Huge wheels are no stranger to German tyre manufacturer, Continental. But now, Continental's tyres are being used to help operate the world's largest and tallest observation wheel - Ain Dubai, by Dubai Holding, located on Dubai's must-visit island destination, Bluewaters.
Continental's tyres have long been used in the operation of the London Eye - the UK capital's own observation wheel, launched in 1999. It was perhaps an obvious choice then to seek out the brand's products again for the record-breaking Dubai entertainment destination.
Absolutely essential for the smooth and consistent rotation of the wheel, with minimal down time, Continental's TerminalMaster tyres were chosen for their quality and reliability. Turning with the help of hydraulic motors, the 64 tyres serve as friction rollers in the drive systems at either end of the boarding platform to keep Ain Dubai turning on its slow and steady rotation, giving its guests unparalleled 360-degree views of the emirate in premium comfort.
The tyres were chosen for their durability and strength - and are more usually be found on a terminal tractor or trailer than in this glamorous Dubai city location. However, the qualities the tyres exhibit translate exceptionally well to their function on Ain Dubai.
Built to withstand extremely harsh conditions, huge payloads and long service, the tyres in question are 64 Continental 310/80R22.5 TerminalMaster TLs. Heavy-duty and tubeless, they feature an extra-deep tread profile and industrial-strength casing, with a higher resistance to damage and punctures than standard tyres. The reinforced bead construction, special wear-resistant compound and S-shaped cross ribs allow excellent traction in all conditions. These qualities all combine to produce an incredibly long-serving, high-performance product, perfect for the hours of operation and high levels of safety required for the operation of Ain Dubai.
To further optimise the tyres' performance, each of them is digitally monitored by ContiConnectTM and ContiPressureCheckTM, which give continuous feedback on each tyre's condition and advance notification if corrective actions related to the tyres are needed. These intelligent solutions are displayed on a web portal or app, that can deliver reports and analytics in addition to the constant monitoring. This intelligent technology means each tyre runs at optimum pressure and gives maximum uptime, which also equates to supreme safety, not to mention energy efficiency and the longest possible lifespan.
It's easy to misjudge the scale of the tyres without some context - each one measures 1,070 millimetres in diameter, and weighs in at 77.75 kilogrammes - huge in comparison to the 635-millimetre diameter and average eight-to-10-kilogramme weight of a typical 195/65/R15 sedan road tyre.
With its 11,200 tonnes of steel, 2,400 kilometres of cable, up to 1,750-person capacity across 48 spacious cabins, Ain Dubai is the definitive giant in its class and requires each of its components to be of the highest standard of quality - this is where Continental's tyres are best-in-class for the job.
Continental is an official partner of Ain Dubai and will host events at the ultimate celebration destination in the coming months.
