This weekend’s notable events list have a clear theme – the Tour of Watopia! We’re featuring ToW events, and some events using ToW routes which award double XP. We’ve also got kickoff rides to a new race series and group ride series. See all the details below!
Zwift’s first big tour of the 2026/27 season kicked off this week with the first of five stages. You can free-ride the routes whenever you’d like, or race them… but the biggest turnouts are for the group rides. Highly recommended.
By far the most popular races happening this weekend, the final two stages of Flamme Rouge Racing’s 8-stage Tour Ignite happen on Saturday and Sunday. These are points races, so be sure to read the event description and the rules to understand how they are scored!
Stage 7 is on Watopia’s Watts of the Wild (42.2km, 308m) – a Tour of Watopia route offering double XP. Stage 8, meanwhile, is the Queen Stage and final stage, on Watopia’s Three Step Sisters (38.1km, 586m).
Team Foudre’s weekly “medio fondo” proved quite popular last season, with its age-based groupings and a women-only category, and this weekend the series kicks off again! It will run every Sunday through the winter.
The first race of the series is on Paris’ Paris Toujours route (72.3km, 459m).
Join Zwift’s James Bailey and friends for this beginner-friendly rubberbanded ride on Watopia’s Watts of the Wild (42.2km, 308m), a Tour of Watopia route awarding double XP! You’ll ride for 60 minutes, which probably won’t get you to the end of the route… so keep going to get ToW stage credit.
Remember, this is a banded ride, so you can ride at any pace you’d like. As long as you keep pedaling, you’ll stay with the group!
Here’s a new group ride to help you train for the Mecklenburger Seen Round, a 300km “bike marathon” happening May 2027. Even if you aren’t going to ride the MSR, you can use this series to help you build the endurance needed for any upcoming long ride.
This week’s ride is 60 minute long, on Makuri Islands’ Urumaze route.
We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:
Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
Is it for a good cause?
Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?
In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!
While some may scoff at mounting aero bars on a dedicated indoor setup, anyone who races time trials will tell you training in the aero TT position is crucial to maximizing performance. Add to that the fact that riding a TT setup outdoors can be daunting, particularly in traffic or on twisty roads, and it’s easy to see why many time trialists do much of their training indoors.
In 2017, Lionel Sanders famously did all of his IRONMAN bike training on Zwift… on rollers!
Riders have been mounting aero bars on the Zwift Ride since it was first released, but there are a few gotchas:
Bar tape needed to be unwrapped, shortened, and rewrapped to make room for the aero bar mounts
USB charging cable clamps needed to be removed or at least repositioned to make room for aero bar mounts
Aero bars had to be mounted wider than many riders prefer, due to the 100mm width of the Zwift Ride tray
Controllers for virtual shifting and game navigation didn’t mount cleanly onto aero bars
Profile Design addresses these issues with a complete aero cockpit package.
Supersonic Aerobar Integration Details
The Supersonic Aerobar from Profile Designs includes the following key components:
Supersonic Bracket System: Allows for extended pad and extension adjustment range
Ergo+ Armrest: Expanded surface with reduced pressure points for enhanced comfort and secure arm position during long rides
52A Aluminum Extensions: Ergonomic ski-bend for natural hand positioning, with pre-installed heat-shrink wrap for comfort
Zwift Integration Package:
Zwift Click v2 controllers for easy virtual shifting and game control from your TT position (the Clicks connect to Zwift concurrently with your Zwift Ride controllers for easy control from both positions)
Zwift Click mounts for bar ends
50mm (actual measured width: 45mm) Zwift Tray and supporting hardware reduces width, allowing the aero bars to be mounted in a standard position
USB-C plugs to insert into the Zwift Ride charging ports, since sweat can be more prevalent in the aero position
The aero extensions have a stack height of 42mm, and the width can be adjusted by 37mm.
I set up the Zwift Ride v2 a few weeks ago, and soon discovered a downside to its new geometry and increased adjustability. With my saddle clamp moved forward to a more neutral position and the Ride v2’s shorter top tube, I found the insides of my knees hitting the edges of the tray assembly when riding out of the saddle.
While that assembly is soft rubber on top, it’s hard (even sharp) plastic underneath. Not something you want to whack your legs against repeatedly.
