The Helu Aera Carbon is HEZO’s 3D printed high-performance road cycling shoe, developed in collaboration with the amateur cycling team Kern-Haus. It was specifically designed to meet the demands of stage races, where efficiency, comfort, and durability must be maintained over long periods and under varying conditions.
The Helu Aera Carbon will be presented and launched for the first time at Cyclingworld.
A key focus of the Helu Aera Carbon is the use of carefully selected, bio-based high-performance polymers. The sole structure is made from PA11 carbon combined with Pebax®, with PA11 derived from castor oil. These materials were chosen for their balanced combination of stiffness, flexibility, and rebound behavior, as well as their comparatively low material density of 0.87 g/cm³.Thanks to this material selection and an optimized structural design, the Helu Aera Carbon is approximately 20% lighterthan HEZO’s standard road model, while maintaining the stiffness required for efficient power transfer. The use of bio-based polymers also contributes to a reduced environmental impact compared to conventional petroleum-based materials.

Digital Customization & Additive Manufacturing

Like all HEZO shoes, the Helu Aera Carbon is custom-made. The fitting process is based on a smartphone foot scanperformed at home. Using three photographs of the foot taken with a DIN A4 reference sheet, HEZO’s software generates a digital foot model that serves as the foundation for the individualized shoe geometry.All functional components of the shoe are produced using additive manufacturing (3D printing). Each part is printed separately from different, function-specific materials and assembled without the use of adhesives.
This modular construction allows the materials to be separated by type at the end of the product’s life cycle, supporting a more resource-efficient and circular production approach.This fully digital and modular manufacturing process enables the shoe to adapt precisely to the rider’s anatomical requirements, rather than forcing the rider into predefined standard sizes.

Development & Production Context

HEZO was founded in 2022 and develops its products entirely in-house. This includes shoe design and engineering, the development of the scanning and fitting software, and the establishment of its own production environment.The founding team consists of Carsten (Mechanical Engineering), Helen (Product Design), and Nils (Computer Science, PhD). This interdisciplinary background enables a close integration of digital processes, engineering, and product development and design. Materials are carefully selected and combined based on functional requirements and existing material solutions, rather than developed in-house.

We will publish the exact stand location here shortly before the show.