Continental launches 3 new tires, replacing iconic ‘King’ models

Continental has just launched three new mountain bike tires to complete their tire line overhaul and replace the iconic “King” names. The three new releases are the Dubnital, which replaces the Race King; the Trinotal, which replaces the Cross King; and the Magnotal, which replaces the Mountain King.

The new naming conventions align with the latest additions to the Continental line, such as the now-popular Kryptotal, the Xynotal, Argotal, and Hydrotal. Maybe it’s just me, but the “Dubnital” is a mouth full. Perhaps these names sound better with a German accent? As awkward as the names might be, they still beat Shimano’s seemingly random combinations of numbers and letters for everything from shoes to drivetrain parts.

Names aside, Continental’s new tires have proven to be durable and offer top-notch performance, all at a slightly lower price point than comparable Maxxis tires. This winning formula means more and more mountain bikes are showing up at trailheads sporting Conti treads, and the newest additions are sure to accelerate that trend.

New tires for XC, downcountry, and all-mountain

Continental began its tire line overhaul with burly, gravity-oriented tires, and today they’ve completed it with the lighter-duty end of the spectrum.

Dubnital for XC speed

The low-profile tread of the Dubnital “is built to meet the needs of XC and downcountry riders who demand maximum speed,” according to Continental. The tire is engineered for a variety of conditions, with obvious limitations in very wet and/or very loose conditions due to the low-profile knobs.

The Dubnital will be offered in four different compounds: Race Rapid, Race Grip, Trail Rapid, and Trail Grip. The tire will be available in 29×2.2″, 29×2.24″, 27.5×2.2″, and 27.5×2.4″ sizes.

Trinotal for downcountry

The Trinotal bridges the gap between XC race and trail riding in the “downcountry” category… however you choose to define it in 2025. “This tire offers superior grip and stability, allowing riders to confidently navigate a variety of terrains,” according to Continental.

The Trinotal is available in all the same compounds and sizes as the Dubnital, but notably is also available in 26×2.2″, expanding Continental’s 26″ offerings.

Magnotal for all-mountain

I find it amusing that the MTB industry has brought back the “all-mountain” moniker after killing it off for a decade or so, but alright, we’ll go with it. Based on the moderately aggressive tread pattern, this appears to be the tire in Continental’s line that would perform best on many modern trail bikes.

The Magnotal is the direct successor to the famed “Mountain King,” one of Continental’s most popular mountain bike tires of all time. Historically, the Trail King was a bit burlier than the Mountain King, earning the Trail King top spot for most mountain bikers. Based on the photos provided by Continental, it appears the Magnotal has stepped up the burliness from the historic Mountain King with a completely revamped tread pattern that sports a more modern design.

For trail riders, the Magnotal will likely prove to be a popular choice front and back, with some riders opting to mix and match tires. On the lighter end of the trail spectrum, a Magnotal front and Trinotal rear could be a great choice. Stepping up in gnar, a Magnotal rear and Kryptotal front could be a great combination.

The Magnotal is only available in two casing options: Trail Soft and Trail Grip. According to Continental, the soft compound is “designed for descending-orientated use cases” and “offers high levels of grip with reasonable rolling resistance.” The grip compound is a bit more durable than the soft compound, offering “an excellent balance of grip and rolling resistance,” which will make it “the number one choice for all-round balanced characteristics,” according to Continental.

It’s available in larger widths than the previous two tires: 29×2.4″, 29×2.6″, 27.5×2.4″, and 27.5×2.6″. No 26″ options will be available at launch for the Magnotal.