 
O-Bead® changes the way the tire interacts with the rim
of the wheel, improving performance. There are many facets of
O-Bead. 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-Bead eliminates the
overlapped joint in the bead cable by using a single,
continuous strand of cable (see illustration). 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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