip Compound. With today's test of the Dubnital with the Trail casing and the Rapid compound, we will build on that and provide the data to help you pick the right casing and compound.

The difference between the Race and Trail casings isn't as significant as you might expect based on their names. Both the Race and Trail casings come with an anti-puncture strip under the tread; the only difference is that the Trail casing has a wider strip that covers the entire tread, while the Race casing has a smaller strip that covers only the center of the tread.

Given that the Dubnital Race Rapid is the replacement for the popular Continental Race King (read our review), we were surprised that Conti decided to use an anti-puncture strip on their fastest casing. Today's test of the Trail casing confirms this is a strange choice, as the difference between these casings is so small that they're a bit redundant.

We've tested all versions of the Dubnital in the 29x2.4 size with black sidewalls, making comparisons as easy as it gets. With comparisons like these, it's also essential to look at the actual weight of the tested samples. Although our samples both come close to the specified weights, the Dubnital with Race casing has a slight advantage, as it's 10 grams lighter than the specified weight, while our sample with the Trail casing is 6 grams over the specified weight.

Let's go on to the test results and see how the wider anti-puncture strip on the Trail casing affects the rolling resistance test and our other tests. We've also added the Dubnital with Race casing and Grip compound (read our review) , the old Race King Protection (read our review), and a selection of similar tires from different manufacturers to the comparison.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Continental
Model	Dubnital Trail Rapid
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	0150782
EAN	4019238402896
TPI	3/330
Compound	Rapid Compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	60-622
Size Inch	29"
Width Inch	2.40
Specified Weight	685 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	50
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	29x2.20 29x2.40

Continental Dubnital Trail Rapid Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	685 grams
Measured Weight	691 grams
Measured Width Carcass	56 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	58 mm
Measured Height	Pro Data
Tire Circumference	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	4.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.8 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	56 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 (34 psi / 2.3 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 (29 psi / 2.0 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 (23 psi / 1.6 bar)	22.3 Watts CRR: 0.00668
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 (17 psi / 1.2 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	42 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.8 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	70 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	4.0 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

Our test results show that there's only a slight difference between the Trail and Race versions of the Dubnital. The only real difference is in the rolling resistance tests, where the difference is even smaller (about 8%) than we initially expected based on the tire's specifications. Of course, the weight is also higher for the Trail version, but all the other tests and measurements fall within the test's margin of error.

Overall, the Dubnital Trail Rapid's performance is still extremely strong, and it should be an excellent choice when you need that extra bit of protection the Trail casing provides.

Continental offers its tires with different casings, but the Trail and Rapid casings seem a bit redundant. We would have loved to have a Rapid casing without the anti-puncture strip, as that would make the difference between these casings more significant. The Rapid casing without the anti-puncture strip would also be more competitive with the old Race King Protection in both rolling resistance and weight.

Compare the Dubnital Race Rapid and Dubnital Trail Rapid on our comparison section.

RATING: 4.6 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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