Touring Bike Tire Test: Continental Pure Contact

The Continental Pure Contact is Continental's newest 'urban' touring bike tire, designed for cyclists who want to use their tires in all conditions. The main features of the Pure Contact include exceptional puncture protection of the tread and a premium compound that maintains grip even in difficult situations.

Looking at puncture resistance, we see that the Pure Contact scores 8 on Continental's puncture resistance scale, higher than all their previous tires as their scale maxed out at 7 before they launched the Pure Contact. This would mean that the Pure Contact should score more than 124 points in our puncture resistance test, as that's the score of the Continental E.Contact that we tested in 2015.

The high puncture resistance is achieved by combining a 3/180 casing with two layers of puncture protection under the central part of the tread. This time, Continental has incorporated both its Vectran puncture protection and Poly-X protectors into the Pure Contact. We are very curious about how these combined layers and the thicker tread of a touring bike tire will impact overall puncture protection.

The compound is a 'premium' compound, and according to Continental, together with the tread pattern, it results in one of their best-gripping tires in the touring bike segment.

We have conducted all our tests, and you can view the results below.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Continental
Model	Pure Contact
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	0101970
TPI	3/180
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Size Inch	28"
Width mm	40.00
Specified Weight	585 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	72
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c) 47-622 (700x47c) 50-622 (700x55c) 55-622 (700x55c) 50-584 (650x50b) 55-584 (650x55b) 60-584 (650x60b)

Continental Pure Contact Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	585 grams
Measured Weight	590 grams
Measured Width	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Height	39 mm (un-round)
Tread Depth	2.2 mm
Total Tire Thickness Center	5.9 mm
Total Tire Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 60 psi / 4 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	Conti Tour 28 (170 gr butyl)
Rolling Resistance 75 PSI / 5 Bar	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 60 PSI / 4 Bar	21.9 Watts CRR: 0.00656
Rolling Resistance 45 PSI / 3 Bar	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance 30 PSI / 2 Bar	Pro Data
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	126 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	5.9 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	73 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Tour/E-Bike grip test rim width = 23.0 mm

Conclusion

The Continental Pure Contact is clearly a true touring bike tire. The tread is thick and has enough rubber to provide a long lifespan. As Continental promised, the tread's puncture resistance is higher than any other tire from Continental that we have tested so far, and it confirms Continental's puncture resistance claims.

The sidewalls have average puncture resistance and are the weakest point when evaluating the Pure Contact as a touring bike tire. Sidewall protection is less critical, and if you handle the tires with a bit of care, it is unlikely to be an issue. You do get a good rolling resistance and low weight in return.

We highly recommend the Continental Pure Contact if it fits your needs.

RATING: 4.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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