The Best Chinese Carbon Wheels I've Tested - ICAN G25 Gravel Wheelset
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- When it comes to spending our hard earned money on a big ticket item like carbon wheels, most of us turn to the big brands, because thats what the cycling industry tell us we should do.
So I’m on a mission, over the next few months, I’m going to get three sets of wheels from three of the lesser known high-end Chinese manufacturers, and put them all under the microscope.
The first brand I’m looking at is ICAN. The reason I’ve chosen ICAN is because every review I’ve watched or read claims they’re fantastic. But the price sounds too good to be true. And the wheelset I put to the test in this video, is the ICAN G25 gravel wheelset. I give them a thorough testing, including spoke tension, lateral and radial run-out, and spoke alignment. Oh, and obviously, we put them on the scales.
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Website Links, Affiliate links, and or products/tools in this video
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ICAN Website:
icancycling.com
The ICAN G25 Gravel Wheels (The wheels tested in this video):
icancycling.com/collections/g...
Resin Jaw Long Nose Pliers:
amzn.to/4c883nk
About Ribble Valley Cyclist:
I am a regular road cyclist based in the North West of England. I have been a cyclist my whole life, and try to get out every day. The purpose of my TH-cam channel is to share the knowledge I’ve built up in my 40 years as a cyclist.
Follow me on Instagram:
/ ribblevalley_cyclist
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See my routes on Komoot:
www.komoot.com/user/184990942...
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Email me:
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:13 - Who Is ICAN?
02:12 - Wheel Headline Stats
03:10 - Close Look - Hubs
06:30 - Close Look - Spokes
07:03 - Close Look - Rims
08:20 - What Do They Weigh?
08:53 - Test - Wheel Balance
10:48 - Test - Spoke Tension
11:40 - Test - Spoke Alignment
11:40 - Shipping & Tax
13:51 - Conclusion
15:49 - Outro - กีฬา
GREAT ROAD WHEELS.
I bought the G25s 2 yrs ago and run Conti 30mm tubeless and run them for road on my groad bike. Light, super comfy and very fast and smooth. No issues at all.
Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
I’m 13,000km on a set of ICAN FL40s, setup tubeless with Conti GP5000 25mm. Bought on recommendation from a mate and they are fantastic - used for crits, road racing (with a handful of B-grade podiums) and local rides. Bearings are perfection, spokes have held tension and the supplied brake pads not only stop well but they still have plenty of meat left for probably another 13kkm. Would certainly vouch for ICAN quality.
Great to hear! Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
If you are going to buy Chinese you have to understand the mindset of Chinese manufacturers. It is a super aggressive market (for everything) where competition on price and novelty takes precedent over all else.
This means that Chinese manufacturers are by and large focusing heavily on the latest and greatest at the lowest prices. They will often aggressively cut costs by skip parts of the design and manufacturing process - rather than cut back on specs or increase prices to accommodate the cost of proper testing.
This is true for brands which make products for western companies as well - the companies contracting out to Chinese OEMs often do their own prototyping, design and testing. Even if they don't they pay more for high levels of QC.
This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with buying from China - you just have to be a much more "intelligent client". A lot of solid reputable brands exist alongside aliexpress no-name ones, but due to purchasing power parity differences between $ and the RMB (as well as lax IP laws) the Chinese stuff is still cheaper. You can get around the pitfalls by doing some or all of the below:
a) avoiding first generation products (whether bike related or not) as they are most likely to have faults.
b) going for brands/products where being an OEM has the highest likelihood of transferred skills and expertise (i.e. if you are buying a wheel, try and find out the name of the factory and whether they also make big brand wheels)
c) going for brands that sell mostly or exclusively outside of China. These will be in price-competition with Western brands rather than the Domestic Chinese market - which means they can put more time/money into testing and QC whilst still delivering at a lower cost. A good way to spot these are if they are doing major sponsorships targeted at western consumers (e.g. Drive wheels sponsoring GCN).
d) doing research on the Chinese domestic market. Not everything Chinese is a nameless mushroom branded product. China now has a large middle class consumer base and many are into cycling. Going for brands that are tried and true with Chinese domestic consumers is safer than nameless products.
