| O-BEAD changes the
way the tire interacts with the rim of
the wheel, improving performance. There
are many facets of
O-BeadŽ. Bead cable design is one
of the most important. If you cut a
conventional tire into cross sections,
you would notice a cable that runs
through the sidewall, implanted just
below the lip that mounts to the rim of
the wheel. This cable - known as the
"bead" - helps the tire grip the wheel;
strengthening and supporting the entire
tire assembly.
On most tires, the cable has an
overlap where its two ends meet (see
illustration). Because the cable is
doubled at this overlapping joint, the
overlap makes the entire tire assembly
less round. It also creates tiny,
unwanted gaps when the tire is attached
to the rim of the wheel.
O-BeadŽ eliminates the overlapped
joint in the bead cable by using a
single, continuous strand of cable (see
illustration below). This creates a tire
assembly that is more precisely round. A
more precisely round wheel assembly
improves driving on straightaways and
handling stability, producing consistent
control and superb steering response.
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