Seeing you asked about TravelContacts, they are the ones I usually use. Difficult for me to compare with XR's, I've only used a 1.6XR on the front when I couldn't get a TravelContact. Both tyre types have been very reliable. I think the XR might be a bit heavier & the Conti has a quicker looking tread for pavement. All the same, I really don't know if the Conti TravContact will be "quicker".