"This means that Chinese manufacturers are by and large focusing heavily on the latest and greatest at the lowest prices. They will often aggressively cut costs by skip parts of the design and manufacturing process - rather than cut back on specs or increase prices to accommodate the cost of proper testing. "really ?? .....you mean... like Boeing?
@@eltribun Yep like Boeing but for different reasons. Boeing is in a duopoly (and in some areas a monopoly) so is incentivised to exercise that monopolistic power - i.e. you don't have anyone else to go to so I can do pretty much what I want to increase my profits.
Chinese "chasing pack" companies do it to cut costs rather than increase margins to break into new markets and capture market share. Their more established competition (in the bike world Shimano, SRAM and Campag) can't afford to cut out testing and QC because they rely heavily on brand value and brand loyalty to act as barriers to entry to the market: right now a lot of riders won't touch Chinese group sets or wheels - but if the big three had high rates of failure, many would be tempted to try the cheaper alternative.
Thanks for clearing this up. I have bought the exact ICAN G25 Gravel Wheelset and have ridden them for over 8 months now with over 3 thousand miles and counting. I run them tubeless with 38mm tires and have been extremely pleased with their performance, reliability, and comfort. Definitely worth the price.
Glad I could help! Did my first ride on them over the weekend. 42 gravel miles on paths and canals. Really impressed with them, noticed the difference instantly.
I picked up the Ican Aero Disc 40mm wheels with the Ican hubs and standard bearings. After about 750km they are running fine. However, I did order a ceramic bearing set for front and back and will be pressing those in this weekend for a few fractions of a watt savings 😅. The standard bearings after only 750km are actually showing very slight degradation which is maybe more my imagination than reality. I had the same impression about the rim tape. But, I’m running TPU so it wasn’t an issue as I had to pop in rim tape anyway. Which IMHO should have been included along with a few spikes and nipples. I also had the exact same impression about no grease under the caps. That was the first thing I did was run a smidge of grease in there. All and all very happy with my purchase. Keep the content flowing!
I'll be leaving the grease out, as I think this'll give an accurate test of what the customer will get. Glad you're enjoying the content 👍
Thanks for the review. I learned a few things about wheel quality checks.
Glad it was helpful!
Good to have you back John, I missed your TH-cam videos.
Good to be back.... Plenty on the way!
Love your videos! Great content presented with great vibes. A huge thank you!! 👍 Sending greetings from Berlin 💌
Hey Sven, Glad you’re enjoying the videos. Thanks for the Super Thanks, will get a coffee while testing the new wheels. Have already done one ride with them over the weekend, and they were very good. Noticed the difference straight away.
Have now started working on the video about the second pair, they’re pretty special road wheels. Hope to get it finished in the next few days 👍👍
@@ribblevalleycyclist At first I wasn't too much interested in chinese wheelsets but the way you walked through the details made me sit up and listen. Impressive especially as I ride ZIPP 454 NSW which are hookless and having now problems with them as the hookless sidewall of the fron wheel bends outward a bit over a length of approx. 20cm not holding the tire firmly enough. I got some wobble first and finally a blow off. Hope ZIPP will get me a new one on warranty.
In the meantime and as a spare I bought LEEZE, a rather small German manufacturer. They are hooked and with a much more narrow inner width. Anyway super stiff and comfortable.
I oftentimes refer to you videos when working on my bikes. Sensational! Excited to see what's coming up.
cheers☕☕
Thank you very much for the information Jon.
My pleasure!
Great video!!!
Thanks 👍
I ran a set of their g25 rims on my last gravel bike for over a year. They were bomb proof and super light. Amazing customer service team at Ican. I can’t recommend them or Nextie enough as they have both been superb to work with.
Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
I own this wheelset and currently have 40mm tires on it. Of note, Pogačar used tubeless 28 mm Continental Grand Prix 5000S TRs on Enve SES 4.5 wheels with an internal width of 25mm when he won Strade Bianche. I plan to test some 28, 30, and 32mm tires on the G25s.
HE'S BACK!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
Good to be back 👍
I have been riding the ICAN wheels for about 5 years. I have the G25 (650) and G24 (700) carbon wheels with the D21 hubs. Both sets have been flawless running tubeless with the Schwalbe G-One tires.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
another quality video
Much appreciated
Good mutha fn review, I’ve been skeptical until now , I’m also looking at the lung rapid set 650 b , I need a wheelset real bad , ICAN had sum when I emailed them but without logo , I’ll reach out to them again real fast for my all city super pro , currently have the hunts alloy version but are pretty decent imo .SUBSCRIBED
Glad you enjoyed it, and welcome onboard!! Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
Saying that though, I own 4 sets of HUNT, they're a good wheel.
Look forward to seeing you review after giving them a bit of welly! off to wrap my pliars in leccy tape :-)
Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
Leccy tape...... now you're just being a cheapskate 🤣
Been running ICAN Alpha Pro 55s for a 7000kms now without a hitch. Fast, light (1500g) and reliable. Only minus is the braking on the wet (rim brake). Good value.
To be honest, that issue affects a lot of carbon rim brake wheels.
Hey there :) Thanks for this lovley video. One tip for your video cutting technique. I think you should make more hard cuts in stead of using a blend effect. Its way more pleasing for the eyes.
Thanks for the tip! I do struggle with transitions if I'm honest. I'm not a creative person, so I do struggle with this part of my channel. I enjoy the process, but I just know I'm no good at it 🤣 I also find that since doing this, I watch TV in a different way! The other problem I have is talking to a camera doesn't come naturally to me, so I struggle with my lines, and pause a lot..... meaning I then need to cut it up a lot. I'll give the hard cut idea a go. Thanks.
How could you miss the obvious pun!? "Why have I chosen ICAN first, because "I can" 😁
Yeah, missed a trick there 🤣
I used a G25 as a front wheel on my Creo ebike. It was fantastic with a 28mm continental GP5000 on it. I ran a 60mm thinner ICAN on the rear. It is a very fast combination.
I'm very impressed so far. 👍
Amazing to have found your channel, I’ve a grizl Al 7 and was hoping to buy a budget carbon wheels, waiting for your update on how you abuse it 🤭 in the next month , also a question, I have DT Swiss wheels, so what kind of hub to chose?
Glad I could help! Did my first ride on them over the weekend. 42 gravel miles on paths and canals. Really impressed with them, noticed the difference instantly.
The DT Swiss hub is very good, but if you're on a budget, and aren't either pro or clocking up serious miles, then the stock hub is more than adequate, just look after it, and use good bearings when they eventually wear out.
Nice review. I swore by these things for a long time. Maybe these new ones have improved. I blew up a couple of Light bicycle rims. Always at the eyelets. I decided to spend 1200 on Reserve wheels because they just replace them for life. They also reinforce the eyelet area with more layup.
Buying carbon wheels is a minefield!
@@ribblevalleycyclist haha.Good one.
Well of course they’re gonna send you a wheelset that has gone through an extra thorough QA inspection since THEY KNOW you’re gonna review it on youtube 😄
Now now, userbeverage, you're just being cynical. 🤣
Best cycle video channel with no bull
Haha... Thanks, Kevin. Do try to keep it all down to earth.
No bull? The guy has a clear agenda. I really couldn't care less about his views on Chinese vs name brand products. Just looking for reviews, not holier-than-thou lecturing.
The lack of spare spokes in this case is not a serious problem. Sapim CX Ray spokes are Belgian made and are widely available in the UK for around £2.50 each. On the other hand many Chinese wheel manufacturers use Pillar spokes, made in Taiwan and, by all accounts, pretty good quality. However, availability in the UK is extremely poor, especially for Pillar bladed spokes. As far as I know Pillar do not have a UK distributor.
