Roval CLX64. Only 8 seconds separate the Meilensteins from the Bora Ultra 50’s up the Alpe at 300 watts with a 75kg rider on a Zwift Aero frame. Do I need to do something special? Cannot be purchased, must complete Climb Mt. In the wheel rankings, the 808s are ahead of the 454s, and I’m pretty sure that in previous posts (and before the garage) they were one of the best wheels to have. Because the stars aren’t super “granular”. Not a great trade, in my book. The Cannondale at lvl 36 seems to have a good rating with four and three stars, suggesting it’s a superb all round or hilly course choice, but that’s not reflected in the measurements. Slightly lacking in aerodynamics compared to the top competition, they definitely have the light weight necessary to turn in a fast Alpe climb time. I weigh 95 kg and have an FTP of around 350 watts. I got the Meilenstein’s on my 15th trip up the ADZ…I was so excited I turned around and went back up However, I did not see a noticable difference in time or uphill speed from the Enve 3.4’s with same effort. We then ranked those wheelsets based on their climbing performance, using their flat/mixed course performance as a secondary factor when needed. You’ve got the sl7 in two places (4/5 and 6/7) and your change log states you’ve moved down the tarmac pro a couple of spots but it is in #1 position. Thanks! Read more speed tests here >. 3rd Fastest Climbing Wheels. Notes: All tests were performed with a 75kg, 183cm (6′) rider unless otherwise noted. 184,600 Drops to purchase, must be Level 6+. That said, the Tron bike is still one of the fastest on flat/mixed routes. But the Pro is lighter than the SL7. Posted by Eric Schlange | Nov 8, 2019 | Frames & Wheels, Racing, Speed Tests | 24. I won the Meilestein wheels yeasterday but can’t see them in my garage. Hey Eric sorry if asked before but… what’s quicker to climb (without drafting) the Tarmac Pro or a Shiv S-works? We then ranked tho… You should do that then. This isn’t an exact science, but we’re pretty confident in our findings thus far. A definite one to get if you’re going for the Tron Bike. There’s Jarvis the bear in Titan’s Grove, a ski jump in Innsbruck, vintage steam powered tractors in Yorkshire and, if you’re lucky, you might see the Yeti while climbing Alpe du Zwift. Your best Zwift setup, more than ever, depends on your specific situation. I was curious on this too?? This would include big Zwift mountains like Alpe du Zwift, the Epic KOM, or Innsbruck’s KOM. Really good climbing frame for this low down the levels. Follow on Strava, Very useful thank you … I am trying to crush the LiftOff Achievement on Alpe Du Zwift and i need to drop 16 more minutes … i been using the scott’s foil frame … I won the lightweight wheels reward on my second run up Alpe =), … just changing my wheels saved me three minutes… and I just about have enough drops for the frame … gotta get below 60 minutes for LIFTOFF =D. It would probably be the next wheelset on the list, if we made the list longer! I’ve been really lucky, then. There I probably spend 2 minutes on steep… Read more », I got mine on the 13th, as well. Has value if your going for the specialized collection but not much else. LW wheels beat DT Swiss by 6 seconds up the Alpe. Potentially Lightweight Meilenstein wheels - every ascent of Alpe du Zwift gives you a chance of winning them . Got mine after 20th and almost want to give up as it’s only good for long steep climb event such as ADZ. When I went to wheels to change my current set the top five were not offered. Comments to the frame? But when the road turns up, gravity kicks in and weight matters. Ps, I’m at level 43. But compared to your body weight a few hundred grams will not make a big difference :). This made it easy to spot which wheelsets performed best. Climbing means more resistance, and more resistance means more work. Oct 2: a big reshuffle! Thanks. If you’re looking for the perfect pic of your avatar, then you’ll probably know … Zwift Insider is independent of Zwift corporate (www.zwift.com), although Zwift does provide funding to help defray site costs. The 404’s perform very much like the 454’s up the Alpe (just 1 second slower), but the 454’s outperform them by a few seconds on flat/mixed courses. Differences between options will also be magnified or minimized by your own power levels, drafting abilities, and more. You may still have an issue though. Is there a chart breakdown of different wheelsets with different frames? For mixed routes, shall I go for light wheels and frame so that it helps me on the crucial moment of a race (for example, the original Watopia KOM) when I get dropped? Moved the Tarmac Pro back to the #1/2 slot. This list needs editing. 