Thank you for visiting the ICAN official blog.

This time, we will introduce a thorough review of ICAN's latest wheels, the AERO 50 II, by the overseas road bike YouTube channel "BikeLabHQ".

First, please watch the actual review video.

The review was conducted by Mike, known for his "Carbon Wheel Scorecard."

He is known for thoroughly analyzing numerous carbon wheels, measuring, disassembling, and test-riding them to analyze their weight, rigidity, spoke tension, and internal structure.

When Mike tested the AERO II series, the first thing he said was,

"Among the 50mm wheels I've reviewed, these are by far the lightest."

That was his remark.

This video mainly focuses on the 50mm model (AERO 50 II / 52 II), but the AERO II series offers a lineup of

• 38mm
• 40mm
• 50mm
• 52mm

and the design philosophy and basic technology are common across the series.

In particular, the results of this review should be a very important reference for those considering the AERO 40 II, which is highly popular in Japan.

In this article, we will elaborate on the appeal and design philosophy of the AERO II series from the perspective of ICAN management, based on BikeLabHQ's review.

Why is 1247g for a 50mm wheel "unusual"?

"Lightness" has always been a crucial theme for deep-rim wheels for road bikes.

However, generally,

• The higher the rim height
• The better the aerodynamic performance

the more the weight increases.

Especially for the 50mm class, many models typically weigh around 1400-1600g.

Among these, the AERO 50 II has a claimed weight of 1254g.

And this time, BikeLabHQ's actual measurement showed:

• Front: 573g
• Rear: 674g
• Total: 1247g

which was the result.

Moreover, this is an even lighter figure than the official claimed weight.

Mike was also quite surprised by this weight in the video.

This is because it was overwhelmingly lighter compared to other 50mm wheels in the same price range.

The AERO II's abnormal cost performance revealed in comparison with other companies' wheels

The video also compared it with several popular carbon wheels.

For example,

• Elite Wheels Marvel 2 (50mm): Approx. 1500g
• Super Team Ultra H2 (50mm): Approx. 1290g
• Yolio Chankan CS50: Approx. 1185g

Compared to competitor models like these, the AERO II is very lightweight.

What is particularly noteworthy is the price range.

It is not uncommon for ultra-lightweight carbon wheels to be in the 2,000-4,000 dollar class.

However, the AERO II series is offered at a significantly lower price point.

Mike also,

"Top value in the $600-700 range"

He highly praised it.

What we at ICAN have been pursuing for many years is,

"To deliver high performance to more cyclists, not just a limited few."

This is our goal.

The AERO II series can be said to be one of the wheels that best embodies this philosophy.

How was such a light weight achieved?

"How was this weight achieved?"

I believe this is a point of concern for many people.

The reason is that we didn't just "lighten the rim"; we re-examined the entire wheel from scratch.

Uses Sapim CX-Ray spokes

The AERO II series uses Sapim CX-Ray spokes, which are adopted by high-end wheels worldwide.

Sapim

CX-Ray offers a high balance of

• lightness
• aerodynamic performance
• durability
• flexibility

and is a standard spoke adopted in many professional-level wheels.

In fact, wheels in this price range often use round spokes to cut costs.

However, ICAN prioritizes riding performance and uses CX-Ray as standard.

This significantly impacts not only weight, but also

• acceleration performance
• cruising performance
• crosswind stability

as well.

The existence of the newly designed D91 hub

The AERO II series adopts the new D91 hub.

D91 hub

It is 49g lighter than the conventional D01 hub, with a hub-only weight of 279g.

Thorough weight reduction has also been implemented here.

Furthermore,

• 45T star ratchet
• High engagement precision
• Excellent responsiveness

are achieved.

It ensures more than enough drive response for road riding.

Also, in this review,

"The adoption of steel bearings rather than ceramic is also practical."

We also received this evaluation.

While ceramic bearings are certainly attractive,

• maintainability
• durability
• cost

Considering all these factors, high-quality steel bearings offer significant advantages.

We place great importance on "being able to use them with peace of mind for a long time."

Build quality proven by numbers

One of the points we were particularly pleased with in this review was the spoke tension evaluation.

Mike used specialized equipment to measure the uniformity of spoke tension.

As a result,

• Front: extremely precise
• Rear: 22 out of 24 spokes within ideal range

The results were very high.

This means that it's not just light, but the "assembly quality itself is high."

Variations in spoke tension can greatly affect

• trueness
• durability
• rigidity
• long-term stability

It significantly affects the performance of the vehicle.

We believe that the AERO II series' thorough quality control during the manufacturing process led to this evaluation.

Real-world review reveals both "lightness" and "rigidity"

In the actual riding review, Mike particularly highly praised the "rigidity."

The AERO II series adopts a structure combining T700 and T800 carbon.

As a result,

• Responsiveness during dancing
• Lateral rigidity during sprints
• Stability at high speeds

are combined at a very high level.

In the video, too,

"Power is directly transmitted"

was the expression used.

Especially with a weight of 1247g,

• hill climbs
• corner exits
• re-acceleration

etc., provides a significant advantage.

Why we recommend the AERO 40 II to Japanese riders

While this review focused on the 50mm model, we believe that the AERO 40 II is particularly well-suited for Japanese riders.

In Japan's road environment, there are various situations such as

• mountain routes
• crosswinds
• stop-and-go
• rough pavement

etc., there are various situations.

The 40mm height offers an excellent balance of

• aerodynamic performance
• lightweight
• crosswind stability
• ease of handling

is very good, making it one of the most versatile choices for Japanese riders.

Not only for hill climbs, but also for

• long rides
• group rides
• races
• casual weekend rides

It can handle a wide range of situations.

Seriously addressing areas for improvement

In this review, we also received frank opinions on areas for improvement.

For example,

• rim inner finish
• wear of aluminum freebody

etc. are examples.

We believe that such feedback is extremely important.

Especially regarding the internal finish, we recognize that there is still room for further quality improvement, although there are no performance issues.

Regarding the aluminum freehub as well,

• lightness
• cost
• maintainability

While it is a choice that considers the balance with, we will continue to provide long-term support, including the spare parts supply system.

Summary: Can the AERO 50 II series be a "smart choice"?

Through this BikeLabHQ review, we feel that the AERO II series has once again proven that it is not just a "low-priced wheel," but

"A high-performance wheel for riders who are serious about riding."

We feel that we have once again demonstrated this.

In particular,

• Those who prioritize lightweight
• Those who want to ride faster on hill climbs
• Those who prioritize cost performance
• Those looking for alternatives to expensive brands
• Those who value actual weight and quality

This series is highly recommended.

Thank you, Mike from BikeLabHQ, for this excellent review.

ICAN will continue to pursue "riding performance beyond the price" and deliver the joy of riding to cyclists worldwide.