Continental Pure Contact in the test: Perfect everyday tyre with a green conscience?

The problem with classic touring tyres with extra-thick puncture protection inserts is that they are often heavy and ride sluggishly and unyieldingly. However, modern touring tyres achieve an impressive compromise and the new Pure Contact from Continental is an excellent example of this. A full 8 out of 8 puncture protection points in the Continental ranking with a weight of only around 700 grams. Even with significantly heavier tyres such as the eContact Plus (tested here), Continental only awards 7 out of 8 points. So: commuter heart, what more could you want?

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Best puncture protection and good cushioning

Admittedly: In practice, the very first experience with the Pure Contact is somewhat unusual. The tyre builds up high with a raised centre bar. The unusual tread pattern on the shoulders rustles slightly when leaned over. On the other hand, the Pure Contact tyre interlocks very well with the ground and offers plenty of traction even in the wet. Cushioning and ride comfort are absolutely perfect.

Once the tyre has been broken in a little, the tyre's rolling resistance decreases significantly when leaning and the tyre rides noticeably smoother. Subjectively, the Pure Contact runs well on its centre tread, even if it is not one of the best in terms of rolling resistance in the laboratory. On the other hand, the puncture protection is really excellent. The tyre's high cut resistance on the tread is particularly impressive. Common obstacles such as broken glass should not be a problem. The fact that Continental uses renewable raw materials such as fairly traded natural rubber for a third of the materials is a good sign. However, Schwalbe has gone one step further with the first truly recycled Green Marathon tyre.

Strengths

• Plenty of grip on tarmac and light gravel
• High puncture protection combined with good comfort and weight
• Slightly reduced carbon footprint due to renewable raw materials

Weaknesses

• Rolling resistance only average
• High price

BIKE summary of the Pure Contact

The Pure Contact is the new all-rounder for touring and road use and consists of one third renewable raw materials. The lamellar tread on the sides rustles slightly when the tyre is new. The tyre grips and damps well and offers extremely high puncture resistance combined with low weight. Hence our tip for everyday cyclists. The rolling resistance is average. - Adrian Kaether, Editor Test & Technology

Technical data in detail

• Model name: Continental Pure Contact
• Tested size: 50 - 622
• Price: 64,95 Euro >> available here
• Technology: Vectran and Poly-X-Breaker, tube
• Reflective strips: Yes

BIKE measured values

• Weight: 717 g
• Rolling resistance: 19 watts (2.5 bar)
• Tyre width: 47.5 mm
• Tyre height: 46 mm (25 mm rim)
• Carbon copy: 400 mm
• Cut resistance: 167, 1299, 469 N