Originally Posted by
Bob Dopolina
Black Chili can't be bonded to the same chemicals used in the tires using silica. The compounds that make coloured tread work fine with the silica compounds but are incompatible with the black chili compounds. That's why all the black chili tires are only black.
I do know that dual compound tires are a tally hard to make because the compound flex at different rates during deflection and this leads to a breaking of the bonds between the two compounds at a molecular level. This was an issue with the first Vittoria dual compound tires where the grippy strips on the side would separate from the harder compound used for the center do the tread.
I speak from personal experience here as this problem put me into a guard rail at the end of a crit.
So, given this information I would assume that what Continental is claiming seems at least within the realm of possibility.
We seem to have had a mis-communication. I see my phone added some auto-corrects to my last post, although at least it stayed with chemistry in changing molecules to moles.
Anyway, I wasn't talking about dual compound tires but just silica vs. black chili on different tires. As I am a mere consumer, I have to choose among what is available as a combination of rubber compound and thickenss, casing, breaker and size/shape and then inflate it to an appropriate psi. I can't order up a "double wrap casing, black chili, 207 gram, 24mm, etc, etc" and then compare it to the same tire in silica or 23mm. So I may believe or suspect a certain rubber is doing what is claimed, it may be the extra grip is because what is sold as a 23mm is really a 24mm and I am comparing to a different tire where 23mm really is 23mm.