Agreed. I’ve seen the Sapim on eBay for the price you say. And HUNT use Pillar, and they’re hard to find. Maybe that’s why they give you a few spare.
Why should there be grease behind the endcap. That would just make a grinding paste whenever dust makes it past the seal. I have moved to not using greasing around the bearings, only when seating them, and had good results with that. Also wiping any excess is a good idea
Other manufacturers grease this area. A rubber O-ring will stop dirt and dust getting it, but not water. Therefore, you won't get a grinding paste. Water will eventually get into the bearing. Also, the vast majority of owners will not maintain this area.
Brilliant mate, look a nice wheel, might drop them a email myself 😊
Yeah, they're good!
I need a back wheel for my steel road bike it's super buckled 😊
Looking forward to your ride review. Maybe I missed it, did you mention warranty?
Done a few rides with them so far, I'm very impressed. Noticed the difference straight away.
No, I forgot! 2 Years. But may be worth reading the small print:
icancycling.com/pages/warranty-faq
Looks Like you‘ve been to the heartland of Europe = Switzerland 👍🇨🇭👍
Lake Garda. Would love to go to Switzerland some day 👍
@@ribblevalleycyclist Should have had a closer look at the ferry - but absolutely nice and much better food and Café anyhow 🤘👍
@martinhotan8946 Hope to pass an opinion some day, if you know what I mean 👍
My left ear dislikes this video (listening on headphones). But my left thumb tapped “like” anyway.
Sorry, Schlinkodonkofink!! I put the microphone on upside down by accident 😬. If you look closely, that light on the microphone should be on the top. Suspect the mic processor cranked the audio up to compensate. Won't make that mistake again!
Do you possibly intend to do a review of the 9velo g35 or g45 gravel bikes😉
I wanted to. I emailed them, but they didn’t reply.
I bought ICAN road wheels a few years ago, still going strong. Mine was missing an end cap...but they sent a replacement
Interesting. Did they send it quickly?
@@ribblevalleycyclist they did. But Im in Barbados so it took a while to get it
Hopefully you're also going to review SuperTeam wheels. I've had a set for several years now and several thousand miles and they're still going strong. Braking surface, truing, they still look and ride fantastic. All for (I bought them on sale) for less than $300 for a set of 38mm.
Maybe 😉
@@ribblevalleycyclist I’ll keep an eye on your channel
I own Ican since 2017 (rim brake 38mm road set) . Had some issues with alluminum niples, replaced all niples for a rare/hard to find Alpina niples. Since, the wheelset is fine. But the aftersales is terrible: needed a replacement rim due a car hit and Ican initially refused to provide. After a long argue and insistance, Ican overpriced the replacement rim. So, there is no point acquiring a product if aftersale is terrible. Next time, my choice will be Elitewheels.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience. Am in talks with Elitewheels.
Subscribing just for the tip with the pliers😂
What other reason would you have 😂😂😂😂
@@ribblevalleycyclist the amount of chewed up end caps! Great video thanks
Liked :)
Already subscribed;)
Been a sub for a while now 👍
I have driving the ICAN Aero 40 since 2022. I even had to send it to China, because of stiff hubs. After sending back, It was not better. Now DT Hubs and everything works well. I will buy ICAN never again.
One of my main concerns with buying direct from China is a lack of support in the states. I had an issue with my rear wheel recently, and was able to walk into my local shop and got it warrantied and had a new wheel in 7 days. Could not do that with the Chinese wheels. Now being low cost, could just buy a new one, but would not want to do that
For me, thats why I think this wheelset is good, because the components used are good quality (reducing problems), and spares can be obtained. The issue is buying Chinese wheels from brands that don't tell you what they're made from, and don't offer spares.