So I stripped off the tray assembly and silicon taped the steel rail to keep sweat at bay. I also wrapped an unsightly headband around the stem, because this portion is rather sharp, and I didn’t want to hit my knees on it either. Bonus: this modified setup lets more air hit my face from my fan.
The new, slimmer tray solves my problem while keeping the cockpit clean. And while the new 45mm tray is useless for holding phone (or pizza, or donuts), it can cradle a bottle. Zwift/Profile had a bit of fun with it, changing the icons on the tray (which is also 25mm shorter than the standard tray):
There’s just one problem: it looks like the Zwift Ride Supersonic Aerobar will be sold exclusively by Profile Designs, and there don’t seem to be any plans to sell the narrow tray assembly separately. Hopefully my fit issue isn’t a widespread one that many others will encounter. But if you do, you may have to take the “strip it down and tape it up” approach for now.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of this, the first aero bar setup created for the Zwift Ride? Share your thoughts below!
How the Race Was Lost: Coming Close On Makuri 40 (ZRL)
This week, Zwift Racing League teams headed to Makuri Islands to take on our first points race of the season. A and B teams raced the Makuri 40 route, while C and D teams raced Urumaze.
Having written the Zwift Insider race guides for both routes, I kept getting them confused in my head as I thought through the race in the days leading up to it. With all the funky powerup configurations and various sprint segments, my head was too full! But as I locked in and focused on Makuri 40, I could see this was a difficult route (3 climby bits and 5 sprint segments) that I might be able to do well one (because the climbs weren’t too big, and the sprints were flat).
So I went into the race hopeful for a good result. And what actually happened was even better! Read on for the full race story…
Uphill Start with a Sprint Finish
This course has one of the toughest starts in Zwift – the climb up from Urukazi’s castle start pen to the Castle area. I averaged 376W right out of the pens for 3 minutes to stay well-positioned heading into the sprint, then realized I wasn’t sure what to do next.
I must confess, I’m not super familiar with the layout of the Village Sprint. It’s not engrained in my brain like so many Zwift segments. When the road flattened out and I knew the sprint wasn’t far, I saw I was sitting around 10th place, with the leaders spread out well ahead of me. So I popped my draft boost powerup and hammered out of the saddle on already-sapped legs, catching a few riders and (even better) towing teammate Susanne to a high finish on my wheel. Nice one!
The decent result on the first sprint gave me a morale boost. You’re never sure in these races where exactly you’ll stand against the competition until the race actually begins and you hit a tough segment. We’d just done that, and I did well. That felt good.
So as we recovered on our way down to the next sprint, I tried to breathe deep, sit in the draft, and spin the legs so I’d be ready for the next effort. There were only 20 riders left in our front group, and the Country Sprint in this direction is a favorite of mine. You always come into it fast, and it’s pretty short.
I popped my draft boost way later than I needed to, then went hard, quickly shooting off the front of the pack. As we crossed the line, there were four of us neck and neck. On my screen, I definitely got pipped by Else (Inc) and Mine (Level). But checking the results later, I realized I was first across the line, according to Zwift’s server. I’ll take it!
We spun our way to Neokyo next, where two sprints were waiting in quick succession. But before that, we had the longest stretch of flat ground we would encounter on the day. I made full use of it, sitting in the wheels, keeping my cadence high, and letting my legs recharge as much as possible. After ~12 minutes averaging just ~215W, it was time for our next segment – the Alley Sprint.
I definitely misplayed this one, letting the pack stretch too far ahead of me before the start line. This did allow me, with the help of my draft boost powerup, to work my way through a few riders on this long sprint. That let me land 3rd in FTS, but it would be my worst FAL result on the day.
Feeling the previous sprint in my legs, I didn’t follow the stretched-out pack very well on the Castle Park Sprint that came just 2 minutes later. Oof. I needed a break! Luckily, that’s exactly what came next…
It was time for more recovery as we descended Pain Cavern and made our way out to the next climb and sprint segment. I averaged just 191W for the nextt 8 minutes, which was exactly what my legs needed! I kept floating off the front as we descended, which told me nobody else wanted to work, either.
