While there are no official details about the new tyre, it’s likely designed to work in a similar way to a golf ball, whereby the dimples trip the airflow from laminar to turbulent, thereby reducing drag. Aero socks<\/a> and aero base layers<\/a> employ similar thinking.<\/p> The tyre is branded as \u2018Continental Aero 111\u2019 on the sidewall. The tyre also appears to be a partnership between the German tyre brand and Swiss Side, with \u2018Aerodynamics by Swiss Side\u2019 printed on the opposite sidewall. The Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale team uses Swiss Side wheels.<\/p> There\u2019s no indication of width on the tyre, but we\u2019d expect it to be 28c \u2013 that\u2019s what it looks to the eye, and 28c has become the standard size for pro riders.<\/p> The bikes we\u2019ve seen at the Tour de France only use the new tyre at the front, with a regular Continental GP 5000 S TR<\/a> on the rear. <\/p> That\u2019s not unsurprising, given that only the front tyre is going to have a meaningful aerodynamic impact.<\/p> It\u2019s also not surprising that tyres have become the latest subject of attention for aerodynamic bigwigs, given the ever-increasing focus on drag reduction at the top level of the sport. <\/p> Tyre width and tread pattern \u2013 as well as the interaction between the tyre and the rim \u2013 have a small but not negligible impact on drag, within the overall context of a rider-plus-bike system. ENVE is among the brands<\/a> to offer ‘aero-optimised’ road tyres.<\/p> Keep an eye out for this new tyre at the Tour de France, where the Decathlon\u2013AG2R La Mondiale team is also using a new Van Rysel FCR aero bike<\/a>.<\/p>![\"Continental](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/06\/Continental-Aero-111-tyre-Tour-de-France.jpg\")
![\"Continental](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/06\/Continental-Aero-111-tyre_-3.jpg\")