My aero40mm rim brake wheels arrived 5mm offset to the non drive side front and rear, ican said yes send them back we will sort it just pay for the postage 300nz$
"5% more lovely."😂
As a rough guide of stuff we buy I think cheap is cheap, expensive is some bastard getting rich at our expense and mid price is about right.
Good logic 👍
You should try Elite,I have three sets road, TT, and gravel all faultless
Agreed, they’re good wheels. I asked them if they wanted to get involved in my Chinese triple review…….. unfortunately they didn’t reply.
@@ribblevalleycyclist they think they are big stuff now seeing as they sponsor gcn etc, more room for other players
Yeah, they're doing well, which is good.
How are the S&S bearing compared to other brands like Enduro, SKF, NTN etc.?
A lot of the Chinese brands use both their steel, and ceramic bearings, and the reviews are good. I'll be getting them on the bike for the weekend, so watch this space!!
I bought G24s a while ago. I didn't get free shipping at the time, but I didn't have to pay duties. Great wheels though. Are people actually getting free shipping these days?
I went on to their website, put in my UK address, and got a shipping quote. Shipping was £100, so not free, and whether they come from China or Europe, there will likely be duty and VAT, on both the purchase and the shipping. So suddenly the £512 wheels are over £700. So maybe £500 cheaper than equivalent Hunt wheels. Is that worth it? If they remain perfect, maybe, but in the event of a warranty claim?
Great point but you can get 130 gbp for shipping with import duty already included
Sorry I couldn’t help it at 14:36 you put up a graphic which said ‘Componants Used’ I know it’s picky but it’s ’Components’ 🤣😂
You know what, I spotted that, but forgot to go back and change it!!! It's the old age...... Think I need another holiday 🤣
@@ribblevalleycyclist 😁
I think these manufacturers are going to help lower (or hold back) prices from the big brands. Whenever I buy something, I compare the price difference to the quality difference. If something is triple the price, is it triple the quality.
What a dumb comment. It’s triple the price because the west already engineering, designed, and tested a working series of prototypes for years before China stole the IP and started selling it at shite quality. Schools collapse on children in China.
Compare to Scribe Inception 50d wheels........
The Scribe Inception 50d is a road wheel. The Scribe gravel wheel is hookless, which is something I'm not looking at right now.
Do carbon rims absorb a noticeable amount of vibration??
The opposite really. And it gets worse with carbon spokes.
I will stick with my comfy aluminiums 😂
@@fisharefriends598 Good plan 👍
Can you review the EliteWheels Edge?
Does Elitewheels still make the Edge?
@@ribblevalleycyclist Yes! Bought some a few weeks ago.
@@Alonnnz They're not on their website as a current model. Did you buy them new from Elitewheels?
@@ribblevalleycyclist They are available on their Ali official store.
@@ribblevalleycyclist It keeps removing the comment where I try to say they are 'on a certain large Chinese online store' . That's where I bought them.
400 USD for delivery to the UK ?
Try looking in the EU warehouse section.
Manufacturers send their best performers to youtube reviewers to make sure the review goes good. Do your own research.
If its not been designed and quality controlled by a western manufacturer, I dont tŕust a Chinese wheel.
cool story bro
Which western "manufacturer" has their own factory?
It’s 100% designed by a Western manufacturer, and designed with QC in mind. Chinese manufacturers like ICAN just steal the designs from western companies and sell them in house.
People pushing Chinese brands are no different than people pushing "name brands". They all have an agenda that suits their biases. What's nice are folks who do objective reviews and leave out the biased crap. Sorry, dude. Your review is no different than anyone else's. You've got your agenda that informs your message. Your preaching is nauseating.
Thanks for your feedback. I don't actually have an agenda, other than giving an honest opinion on what is put before me.
in the EU warehouse they have the G25 for 790 usd not 650.
as well as having very little available (frames) and wheels. The 2 year warranty is good, but not great. other manufacturers guarantee even 5 years.
P.s. their carbon frames have been out for a few years, there isn't much replacement