Corima

Aero Carbon Road Wheel - Clincher

The Aero is one of Corima's most recognizable rim profiles, as it's proven itself in some of the most prestigious road races on the planet. Most recently, we watched Pro Team Astana running a version of the Aero for the rolling stages of this year's Giro, relying on the wheels' stability and wind-cutting profile to control the pace at the front of the peloton day after day. And while he had Corima's full lineup of carbon wheels at his disposal, team leader Nibali continued to put his faith in the steel-spoked Aero for the majority of the race's flatter stages, claiming the overall title in the process.

In its 35+ years of perfecting composites, producing mechanical molds in both the automotive and aeronautics fields, Corima continues to push the boundaries as to what's achievable with carbon manufacturing. In fact, an integral part of what makes Corima's wheels so precise is directly attributable to its wheel components being built in-house. For the new Aero wheels, this principle is the same, as the hubs and rims used to build this aerodynamic clincher were manufactured in the same facility in the south of France. For this current set of carbon wheels, Corima chose to apply its 47mm Aero rim profile, as this shape has been proven to be more aerodynamic than shallower-sectioned rims, yet it's still versatile enough to handle a variety of racing situations. Its profile spins up incredibly fast on the flats, and it remains exceptionally solid in crosswinds.

For the construction of this full-carbon Aero rim, Corima used pre-impregnated sheets of 12K (12,000 filaments per square weave) carbon fiber. This carbon composition is more rigid than Corima's 3K carbon, but its stiffness is perfectly balanced through the compliance provided by the steel-spoked design. These 12K sheets were then formed into its torsion box 'Concept 2D' shape, which results in a subtle 'U' profile 22.6mm width. Corima also uses its HPS technology with its carbon clincher rims, meaning that they are made of 100% carbon, without incorporating any metallic parts. The reasoning behind this is to keep the weight as low as possible by not adding any unnecessary metal into the rim composition. And, besides lending itself to Corima's signature refined gloss and apparent carbon weave finish, this layup design also provides better aerodynamics, stiffness, and ride quality in comparison to more traditional 'V-shaped' carbon wheel profiles. It's a shape that Corima refined through extensive CAD designs and wind tunnel testing before the final design was selected. Throughout these revisions, Corima discovered that this width-to-height ratio provided the ideal balance between aerodynamics and strength.

One of the biggest contributors to the Aero wheels' compliant feel and light weight (around 1625g for the set), is its spoke lacing pattern. Corima built the wheels with 24 spokes for both the front and rear. These spokes were strategically arranged in order to provide uniform tension throughout. In addition to being highly resilient to flex, the tried-and-proven J-bend Sapim CX-Ray spokes provide unmatched long distance comfort. And, compared to the Aero+, this wheelset uses more spokes throughout (24 versus 18/20), which yields a touch more vertical compliance. At the rear wheel, the drive-side spokes were laced three-cross as to deliver the most efficient transmission of power directly to the rear wheel. Corima radially laced both the non-drive side of rear wheel and the front wheel. Additionally, the arrangement of these bladed CX -Ray spokes provides incredible stiffness and overall durability to the wheelset.

The Aero Wheels incorporate Corima's proprietary hubs, which were built with both titanium and aluminum in order to create a stable, lightweight platform. The hubs feature low friction, high precision annular steel bearings throughout. On the rear wheel, three tempered steel transmission pawls were spaced at 120 degree intervals within a 30-tooth ratchet ring. This ensures a fast and smooth engagement the moment that you apply pressure to the pedals.

The Corima Aero Clincher Road Wheel is supplied with brake pads, quick-release skewers, and a wheel bag. It is available in the color Black/white and in 700c size. Additionally, you're able to choose from either Shimano/SRAM or Campagnolo compatible freehub body. Please note that these wheels are sold individually, and that the Shimano/SRAM freehub is available in both a 10- and 11-speed freehub compatibility.