Why does Continental have only one layer on the tire sidewall?
2 Answers
Continental tires have thin sidewalls with only one layer because they are positioned for quiet and comfortable driving. Thin sidewalls make the tires softer. Advantages of Continental tires: They have better flex resistance, ensuring safer driving, lower rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency, and typically provide better comfort at the same outer contour width. However, the thin sidewall poses a significant issue—it is more susceptible to damage when scraping against curbs. Continental tires have only one layer on the sidewall, making the tire body softer, with quiet and comfortable driving being a major feature. High safety of Continental tires: Continental tires are renowned for their all-weather safety and reliability, featuring strong self-cleaning properties and extremely high instantaneous overload capacity, responsive handling and cornering stability, excellent braking performance on both dry and wet surfaces, superior drainage protection, and being the only road tires globally approved for driving at 360 km/h, earning a place in the Guinness World Records.
I've been using Continental tires for several years and found that the single-layer sidewall is mainly designed for weight reduction. Lighter tires not only improve fuel efficiency but also reduce vibrations when going over speed bumps. The old double-layer sidewalls were thick and stiff, while the current single-layer relies on new fiber materials, which is sufficient for daily driving. However, you need to be more careful on rough roads as hitting the curb can easily cause sidewall bulges. Continental's design actually accounts for the fact that most driving is done in urban areas, balancing comfort and cost.
