Video summary
Continental Kryptotal Re // It's better than the Minion DHR2 !!
Main summary
Key takeaways
Product reviewed
Continental Kryptotal (front and rear options mentioned), used on a mountain bike for both everyday riding and lift days. The reviewer compares it heavily against other popular tires, especially Maxxis and Schwalbe.
Main features / specs mentioned
- Continental Kryptotal front: Endurance casing with a soft compound (“for endural riding” as stated).
- Continental Kryptotal rear: referenced in an Endurance / soft context. The reviewer expresses interest in other Continental rear variants (e.g., Endurance Super Soft) if available.
- Overall tire character described as high-performance / high-speed, with emphasis on:
- fast rolling resistance
- front-end grip, feel, and confidence
- climb efficiency (feels “refreshed” at the top of climbs)
- predictable traction on looser late-summer conditions
- The reviewer mentions Sensus grip spray (Gecko technology), but it’s presented as a separate “future video” item rather than part of the Kryptotal tire itself.
Pros (unique points)
- Very confidence-inspiring front tire: called the “most confidence inspiring fastest tire” they’ve ridden, with strong front-end confidence / grip / feel.
- Low rolling resistance / fast pedaling efficiency, described as the “hook.”
- Minimal braking/drag feel on the rear compared to other tires they’ve used:
- Less resistance than Maxxis Acid Guide / Max Grip / Magic Mary Ultrasoft and WTB Vigilante.
- Lift day performance: felt “filled locked in,” with zero breakaways in the described conditions.
- Downhill speed/traction: when riding fast downhill (e.g., Table Rock mention), the rear “rips,” and the speed difference vs the comparison tire is minor.
- Durability / repeat purchase behavior:
- Bought another Kryptotal front and says they haven’t taken the front off since mounting it.
- Ease of use / everyday comfort:
- “So easy to pedal,” and they aren’t in a rush to remove the rear yet.
Cons (unique points)
- Rear comparison vs their current rear choice:
- They say the Zotl feels slightly faster/more refreshing on flatter sections and on climbing/rhythm segments.
- Rear handling feel:
- Kryptotal rear described as less “playful” than the Zotl, though still grippy and fast when up to speed.
- Not a perfect match for all preferences:
- The reviewer is still deciding whether Kryptotal rear becomes their permanent go-to rear.
Comparisons made
Against Maxxis (strong negative history)
- The reviewer says they despise knobby Nick and “Maxis Ardant” from past experience, calling them among the worst tires “on the planet.”
- Rear drag/resistance is compared against:
- Magic Mary Ultrasoft, Max Grip, and Acid Guide (rears) — described as having noticeably more drag/resistance than Kryptotal.
Against Schwalbe / WTB
- WTB Vigilante:
- Praised for being “locked in,” but said to have a lot of drag/resistance, more than Kryptotal.
Primary current rear comparison: Zotl
- Kryptotal rear vs Zotl (Trail casing / endurance compound):
- Kryptotal: slightly slower on everyday riding and less refreshing / less easy to get around on climbing.
- Zotl: a bit more fresh/refined on climbing and more playful.
- Kryptotal: less noticeable speed difference once downhill (they “don’t really notice any difference in speed” downhill).
User experience / context (how it performed)
- The reviewer had a busy year and rode much less than usual:
- typical 1500–2250 miles, but only about 400 miles this year.
- Kryptotal was tested on:
- lift days and around town.
- Conditions mentioned:
- late-summer dirt at Tamarack (loose powder), with strong performance despite the looseness.
Ratings / numerical scores
- No formal rating score is given.
- They do say: “score has been killer” (no number provided).
Overall verdict / recommendation (based on the video)
- Strong recommendation for the front Kryptotal:
- The reviewer calls it their new go-to front tire and says they’ve never taken it off since installing it.
- Rear Kryptotal:
- A strong contender, especially for rolling efficiency and confidence on lift days.
- However, the reviewer still perceives the Zotl as slightly better for their everyday/climbing “refresh” feel and playfulness.
- If you prioritize fast rolling resistance + grip/confidence (especially front), Kryptotal comes across as a top choice for this reviewer.
Unique points mentioned about the product (consolidated)
- Continental Kryptotal front: Endurance casing + soft compound, “high performance/high speed.”
- Extremely low rolling resistance and easy pedaling.
- High trust / confidence, especially front-end grip and feel.
- Rear provides locked-in traction on lift days with no breakaways felt.
- Less perceived drag/braking resistance than several other tires (Maxxis/Schwalbe/WTB options named).
- Rear may feel a bit slower and less playful than their Zotl, but downhill speed difference is minimal.
- Likely to remain on the bike through at least the SE season to get more time.
- Reviewer would try other Continental rear variants (e.g., Endurance Super Soft) if available.
Speakers / perspectives
- Single main speaker/reviewer throughout (no separate commenters or multiple structured viewpoints).