2nd Fastest Climbing Wheels. This list is based on our recent speed tests of 100+ rides up Alpe du Zwift, a 12.2km, 8% monster of a climb which takes around 50 minutes to complete for our 75kg test rider at 300 watts steady. And it appears to be a great bike in Zwift. Shouldn’t I be able to access at least one light wheel set? Claudia explains, "You do get some drafting benefits when climbing, so depending on how you want to play your cards and how good you are with 6 to 8 minute power, plan to dig super deep or let someone else set the pace and sit on their wheel for a slight tow up most of the corkscrew of the volcano climb until it's an all in sprint to win at the finish banner." Below you will find the 9 fastest wheelsets for longer, steeper climbs. When I go to my garage it shows just Tarmac. Have you testet the Ridley Helium? currently going up the AdZ frequently doing Intervall workouts. We’ve already looked at which frames perform best on flat/mixed routes. Well if you can be at level 44, should have enough drops to afford it.. Got questions or comments? Zwift workout Gorby+ in Classics and Climbing including all workout details, workout description, wattages/%FTP and cadences. Below you will find the 9 fastest wheelsets for longer, steeper climbs. This made it easy to spot which wheelsets performed best. Zipp 454 wheels – Level 24. I hope you can do a new comparison test on a more tough roller routes such as NYC Perimeter Park to see where else can we slower rider can make better use of this Meilenstein wheels. Correction…only 5 seconds noted between the Enve 3.4’s and Meilenstein wheels. Zwift Insider makes a small commission on purchases made from these links, so please shop through them to support our efforts. Your best Zwift setup, more than ever, depends on your specific situation. These frames are the fastest up the Alpe, but that means they won’t be the fastest down or on flat sections since climbing frames are lightweight and less aero. Nov 1, 2019: added the Cannondale SuperSix EVO in the 6th spot. Want the best climbing bike? ? The 202s are 4 seconds slower up the Alpe than the ENVE 3.4s. It is a super light bike and should perform well on the climbs, right? Moved the Tarmac Pro down two slots after some re-testing. And Zwift’s release of the Drop Shop has given us access to lots of wheelsets: 28 now, with more on the way! Would love your thoughts, please comment. lol. Ironically, even though it takes a lot of climbing to unlock the Tron bike, it’s not a great climber. The ToC Tarmac is not worth the bother. A solid all-around wheel, the Zipp 454’s rank at the top of our combined percentile rankings (see bottom chart here). Tarmac Pro is what you want, for climbing. We’ve been hard at work in our lab testing wheels and frames, and this is the fifth in a series of posts giving you some solid, data-driven answers. ie – I use my Tarmac Pro for everything because of ANY climb, whether that’s Epic KOM or Petit KOM, but would I be better off with a ‘flat-course’ bike on certain stages? Classics and Climbing. The Amira is in position 6 and 7. whats the thing about the ingame star rating? He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. When aerodynamics matter less and weight matters more, which wheelset should you choose? I’d go DT Swiss in a Tour of Fire and Ice race, especially if I was at all concerned about my ability to hang onto the front pack in the flat early sections. Aug 11, 2020: inserted the new DT Swiss ARC 62’s in the 3rd slot. If not, is the ToC Tarmac good for something else or not really worth completing the challenge for? Tarmac pro is done if same performance as the cannondale evo with the evo being half the drop price. Is it because they’re only better on a purely flat course, and the 454s are better with a mixed course? Be sure to use a fan to keep your core temperature down so you can perform at your best! Zwift workout Power Pyramid v1 in Classics and Climbing including all workout details, workout description, wattages/%FTP and cadences. Depending on the course. I know there’s a crazy factorial number of different configurations, but it’d be interesting to see the results of the top gear kept at the constant 300w/75kg. If you made it up sub 60 you don’t need the lightweights! Zwift workout Threshold Endurance in Classics and Climbing including all workout details, workout description, wattages/%FTP and cadences. Yes, the SL7 is more aero than the Pro. Hi Eric, thanks for the useful insight. Had neglected to test this up the Alpe when it was released back in July. These wheels are super-premium IRL, and their price reflects that. Cannot be purchased, must be won via the Alpe prize wheel. Read more about that in Fastest Bike Frame and Wheelset for Climbing Alpe du Zwift. And as even in real life I do not use gloves I am quite upset to receive 3x gloves :(…, Everyone receives way too many gloves. As mentioned here, 8 seconds on the total climb is the difference between the two…still going to run them though….