The Festival Harbor Climb was next, a 2.5km effort taking us to the final sprint segment of the day. I tried to hold a good position near the front, then popped my powerup (my 5th van in a row!) and hammered my way across the line. Teammate Susanne was well positioned just behind, grabbing 7th in FAL:
Not long after we crossed the line, as the group was sitting up and catching their breath, Mahot (TBR) shot through the group and off the front, putting several seconds into us before we even knew what was happening. This was an impressive attack, and I immediately sensed we may be in trouble, as I remembered Mahot from last week’s race. But I also didn’t feel I had the legs to chase him down! So, hoping the group would pull him back (or he’d blow up), I sat in and recovered for the final climb.
A Climb to the Finishing Climb
The third climb of our race was up through the Slot Canyon. This climb is just draggy and long enough that I can get dropped if the pace is high. It’s definitely bitten me in the past. So I tried to take it easy as we made our way over to the climb.
Along the way, Mahot’s team captain messaged something to Mahot about this effort being nothing compared to Cape Epic, which didn’t exactly make me feel good about our position. If Mahot was strong enough to finish Cape Epic… we may never see him again. (I looked up his name on the Cape Epic site – it appears he finished the race this year. Chapeau, sir!)
As we got into the middle, toughest bit of the Slot Canyon climb, Susanne attacked the group. I eased up, making sure I wasn’t pulling the group back. But our group wasn’t letting her get away, and eventually pulled her back near the end of the Slot Canyon segment. 3km to go!
Mahot was now 15s up the road, and I still didn’t feel I had the legs to attack and pull him back. So I settled into my plan of attack, which was to use my feather powerup at the bottom of the final climb, in hopes that the lap banner would be giving out powerups so I could pop a second one in the final sprint. (I couldn’t remember what WTRL had said the lap banner was giving out, having confused myself when writing two different course recons this week.)
Our pack of 17 arrived at the base of the finishing kicker. 700 meters to go! I popped my feather as we turned right with 600 meters left, finding myself near the front of the group as we went through the arch. Gah! A 250 XP bonus, not a powerup!
I sat on the wheels, waiting for the final sprint, when Alex (Velos) blasted through the group from behind! I upped my power as I saw it happening, then steered into the inside of the corner to shorten the line. 3rd across the line, just 4 seconds behind Mahot.
Finishing Line result: 3rd place (26 FIN points, 6 PBP points)
Watch the Video
Takeaways and Team Result
Finishing on the podium is a rare thing for me, so I was happy with getting 3rd across the line. Checking the points totals afterward, I was even happier to see I’d earned 188 points, second only to Else (Inc), who got 191.
This was a much better result than I’d expected, and to be honest, I kicked myself a bit for not putting a bit more time into learning how each sprint laid out, and thinking through things to avoid some of small mistakes I made. It wouldn’t have helped our team result, but it’s possible I could have finished with the highest points total, or even finished higher at the finish line.
Speaking of results, have you seen all the changes WTRL rolled out to their race results page in recent days? The new “Rider View” toggle on the Race Results tab lets see sort individual rider results by various fields. Really handy. But there are so many new charts and reports! I clicked “League Stats” because I saw the “NEW” icon, and found out I’m currently leading the league in points. And just like that, I found my new challenge:
On the team side, we’re not doing so well. Susanne made a great points haul this week, but our captain Jamie had to DNS due to sickness, and our other two riders finished lower in the results. It doesn’t look like a strong overall result is in the cards for us this round, but we can still have fun contesting one or more of the “races within the race” that ZRL offers.
Speaking of which, check out these new charts at the bottom of the League Table tab:
Keep up the good work, WTRL!
What about you?
How did your race #3 on Makuri 40 (or Urumaze) go? Share below!
The fourth race of Zwift Racing League 2026/27 happens on Tuesday, October 13, and it’s our first team time trial of the season.
The race takes place on Watopia’s Figure 8 Reverse, one of the oldest routes in game and a popular racing route due to its varied pitches. This is a very technical course for a TTT, so you’ll want to do your homework before hopping into the pens on Tuesday.
With key TTT rule changes in effect and Zwift releasing a pile of new TT frames and disc wheels this week, there’s a lot to process as we prepare for this event. So let’s get into it!
Looking at the Route: Watopia Figure 8 Reverse
All categories will race 1 lap of the course, which totals 29.9km (18.6 miles) with 254m (833′) of climbing:
Here’s a complete breakdown of this route into logical sections:
Start to base of Hilly KOM Reverse (0-5km): This is a technical start to a TTT, as we quickly hit a ramp up to The Esses, then ride The Esses rollercoaster down to the JWB Sprint. It’s a rolling, twisting route for most of this section, and your team will struggle to hold an efficient paceline.
