The Continental Aero 111 tyre is, in some ways, similar to the GP5000 line. It makes use of the identical Black Chili Compound for grip and decreased rolling resistance, and the Vectran Breaker for added puncture safety. It’s solely out there as a entrance tyre and is available in 26 or 29mm with the 26mm weighing a claimed 250g however coming in at a really comparable 252g on my scales.
The place issues get totally different are on the outside of the tyre. Designed with Swiss Aspect, Swiss aero consultants throughout motorsport and biking, the tyres have been designed with “48 precision-formed, vortex-generating cavities that create managed turbulence, making certain extended airflow attachment to the rim, leading to decreased aerodynamic drag and improved crosswind stability”. This ends in a large discount in drag at greater speeds in accordance with their very own testing, saving as much as 4 watts at 30kph and 20-degree yaw vs the GP5000S TR 25mm tyre, and almost 20 watts saving at 45kph and 20 levels yaw. It’s value noting although that as velocity will increase, efficient yaw angle decreases, so 20 diploma yaw at 45kph is an excessive determine to come across in most real-world testing.
Becoming and driving
Continental Aero 111 tyre with vortex mills clearly displaying
(Picture credit score: Future/Andy Turner)
As with every tyre, the primary a part of the assessment course of is becoming it. I fitted these to some DTSwiss ARC 1100 DICUT DB 38 wheels, a pair that Continental really developed the tyre to carry out with! These wheels have been cussed with tyres earlier than, however the Aero 111 was a brand new stage of issue to suit and required extra forearm and grip energy than ought to be anticipated of any highway bike owner. After a lot frustration and the donning of particular rubber grip gloves, I used to be in a position to get the tyre on. Seating it was simply completed with a observe pump by eradicating the valve core, and it held strain effectively all through the day with not an enormous quantity of sealant.
Fitted to the DTSwiss entrance wheel, the tyre sits properly flush with the rim, each of that are 26mm claimed and measured. The thought is that the tyre works with the rim profile to increase the efficient rim depth whereas additionally creating turbulent vortexes to maintain airflow higher hooked up. By way of claims, Continental says the tyre performs fractionally higher than the GP5000 S TR on the identical wheel at 30kph and 0-10 levels yaw. When this will increase to 10-20 levels the Aero 111 saves 6 watts, and when the velocity will increase to 45kph and yaws 15-20 levels the saving is a big 18 watts. Taking a vital view of this although, as velocity will increase the efficient yaw angle drops, so 15-20 levels yaw at 45kph wants one hell of a crosswind. The 30kph figures nonetheless are way more practical. One other declare is that the tyre is extra steady in crosswinds with much less of a stall, the place air strain modifications instantly and creates a jolt of motion.
The Aero 111 was developed with the assistance of DT Swiss and Swiss Aspect
(Picture credit score: Future/Andy Turner)
Taking all this check information into consideration and making use of it to driving on the highway, it’s exhausting to get any actual quantifiable information because the situations and circumstances should not controllable. One of the best I can present is subjective suggestions, however having spent a decade coaching and driving almost 200,000km, I’ve grow to be good at being very in tune with the tools I take advantage of. It was attention-grabbing utilizing the tyres on the DT Swiss wheels, as testing with Pirelli tyres revealed that these wheels weren’t the quickest in crosswinds and had been topic to stalls, though they didn’t decide up the wind a lot resulting from being shallower. With the Aero 111 tyre on, the entrance felt like a deeper part wheel in crosswinds. This interprets to feeling a tad sooner, but additionally in gusty situations it felt like they received caught by the wind extra, though they remained steady. Once more, subjective information just isn’t a really correct measure, and a few velocity good points may very well be as a result of these tyres additionally carry out effectively with regards to rolling resistance. Nonetheless, testing with the identical tools, bar the tyre, and accounting for a change in rolling resistance, common CdA on MyWindSock is a little bit decrease with the Aero 111 than with the Pirelli. However that is nonetheless going to be susceptible to margin of error, particularly with such small variations and so many uncontrollable components of driving exterior.
A tyre, nonetheless, additionally must be good at cornering and never be fragile. The Aero 111 performs exceptionally effectively throughout each of those areas. The Black Chili compound is as gripper as ever and the wheel sticks to the tarmac even when banking into corners at excessive speeds. The addition of the Vectran Breaker appears to work effectively as over the course of almost 1000km it hasn’t had a single puncture or a nick within the tread, even with driving by persistent hedge trimmings. As a race day tyre arrange mixed with a GP5000 S TR rear tyre, the Aero 111 performs in addition to any excessive finish race tyre with regards to grip, rolling resistance and puncture safety. The promise of a small however doubtlessly tangible aero achieve throughout a variety of situations simply sweetens the deal.
Worth
Even with out the very apparent votex mills, the Aero 111 would nonetheless be a really aggressive tyre, each in efficiency and value
(Picture credit score: Future/Andy Turner)
At £89 the Aero 111 just isn’t an affordable tyre. However when you think about {that a} Pirelli PZero RS Race is £85, a Vittoria Corsa Professional Pace is £90 and a Continental GP5000 S TR is £80, then the Aero 111 just isn’t unhealthy worth. Add to that it’s a entrance tyre so will final 2-3 instances longer than a rear tyre and it’s pretty good.
Finally, the efficiency is on par with these equally priced tyres, however the Aero 111 guarantees so as to add one thing that little bit extra, marginal achieve or not, you get a bit extra efficiency on your cash.
Conclusion
The Continental Aero 111 tyre is one thing pretty distinctive within the present market of efficiency bike tyres. Different tyres supply an aero achieve however to not such an extent, particularly in crosswinds. It performs exceptionally effectively with regards to grip, rolling resistance and puncture safety when in comparison with different equally priced efficiency tyres.
The place the Aero 111 provides one thing totally different although is promising to extend the aero efficiency of your wheel. It’s exhausting to quantify if it actually does, however just a few behavioural cues of the wheels in crosswinds recommend that it does enhance aerodynamic efficiency in greater yaw angles.
This comes at a slight expense of a shallower wheel catching the wind like a deeper wheel, however the hope is that the improved aero efficiency for the burden of a shallower wheel will assist general efficiency properly.