#marginal_gains. Leave em for us commoners! I watched this youtube for a test showing that safety bike frame with lightweight wheel is the fastest, faster than tarmac pro (level 11) with lightweight wheel. Eric Schlange, Webmaster Again, your best Zwift race setup depends on our specific situation, so do your research and choose wisely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_eyckiQYPc. . Hi, looks the SL7 now features twice in the list following the latest revision to the page. In fact, at least 16 frames perform better up the Alpe when paired with the Lightweight Meilenstein wheels. the Tarmac SL7 got a better rating than the Tarmac Pro, so why should be the Pro faster ? Lighter items perform better on climbs, while more aerodynamic items perform better on flats and descents. And Zwift’s Drop Shop gives us access to a pile of frames: 60+ including the Tron and TT bikes! Post below! Any cyclist worth their chamois knows the fastest bike on the flats isn’t the fastest bike on the climbs. Tarmac SL7: 674,500 Drops to purchase, must be Level 5+SuperSix EVO: 816,500 Drops to purchase, must be Level 36+. Currently on the Tarmac Pro which is super fast up hill but would swap if the one I unlocked is lighter. Lighter items perform better on climbs, while more aerodynamic items perform better on the flats. This list is based on our recent speed tests of 100+ rides up Alpe du Zwift, a 12.2km, 8.5% monster of a climb. 35,600 LEVEL 2 . Added Tarmac SL7 in #4/5 slot. Therefore, on the flat I can follow almost any group (often fairly easily), but struggle on the climbs. For more information on why cooling is important for indoor riding, and how to do it best, read Staying Cool on Zwift. Long time user, first time commenter. Nov 8, 2019: Moved Bora 50s down two slots to #6. Is it the SWorks Tarmac, the Tarmac Pro, or the basic Tarmac? Plus, with a more aero wheel, you get to feel the wind in your hair on the way down! Problem is, it may take one try… or 25. According to the frametest page the Aeroad 2021 is 2s FASTER than the Tramac Pro… and so is #1 (also the heading for it says #2). Apr 24, 2019: removed the Safety Bike from the #1 slot, since it has gained weight and is no longer a fast climber. Hi Eric, rather new to Zwift. Ah, I see this was answered already. Posted by Eric Schlange | Nov 16, 2019 | Frames & Wheels, Racing, Speed Tests | 30. Below you will find the fastest draftable frames for climbing Alpe du Zwift. So I pulled all the info I could find together into this page. Cheers! But look at it this way: you’re going to take on the Everest Challenge anyway, so why not unlock a nice climber while you’re at it? I’ve got them on my second climb up the Alpe! I have exactly the same question. So riders will want to think through their frame and wheelset options when racing on climbing routes. PS: I hate to be the **** that points stuff like out but thought that someone should – always a massive fan of your site! If you’re planning to hook a smart trainer up to your mountain bike, you’ll need to consider hub width and axle type. For 2020, the biggest stage of the race is Stage 5 with 9,350’ (2,850m) and 53miles (85km). Also moved the SuperSix EVO up a slot so it’s tied with the SL7, since their numbers match. Lighter items perfor… If you find climbing easy, but anticipate that today’s Greater London Flat race will be a chore, look for a bike with the most aero stars. I have no idea what the percentage is! This would include big Zwift mountains like Alpe du Zwift, the Epic KOM, or Innsbruck’s KOM. Hi, The Absa Cape Epic, often dubbed 'Un-tameable', is a 600+ km beast of an MTB race. Earn Your Über Pretzel Badge! We tested all wheelsets using the same power levels, rider weight, and bike frame. I already own ENVE SES 3.4 (cheap to get) but the Lightweights would make me feel better :). Was wondering if people had done similar and what the best frame wheel set up they used. Is there an SWorks Tarmac? . So suppose I’m doing Bologna where I spend half the time on flats and half the climb on steep climb. fastest climbing wheels on zwift. This community-driven site is maintained by Eric Schlange and a team of Zwift enthusiasts. The very best climbing setup is the Specialized Tarmac Pro combined with Meilenstein Lightweight wheels (which are only available with a bit of luck after you climb the Alpe). DT Swiss beat the LW wheels by 21 seconds on the flats! The next fastest frames are just behind those listed above–see the detailed data charts. Then I’d take the average of time savings on flats and steeps from these rankings. Cheers Eric. 284,000 Drops to purchase, must be Level 24+. They just barely didn’t make this list – they’d be the next wheelset on the list, if we made it longer. 