MTB Tire Test: Continental Race King Protection (tanwall)

The Continental Race King with tan sidewalls is relatively new, and in this test, we will examine how the tan sidewalls influence performance. Since 2014, we have tested many versions of the Race King, but for this test, we will primarily focus on our 2024 test of a recent version of the Race King Protection (read our review) with black sidewalls.

Everyone is understandably curious whether the choice of tan sidewalls negatively or positively affects performance. We have tested several tan wall versions of tires, and it depends on the specific tire to see which version delivers better performance, as the way manufacturers color the sidewalls varies significantly.

The tanwall version of the Race King Protection is available in all Race King sizes: 26x2.2, 27.5x2.2, and 29x2.2. As usual, we tested the 29x2.2 version and will compare it with the 29x2.2 Race King Protection and a selection of comparable tires from other manufacturers.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Continental
Model	Race King Protection (tanwall)
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	0101963
EAN	4019238071498
TPI	3/180
Compound	Black Chili
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	55-622
Size Inch	28"
Width Inch	2.20
Specified Weight	625 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	58
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	29x2.20 27.5x2.20 26x2.20

Continental Race King Protection (tanwall) Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	625 grams
Measured Weight	618 grams
Measured Width Carcass	53 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	52 mm
Measured Height	52 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.2 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	53 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)	20.6 Watts CRR: 0.00618
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	34 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	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	63 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	2.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	3.2 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

The overall performance of the Race King Protection with tan sidewalls is somewhat less than that of the version with black sidewalls. The rolling resistance is higher, the weight is greater, and the sidewalls are less strong. However, the wet grip on a hard surface is slightly better, and the puncture resistance of the tread surface performs a bit better in the tests.

If you want tan walls for aesthetics, then the slightly higher rolling resistance of the wall version is probably not an issue. If you’re going for absolute performance, as with nearly all tires, it’s better to choose the all-black version since it performs better in most areas.

RATING: 4.1 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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