All the reviews I’ve read on this tire really tout it’s benefits. I’m currently running Zipp 808 hookless wheels front and rear for race day. Is the Continental Aero 111 tire best used as a front and rear combo 26mm Front 29mm Rear for example or should I just be using it as a front tire and stick with a standard GP5000 in the back?
I have the 26mm version on my front wheels. I live in a pretty windy area and I am impressed at how stable it is in cross winds.
On my latest wheels with a 23mm internal width and “mini” hooks, it measures 26mm. The rear rim with a 28mm GP 5000 measures 29.5 mm, so the installed widths are narrower than a standard GP 5000.
Other than those differences, it rides like a GP 5000. So reasonably fast and durable, but nothing out of the ordinary. I see them as a great tire for rough roads and windy conditions and I will put one on my 80mm HED Vanquish for a training/backup racing wheel. For serious racing I prefer the GP 5000 TT. The TTs have much lower rolling resistance, a nicer ride feel, and they are just durable enough to be fairly confident that they won’t flat.
Definitely no reason to put it on as a back tire. More expensive and a touch higher rolling resistance.
It depends on…
rim depth
rim profile
fork profile
wind conditions
100 other things
It also depends on how fast you’re going. Gaining 4w aero and losing 2w at RR at 50kph is cool but at 30kph it could be a net loss. I also have no idea if this tire is okay with hookless, or if the optimized pressure is within ETRTO guidelines for hookless.
I would never put it on the rear.
The following topic gives you a ton of information: Continental aero 111 in TdF
You lose about 4w of RR over a GP5K TT, gain basically nothing at zero yaw, make 1w back at 10⁰, and then start making gains as yaw increases.
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Aerocoach, tested it against the GP5000 TT and the Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed 26mm, and if I remember correctly, the Vittoria one was the fastest after taking in consideration the rolling resistance testing. The 111 was the most aero, but had the highest rolling resistance.