191,800 Drops to purchase, must be Level 22+. I’d be very curious to see the time differences of these Alpe runs (and the flats!). Tarmac is about 70 seconds faster than the Shiv S-Works up the Alpe. If you ride on Zwift, you have probably seen the cool looking bike with glowing wheels. We hope all you riders/racers found this post useful. We think this is a wonderful development, bringing more strategy and planning into Zwift racing and variety in the peloton. I think it’s fairly straight forward. All the TT bikes are pretty heavy, so lightweight road bikes beat them up longer, steeper climbs. On mixed courses you need to avoid being dropped and go for a light one. Slightly confused. If you have a tough time climbing and you’re racing Watopia Mountain, use the lightest setup you’ve got. Oct 23, 2020: removed Canyon Aeroad 2021, since ZHQ made it heavier. Über Pretzel Debrief + PRL Full Event Announcement. Hi Thomas: at this time, what you wear doesn’t affect your weight in game. Amira: 355,000 Drops to purchase, must be Level 31+. Presume it’s the Tarmac but…?! Post by on 26th February 2021 in Uncategorized on 26th February 2021 in Uncategorized Hopefully the mountain goats found this post useful. You have the top performers (the enlarged points, plus those nearby), then a middle band, then a low-performing band which includes a couple of outliers. On flat courses you should even be able to break away (small group or alone), so a fast wheelset will definitly help. Leave em for us commoners! Or the opposite, any advantage I get this way on hills will be wasted in the flat sections (even if I “hide” in the… Read more ». Nearby Zwifters Disappearing from the Screen – A Story ... How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More), Shop for a trainer using our Smart Trainer Index. Anyone has an idea what has happened? 149,200 Drops to purchase, must be Level 15+. They’re just an approximation. We tested all frames using the same power levels and rider weight, making it easy to spot which frames performed best. Eric Schlange, Webmaster Nearby Zwifters Disappearing from the Screen – A Story ... How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More), which frames perform best on flat/mixed routes, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_eyckiQYPc, Shop for a trainer using our Smart Trainer Index. Post below! According to my Zwift profile I have enough drops and I’m at level 9 but I don’t see the Cannondale EVO in my list of frames to choose from. Unlock the Zwift Everested badge. Got questions or comments? The star ratings are accurate, they’re just not very granular (if that makes sense). Now, it’s back to gloves though. It’s the ultimate customization for your avatar, it’s FAST, and it’s a testament to your climbing abilities! For example, the Tarmac Pro with Meilenstein wheels vs TP with 404s; Ultimate w/ 3.4s vs 858/disc, etc.. 191,700 LEVEL 4 . Added the new Specialized Tarmac SL7. Btw, I could never hang with group A riders after the 2nd half of a 30 miles round. Oct 7, 2019: added Chapter2 Tere in #7 slot. Even if it meant higher efforts on the flat? I’m close to halfway there (completing the ToC) but have enough drops to get the Tarmac Pro when I… Read more ». I got my Lightweights on the 5th time up AdZ. The newest wheels on this list (in game), the ARC 62’s deliver strong climbing performance and solid aero performance, making them perhaps the best all-arounders yet. I got my Lightweights on my 13th climb up the Alpe. Take the perfect selfie. The “which bike frame or wheelset is fastest” question isn’t as easy to answer as you might think. Each piece of equipment has unique weight and aerodynamic (CdA) values, making them perform in ways that mirror outdoor physics. Your choice of bike frame influences your Zwift speed significantly. It’s just physics: when the road is flat, most of your resistance comes from wind, so aero is everything. Tarmac pro as frame for sure , and then? So you’ll want to think through your strengths as a rider when choosing your frames and wheels for races. Just 5 seconds behind the Meilensteins, these wheels come at a low price and level unlock. Each piece of equipment has unique weight and aerodynamic (CdA) values, making them perform in ways that mirror outdoor physics. This list is based on our recent speed tests of 100+ rides up Alpe du Zwift, a 12.2km, 8.5% monster of a climb. I have an upcoming race which is a decent from the radio tower. And they’ll cost 284,000 Drops. i mean, with LW wheels i wille be able to keep the peloton on the first 10k? fastest climbing wheels on zwift 16309 post-template-default,single,single-post,postid-16309,single-format-standard,bridge-core-2.6.5,qode-page-transition-enabled,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode-title-hidden,qode-theme-ver-25.0,qode-theme-bridge,disabled_footer_bottom,qode_header_in_grid,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.5.0,vc_responsive [email protected], Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Climbing the first half of the climb, the Reverse Epic KOM, the segment was timed. Eric runs Zwift Insider in his spare time when he isn't on the bike or managing various business interests. Then again, the 404’s are much easier to obtain! That could change in the future if Zwift decides to enter weights for items, but for now they’re just cosmetic. Zwift workout Climber's Paradise in Classics and Climbing including all workout details, workout description, wattages/%FTP and cadences. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window).