An all-new tyre has been noticed on the Tour de France, utilizing some uncommon tread sample and with an obvious aero profit.
Noticed on the Van Rysel bikes of Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale on the Groups Presentation in Florence, Italy, the workforce’s SwissSide wheels had been wrapped in a tyre with no demarcation moreover the phrases ‘Continental Aero 111’ and ‘Aerodynamics by SwissSide’.
Not all bikes had been fitted with them, and apparently, they had been solely used on the entrance wheels, moderately than in pairs. A mix of GP5000 S TR and GP5000 TT TR tyres had been used on the rear.
Given the entrance wheel is the very first thing to hit the air when travelling, it’s the space of biggest significance regarding how a lot of a distinction a discount in drag could make. Any air that hits the rear wheel has already hit the seat tube (and earlier than that, the down tube and the entrance wheel), so the air is already turbulent, whereas the airflow hitting the entrance wheel is laminar.
The tyre has an uncommon tread sample that, put merely, seems as if somebody has taken a chisel to the tyre and brought chunks out of the tread at common intervals on both shoulder. It is a vital distinction from the intricate tread sample discovered on the present GP5000 tyres.
We all know from the Enve SES Highway Tyre {that a} well-designed tread sample can provide an aero profit. As air flows across the tyre, that tread provides turbulence that retains the airflow connected. As an alternative of pushing the air away leaving the remainder of the wheel within the wake of soiled, turbulent air, it helps the air keep connected lengthy sufficient to stream into the rim floor of the entrance wheel.
We will solely assume that the identical tactic is being employed right here, and given the workforce is simply utilizing it on the entrance, it is seemingly that this tyre is designed particularly as a entrance tyre. Nonetheless, we’re not ruling out the chance that the distinction made to the rear won’t be large enough to warrant the change. Making an allowance for that it is a workforce that will get its tyres without spending a dime, it is most likely sitting on a stockpile of the GP5000 fashions, whereas the brand new Aero tyre is probably going scarce.
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Whereas the Critérium du Dauphiné is the frequent launchpad for brand spanking new bikes, giving groups and riders an opportunity to get used to a brand new bike earlier than bringing it to the largest race on this planet, the Tour de France is an everyday launchpad for the smaller objects. Having spent a few days in Florence up to now, bouncing from workforce lodge to workforce lodge, we have noticed a handful of latest issues.
There have been numerous new paint jobs, comparable to Mark Cavendish’s new Wilier Filante and naturally the Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe bike, however we have additionally seen new pc mounts, helmets and extra, which we’ll put into an enormous tech gallery within the coming days.
New tyres is probably a dangerous transfer in a race the place the primary stage finishes with a twisty descent, however we’re certain the workforce has been testing them in coaching over latest weeks, if not longer.