250 XP bonus at lap arch (0.1km)
Draft Boost powerup at Sprint arch (2.8km)
Hilly KOM Reverse (5-7.5km): If you thought the first 5km were tricky, hold on to your helmets! While this climb averages just 2%, it’s really more of a stair-step climb with three steeper bits broken up by two flat (and even downhill) bits. To keep your time fast, you’ll want to attack the first climb hard, as it’s by far the steepest/slowest portion. Then regroup on the flat/descent that follows, and hold a steady paceline on the rest of the segment, which is quite draftable.
Draft Boost powerup at KOM arch (7.5km)
Hilly KOM Descent (7.5-8.4km): The descent from the KOM banner is short and steep. Keep pedaling to keep the blood flowing, but go easy and let your legs recover.
Ocean Boulevard Express (8.4-11.4km): Keep your speed up from the KOM descent as you regroup into your paceline and knock out the next few kilometers cleanly. This section is fast and flat, so it’s a good place to catch your breath, regroup, and get back into the flow.
Marina Dirt and Snaking Climb (11.4-14.5km): Starting with the ramp up and out of the Ocean Boulevard tunnel, things get a bit tricky. First the ramp requires a micro-sprint to keep speeds high, then the stretches of dirt around the Marina require a bit more power as well. And once you’re done with that, it’s the snaking climb up toward the Italian Villas that stretches your team out!
Italian Villas + JWB Flat (14.5-16km): Here’s a mercifully simpler bit, descending past the waterfall through the JWB Sprint and across the bridge. Regroup and refocus for the next technical section.
Draft Boost powerupat Sprint arch (15.7km)
The Esses (16-17.5km): This portion begins with a short, steepish kicker where you’ll want to pour on the power to keep speeds high. Then it’s about holding formation and modulating your power to keep your speed high over the rollers of The Esses.
Downtown Regroup (17.5-19.3km): Catch your breath and regroup if needed as you descend from The Esses into downtown Watopia. You’ll continue across the bridge to the start of the Hilly KOM for your last significant climb of the day.
250 XP bonus at lap arch (18.4km)
Hilly KOM (19.3-20.2km): This is the shorter, steeper side of the Hilly KOM (averaging 5.5%). As with any TT effort, you want to push hard here (go hardest when speeds are lowest). But you also need to consider that you’ve still got 10km left in your race, so you can’t really afford to drop a rider (particularly this season, when teams only have one spare rider!)
Draft Boost powerup at KOM arch (20.2km)
Hilly KOM Descent (20.2-23.3km): Our longest descent of the day, and a good place to catch your breath and steel your mind for the final push up ahead. Be sure your team hammers up and over the kicker at 21.4km to keep your speed high, then get into formation as the road flattens so you can stay aero and carry speed across the bridge to the first rise.
Lock It In (23.3-29.9km): Everyone will be feeling the fatigue as you head down to the Marina and into the glass tunnel of Ocean Boulevard for the final minutes of the race. This is probably where teams will be caught, if they’re caught at all. Focus on tight formation and rotating pulls to keep your speed high. Hit the ramp out of Ocean Boulevard hard, then go all in to finish strong!
This race includes draft boost powerups given at all sprint and KOM arches, while the lap arch in downtown Watopia will give out 250 XP bonuses (but only if you ride through it without a powerup in your pocket).
Draft Boost (van): increases the draft effect you are experiencing for 40 seconds. Use at higher speeds (flats and descents) when you are already drafting off another rider (since this powerup only helps when you are drafting).
Teams should discuss how best to use these powerups, as you’ll each receive 4 during the race. I see “offense” and “defense” approaches to powerups in this race:
Offense: Leverage the powerups to maximize your speed on the front. That means triggering your draft boost ~45 seconds before your turn on the front, so your legs are as fresh as possible and you can pull a bit harder. Note: I’d recommend warning your team over the radio that you’ll be taking a harder pull, so they’re ready for the speed increase.
Defense: Leverage the powerups to minimize your effort so you can stay in touch with your team without slowing them down. If you’re one of the weaker riders on your team, use the draft boost while you’re sitting in the wheels to grab a bit more recovery so you can stay in formation and help your team all the way to the finish.
