Yeah, the Speed Rides seem to defy the conventional wisdom about only high TPI tires being "supple". The Speed Rides have a fairly mundane thread count, but they feel great at around 50 psi over bad road. The sidewalls are very flexible, and the main tread feels much less rigid than the popular Clement cyclocross tires I've handled in local shops.

When you feel the Speed Rides uninflated they actually feel a bit too soft and flexy to be durable but they hold up really well and ride great. They're real sleepers among all purpose tires for hybrids. I'm gonna miss 'em if Conti stops making them. Outstanding values too.

Also, the Speed Rides on my 30 lb hybrid (as I usually ride it, with water bottle, etc.) still hold the fastest times on my rural rides, especially over chipseal. I can come close with my lighter road bike and 700x23 tires, but can't quite top my hybrid speeds, and the road bike beats me up whereas I still feel fresh and ready to go after long rides over rough chipseal on the Speed Rides. Great compromise between comfort and speed, especially over rough pavement. My road bike is only consistently faster on smooth pavement.