#Tyre Knowledge #Bicycle
Hookless vs. Hooked Rims
General Information on Hookless

A hookless rim is characterized by its hookless sidewall. Unlike hooked rims, hookless rims do not have a form closure between the tyre bead and the rim flange. On hookless rims, the tyre is only held in place by the tyre bead and the frictional forces between the tyre and the rim flange. On hooked rims, the tyre is also held by the form closure of the tire bead and the rim flange.
From our point of view, hookless setups seem to be more sensitive to deviations in system tolerances. Customers must follow all guidelines regarding hookless compatibility by tyre and rim manufacturer. Tyre and rim combinations, which are not specified on the tyre’s packaging, are not approved by Continental. To ensure secure tyre and rim combinations, it is mandatory to check and follow the guidelines/standards of both the tyre and the rim very carefully, especially when using hookless rims. The maximum inflation pressure and permitted inner rim width are crucial for hookless applications.
The maximum inflation pressure for hookless and hooked applications as well as the maximum inner rim width can be found on the tyre packaging. Continental's mounting guidelines can be found here.
Hookless-compatible Continental bicycle tyres are fully functional without the usage of tyre inserts. However, tyre inserts are advertised to keep the tyre safely on the rim in case of a puncture. Therefore, this technology can be beneficial for tubeless applications on hookless rims.
Hookless compatible Continental bicycle tyres
- Road
- Gravel
- MTB
Tire | Dimension | Max. pressure Bar | psi | Max. inner rim width TSS |
Grand Prix 5000 S TR | 30-584 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 |
32-584 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 | |
25-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 21 | |
28-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 23 | |
30-622 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 | |
32-622 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 | |
Grand Prix 5000 AS TR | 25-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 21 |
28-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 23 | |
32-622 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 | |
35-622 | 4.0 | 58 | 25 | |
Grand Prix 5000 TT TR | 25-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 21 |
28-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 23 | |
AERO 111 | 26-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 22 |
29-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 25 | |
Grand Prix TR | 25-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 21 |
28-622 | 5.0 | 72 | 23 | |
30-622 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 | |
32-622 | 4.5 | 65 | 25 |
Hookless rim = *TSS rim (tubeless straight side)
Hooked rim = **C/TC rim (crotchet/tubeless crotchet)
Further information to compatible tire and rim combinations can be found here