The Continental Rubber Queen is a confidence-inspiring tyre that works well in a range of conditions making it a great general use trail tyre.

This is the second generation Rubber Queen and Continental have hit the nail on the head even if they have persisted with the rather, er, interesting name. The tread pattern comprises reasonably well spaced angular and siped blocks that find high levels of traction through the full range of wheel angles. From good straight line speed to planted cornering, it constantly delivers.

Perhaps its best trait is how well it copes in a variety of trail conditions. And in the UK at this time of year, that’s a good thing. From dry to gloopy and everything in between, it hooks up up securely all the time. The side paddle central knobs make the tyre particularly good under heavy braking making it easy to quickly scrub off speed.

We tested the 2.2in UST version, which weighs a claimed 800g; our scales showed it to be over a couple of grams over that, but that’s not unusual for tyres. That’s a comparable weight to other tyres in this category like the Specialized Purgatory and Schwalbe Hans Dampf.

There’s a similarity of handling with the Mountain King tyre , with a clear sharing of tread design. The Mountain King is a good fast cross-country/trail tyre but if you’re looking for a tyre with a bit more volume that will stand up to more aggressive riding, the Rubber Queen is a natural choice.

The Rubber Queen is available with a wire bead at £16.95 and with a claimed weight of 805g is a great choice if you’re on a budget. It would be our pick of the range. There are also Black Chilli and UST versions, both costing £50, and a a 29in version with a weight of 950g.

Verdict

A great all-round big volume tyre that just works all of the time in a variety of conditions. A good fit-and-forget tyre, and a good choice for enduro racing.

Pros

Great tread pattern
Works in many conditions
Good all-round versatility

Cons

Expensive

Weight: 790g
Price: £49.99

www.madison.co.uk
www.conti-tyres.co.uk

What Continental says about the Rubber Queen

Soft compound freerider
Apex reinforced sidewall protects and stabilizes at heavy lean angles
2.2 version for demanding trail riders