Continental builds the Competition at their Korbach facility in Germany using the same handmade process that has supplied tubular tires to professional teams for decades. The seamstress team constructs each tire from a 3-ply casing with 180 TPI per layer, which produces a 330 TPI tubular that balances suppleness against the structural integrity needed for racing at high pressures. This manufacturing approach creates consistency from tire to tire, which matters when you're gluing rubber to carbon rims and trusting that bond at race speeds.

The BlackChili compound delivers the grip and rolling characteristics that have made Continental tires the default choice for WorldTour teams and time trialists who need predictable handling at threshold watts. The dimpled tread pattern sits across the contact patch without siping or voids that would compromise the compound's ability to conform to pavement texture. A Vectran breaker layer runs beneath the tread, providing cut resistance without the weight penalty of aramid construction. Vectran's liquid crystal polymer structure offers five times the tensile strength of steel while maintaining flexibility that doesn't increase rolling resistance.

The tire handles pressures up to 175 psi, which gives you the inflation range to optimize contact patch size based on rider weight, rim width, and road surface. The 42mm Presta valve features a removable core that allows sealant injection if you want additional flat protection, though the Vectran breaker already provides substantial puncture resistance for racing conditions. The folding construction means you can pack a spare in your jersey pocket, though proper installation requires tubular glue or tape applied to both rim bed and tire base.... Read More