What a Tyre

What a remarkable tyre, recently I got a pair of Continental Explorer and was impressed by the weight or lack of it tipping in at just a tad under 500g, traction on the climbs and comfort of these tyre are great, while not the greatest on hard wet clay they suit other condition and my riding style.

On a recent mid week ride in Glenbrook Nation park from the railway station to Euroka clearing out via Bennits Ridge up the Oaks FT for about 6ks, it is at the point we turn and start the ride out, about 3 ks of flat fast fire trail and then the single track before the climb back out of the gorge from the causeway. nice Wednesday ride yes, usually but this week at the top of the ride out I got my first puncher, no prob out with old in with new tube easy the Continental are fantastically easy to roll on and off the rims, and away we go down the single track 200m second puncher, no probe I always carry 2 tubes, another quick change and off once more, however this is a tube that was patched and did not last very long, so my now long suffering riding partner slings me his spare with a "I will meet you at the coffee shop", put the tube in French valve in a American hole no prob - yes prob the tube was a 1.75 in a 2.10 tyre so it did not seat properly and split at the valve, and well, all the ran away again.

At this point it was dark, very dark and still about 10ks back to the coffee shop, stuff-it I need a new tyre anyway, so to amuse myself i decided to see how far I could get on it before the tyre rolled off into the chain and spokes . . . . answer all the way, yep down about 4k's of bumpy FT down about 2 and bit k's of tar in and over the causeway(i did keep the tyre dry) and yep climbed out back to Glenbrook.

What has impressed me the most is while the tyre is pretty much cactus and through to the wall in places my rim is perfect, and the fact that a tyre that is so easy to get on and off hung in.

God I love this sport, something always comes along to surprise you.

C