The ~CST Sensamo Control~ tire is designed for year-yound all conditions commuting
(within reason: obviously not for off-road deep-mudding or deep snow).
I can tell you that it performs fine in spring and summer and in wet/rainy conditions.
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NOTE: I have not extensively tested the CST Sensamo Control in cold/wintry conditions but I am about to and will update/review with my findings--- I do like these tires and have had no issues with punctures as I use ultralight tire-liners as between the tube and tire and also sealant loaded in the tubes. I recommend use of tube internal-sealant and tire-liners especially on cheaper tires without high-end puncture-protection--- Thus only 4 stars for now.
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It seems to me that this tire is similar in concept to Continental's high-end Top Contact Winter tire
in that it has a special tread siping/texture and a special rubber/material designed to accomodate winter commuting.
Both tires also have reflective sidewalls.
However that is where the commonalities end as both tires have their own pros and cons:
First off Continental's Top Contact Winter is much more specialized for *winter* riding in both its material/composition and its tread design. The Top Contact Winter's material is optimized for colder temperatures and so is too soft gummy in warmer temps sluggish for spring/summer riding. Also its tread design has a bit more detail in that not only does it have siping but that siping is deeper and more intricate of the two (vs. CST's Sensamo Control) as the TopContact Winter tire's tread also features fine soft-barblike 'lamellae' which help with traction on ice patches and hard-packed snowy roads. The Continental Top Contact Winter is a high-end tire very much specialized for winter and it costs 3 or 4 times the price of the CST Sensamo Control.
Now on to the details of the CST Sensamo Control tire: the main thing about the Sensamo Control tire is its versatility for all seasons riding and virtually all commuting conditions within reason (no deep snow or deep mud mostly-or-all-gravel surfaces might be iffy too). i.e. the rubber/compound used for the Sensamo Control is such that it is not soft in the warmer temperatures and so it rolls very well in spring and summer. The Sensamo Control's tread has not only plenty of course siping but also fine honeycomb-patterned siping texture on its raised/road surfaces. It also has a sleeker look as it is without the 'fuzzy-looking' lamellae as found on the Continental Top Contact Winter tire.
In summary the highly-specialized Top Contact Winter tire is most likely more reliable for winter commuting
but the Sensamo Control is much more versatile for year-round commuting.
The CST Sensamo Control tire:
* is more versatile for year-round commuting due to a more adaptable compound
* has a 'sleeker' look with a lower-profile tread and
* is more affordable
The Continental Top Contact Winter tire:
* is highly specialized in tread and material/compound for winter commuting (ice patches hard-packed snow)
* has a 'fuzzy' tread profile due to the specialized tread featuring 'lamellae'
* is more expensive costing about 3-4 times the price of CST's Sensamo Control tire
I have both these tires and I ride the Sensamo Control tire much more
but the Continental Top Contact Winter is a great option to have
as an alternative to studs in many cases (no scratching up tiles once you get your bike indoors).;
