Speed Tests: Canyon Aeroad 2021 vs Other Top Performers in Zwift

October 3, 2020

LAST UPDATED October 23, 2020

UPDATE (Oct 23, 2020): Zwift added a bit of weight to the Aeroad 2021, so it’s no longer the top climber in game. Still a great all-arounder, but the data below isn’t quite accurate anymore. Best to look at the updated top performer scatter plots for current numbers.

We’ve already talked about how Zwift’s newly-released Canyon Aeroad 2021 frame is exceptionally fast. But how exactly does it line up against the top setups in game?

Test results from the new Aeroad have been added to our frame performance charts, and the results show just what a standout frame this is. Here’s a selection of those charts, so you can see just how this new frame stacks up.

Top Performers Scatter Plot

In this chart, we endeavored to compare the much-loved Tron bike to the fastest frames+wheelsets.

Plot points are colored based on bike frame:

Yellow = Zwift Concept Z1 (Tron)
Red = Specialized Venge S-Works: the most aero frame in game (798,800 Drops, level 33)
Green = Specialized Tarmac SL7: a balanced all-arounder (674,500 Drops, level 5)
Blue = Specialized Tarmac Pro: formerly the best climber in game (408,300 Drops, level 11)
Black = Canyon Aeroad 2021: the new best climber and all-arounder (532,500 Drops, level 23)

Wheelsets used, in order of aero performance:

Zipp 858/Super9 (1,508,800 Drops, level 45)
Zipp 858 (312,400 Drops, level 37)
ENVE 7.8 (205,900 Drops, level 39)
Zipp 808 (177,600, level 13)
DT Swiss ARC 1100 DiCut 62 (184,600 Drops, level 6)
ENVE 3.4 (191,700 Drops, level 4)
Lightweight Meilensteins (unlocked via Alpe du Zwift spinner)

Here’s what the original chart looked like, before the Aeroad 2021 was released (mouse over the plot points to see what they represent):

And here’s the new chart, with the Aeroad 2021 in black and corrected data for the Tarmac Pro:

Impressive, right? What this chart clearly shows is that the new Aeroad’s mix of light weight and super aero performance allows it to meet or beat the best in-game setups at almost every point of the performance curve.

Frame Performance Scatter Plot

This chart shows all the frames in game, except the very slowest. You can see the Aeroad 2021 (the orange dot at the bottom-left) is a definite outlier.

Frame Percentile Rankings, Stacked

This is one of our favorite charts, as it helps us see clearly how frames stack up in terms of overall performance. Look at how the Canyon Aeroad 2021 blows away the field! No other aero bike comes close to the Aeroad’s top-notch climbing performance, and other climbing bikes aren’t nearly as slippery as the Aeroad.

Conclusions

We predict we’ll be seeing a lot of Aeroad 2021 frames in Zwift races soon. It’s a cool-looking frame with color changing abilities, it’s available at just level 23, and it doesn’t cost much (532,500 Drops). But most of all, its performance is unmatched, since it turns in ~50 minute flat within just 2 seconds of the very best frames in game while outclimbing everyone.

Many Zwifters find they struggle most when the road tilts up in a race. Riding the Aeroad 2021 means you’ll have a very lightweight bike while climbing, giving you a bit of an advantage at the most challenging spots in your race. And you’ll get this without sacrificing much of anything on high-speed descents and flats.

To be honest, we were surprised when the recently-released Specialized Tarmac SL7 turned in such lackluster times in our tests. The Canyon Aeroad 2021 performs the way we thought the Tarmac SL7 would. Why did Zwift set things up this way? You would need to ask them!