Which frame is best for this route, given the rolling terrain? Zwift also released 10 new or updated TT frames yesterday, so I tested three different top TT setups on a full lap of Figure 8 Reverse at 4 W/kg. Here are the unsurprising results:
The heavier Factor is the most aero frame in game, and turns in the fastest time (just barely). The Canyon is a faster climber, so it performs a bit better than the Factor on climbs, but loses a bit overall due to the Factor’s superior aero performance. The CADEX comes in a few seconds later, showing just how fast these new TT frames are!
But here’s the thing: very few riders will have a fully upgraded Speedmax or Hanzō, as we simply haven’t had time to upgrade these frames. And Zwift’s TT bike upgrade scheme is such that the final upgrade step (to stage 5) is a massive one in terms of aero performance, making the bike ~26.5 seconds faster across an hour of flat riding. That’s huge, and completely eclipses the performance differences between the top TT frames. Read all about the performance improvements you receive from upgrades >
So despite Zwift releasing a pile of fast TT frames, we’ll see most racers rocking fully upgraded CADEX Tri bikes this week. Because it’s by far the fastest TT weapon most riders have in their garage.
Many recon rides are planned each week on the upcoming ZRL route. If you’re unfamiliar with this course, jump into an event and familiarize yourself with the route! Find a list of upcoming ZRL recon rides at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.
Additionally, riders in the Zwift community do a great job every week creating recon videos that preview the courses and offer tips to help you perform your best on the day. See those below…
John Rice
J Dirom
TacticalWatts
Nathan Guerra
Want to see how the pros do it? Watch Nathan’s live stream of his recent WTRL TTT race on Figure 8 Reverse:
5-Person Teams: Time is still taken based on your fourth rider across the line, so you can only lose one rider! This means teams must be extra careful to stay together longer, and “mechanicals” can really mess up your race.
Steering Enabled: We’ve never had steering enabled in a ZRL TTT before. Will riders use steering to come off the front? Cut corners? Position themselves in the pace line? Or let the game auto-steer because it gets too messy otherwise?
Mixed courses like this week give valuable seconds to “balanced” teams with two strengths:
Big pure-power riders who can keep their watts high on the front while staying in single-file formation to conserve in the draft behind
High W/kg riders in that 2-4 minute window, to deliver the needed punch up the Hilly KOM in both directions
On a course like this week’s, I recommend all team members set their Trainer Difficulty to the same value, and make sure that value is at least 50%, so you feel slight gradient changes and increase power to compensate. This will help you automatically punch on the uphills, keeping your overall speed high.
Your goal in a ZRL TTT is to get four riders across the line in the shortest time possible. That means every team’s pace plan will differ based on each rider’s abilities. I highly recommend having an experienced DS on Discord directing your team, especially if your team contains inexperienced TTT riders.
Lastly, if you want to go further down the TTT rabbit hole, I highly recommend Dave Edmond’s Zwift TTT Calculator tool.
Your choice of virtual bike frame influences your Zwift speed significantly. And Zwift’s Drop Shop gives us access to a pile of bikes: over 125 if you include the Halo, TT, Gravel, and mountain bikes!
At Zwift Insider, we’ve tested every Zwift frame and wheelset using an accurate, repeatable procedure to determine how it performs in game.
Based on those speed tests, we’ve chosen the 5 best overall TT frames in Zwift today, and the 5 best wheelsets for TT racing. This isn’t just a stack rank of the most aero setups in game, although that is the primary factor. But we also took into account how each item performs across a variety of routes.
Without further ado, let’s get to the list! Drumroll please…
Simply the most aero frame in game, no matter how you look at it. It’s a bit heavy, so you wouldn’t want it for TT races with significant climbs. But like riders have discovered outdoors, its aero performance eats up slight losses on rolling routes and short climbs.
Why it’s a winner: it’s the fastest TT frame on flat/rolling courses
While it’s a few seconds slower than the Hanzō on flat ground, the Speedmax CFR handily outclimbs the Hanzō and every other TT frame in game, while being the second-fastest in terms of aero performance. If your TT race includes any significant climbs, this is the weapon of choice. (A bit of Zwift trivia: this is the only TT frame rated 2 stars for weight. All other TT frames are heavier and rated 1 star.)
