IN BRIEF
Continental announced on 18 August from Hanover a 32 mm version of its Aero 111 aerodynamic road tyre. The range, until now limited to the 26 and 29 mm sizes, therefore moves up to three widths: 26-622, 29-622 and 32-622. This 32 mm is claimed at 310 grams, against 280 g for the 29 and 250 g for the 26. It carries over the patented 48-dimple tread developed with Swiss Side, the BlackChili compound and the Vectran Breaker puncture-protection layer of the Grand Prix 5000, in a Tubeless Ready casing compatible with hookless rims. Continental gave no price in its announcement; BikeRadar puts the retail price at €128.95.
| Model | Continental Aero 111 in 32 mm |
| Widths in the range | 26-622, 29-622 and 32-622 |
| Claimed weights | 310 g in 32 mm, 280 g in 29 mm, 250 g in 26 mm |
| Tread pattern | 48 patented dimples acting as vortex generators |
| Compound | BlackChili |
| Puncture protection | Vectran Breaker layer, shared with the Grand Prix 5000 |
| Mounting | Tubeless Ready, hookless rim compatible |
| Sidewall | Standard black |
| Made in | Germany |
| Retail price | €128.95 according to BikeRadar — no price given in the Continental release |
Two years after launching the Aero 111 in 26 and 29 mm, Continental is widening a road tyre described, in the manufacturer’s own words, as the most aerodynamic in its range. The German manufacturer announced on 18 August from Hanover a 32 mm size, at 310 grams, which completes a range now made up of three widths. The move follows the trajectory of the peloton, where wide sections have taken hold even on time trial bikes.
What the Aero 111 owes to its 48 dimples
The tyre’s visual signature comes from its tread, peppered with 48 patented dimples that act as vortex generators. The principle is borrowed from aerodynamics: deliberately disturbing the layer of air in contact with the tyre in order to delay its separation, and reduce drag behind the wheel by the same amount. Continental developed this tread pattern with Swiss Side, the Swiss aerodynamics specialist already involved in several wheel projects.
The rest of the construction is more conventional, and borrows from the brand’s own top end: the BlackChili compound, which Continental reserves for its racing tyres, and the Vectran Breaker layer shared with the Grand Prix 5000. The casing is Tubeless Ready and compatible with hookless rims, now in the majority on carbon road wheels. Production remains German.
A superlative that belongs to Continental, not to the market
Continental calls the Aero 111 the “most aerodynamic tyre” in its own range. The wording deserves to be read closely: in the manufacturer’s terms, it places the tyre inside its own catalogue, and not against the competition. The 18 August release itself claims no speed record. And when Continental did use a broader superlative, in 2024, it was to describe a wheel-and-tyre package built with DT Swiss, not the tyre taken on its own — a distinction that later coverage has often erased.
That leaves the question of price. The 18 August release mentions neither a price nor an on-sale date. According to BikeRadar, the tyre would be listed at €128.95, a level consistent with the racing positioning of the range. Continental had not confirmed it at the time of the announcement.