Why it’s a winner: best climbing TT frame and very fast on the flats
Long the fastest TT bike on flats/rollers, the CADEX Tri is a few years old now and has been superceded by some of the new TT frames. That said, many Zwifters have fully upgraded this frame, so it’s still very popular in TT events.
Why it’s a winner: fourth fastest on flatter routes, plus lots of riders have fully upgraded it
While they are 0.7 seconds behind the Reserve Infinity wheelset (below) across an hour of flat road, the CADEX 4-Spoke/Disc wheels are much lighter, coming in 10.7 seconds faster across an hour of climbing. With TT races almost always including a slight hill, it’s hard not to rank these at the top and choose them for all but the hilliest time trials.
Why it’s a winner: strong aero and climbing performance
This unique double-disc setup, with its gold appointments, is certainly eye-catching. It’s also the most aero wheelset in game, just barely beating the CADEX 4-Spoke/Disc. It’s a bit heavy, though, so you would only want it for pan-flat races.
Why it’s a winner: best aero performance of any wheelset in Zwift
The 4th-fastest discs in aero performance, these are the best climbing discs in game, beating the CADEX above by 1.3 seconds across an hour. And as a big bonus, they’re available at a much lower level than the other top disc wheelsets!
Why it’s a winner: strong climbers with decent aero performance
The only non-disc hoops on our list, these “superwheels” lose ~20 seconds to the disc wheels across an hour of flat riding, but they’re light weight, and climb ~20 seconds faster across an hour! So if your race includes significant climbing, you’ve got to do the math and figure out if these lighter wheels are the smart move.
Why it’s a winner: super strong climbers with decent aero performance
Upgrading and Digging Deeper
If you’re concerned about race performance – and you’ve read this far, so I assume you are – it’s vital that you upgrade your TT frame. In fact, upgrading your TT frame boosts your speed much more than buying a new frame or wheelset! The difference between an un-upgraded frame and a fully-upgraded one is approximately 50 seconds across an hour of flat riding, and 25 seconds across an hour of climbing. Learn more here >
We hope all you riders/racers found this post useful. Think there’s a frame or wheelset we should have included but didn’t? Got other questions or comments? Share below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
If you’re racing time trials on Zwift, upgrading your frame and wheels will cut some significant time off your efforts. And in the “race of truth” where there is no hiding in the draft, every bit of savings counts!
But figuring out where to spend your hard-earned Drops can be confusing, so we’ve put together these tables listing the fastest TT frame and wheelset available at each Zwift level.
Keep in mind this list applies only to flat and rolling routes. The list below is essentially a simplified, flat-race-focused version of our complete Zwift Shopping Guide. If the climbs in your time trial race are steep and/or last more than a few minutes, you may want to consider a more climbing-friendly setup.
* the Zwift Steel and Carbon frames aren’t TT frames, but they are the fastest frames available at their respective unlock levels, so they’re listed here as a baseline reference.
Total time savings of fastest TT frame and wheelset over stock Zwift setup (Zwift Steel frame and Zwift Classic wheels): 191+79.3=270.3 seconds
Times above based on our flat speed tests, done with a solo 75kg, 183cm rider at 300 watts on Watopia’s very flat Tempus Fugit route.
Strategic Shopping
It may seem simplest to just purchase each TT frame or wheelset on the list as soon as you level up, but you won’t have the Drops to do so. Plus, if you want to maximize performance, you also need to take Zwift’s Bike Upgrade functionality into account, since it rewards riders who stay on the same frame long enough to fully upgrade it.
Speaking of upgrades: all the time data in this post is from un-upgraded versions of the frames. Upgraded frames will be even faster. Get detailed charts here >
The Pinarello Espada is currently the only TT Halo Bike in Zwift, but it wasn’t included in the list above for two reasons:
It takes a lot of work to unlock. You’ll need to fully upgrade three Pinarello frames before you can purchase the Espada, and even then you’ll need 10 million Drops to add it to your garage!
It’s not the fastest TT setup on Zwift. Not even close, actually. The faster TT frames paired with a good disc wheelset beat the Espada by around 2 minutes across an hour of flat riding. And let’s not even talk about how slow the Espada is on climbs!
The Espada is a status symbol on Zwift, for sure, but it performs like what it is: a TT bike that’s over 30 years old.
The biggest TT performance gains come early in a Zwifter’s level progression, just as they do with road bikes. Here’s how much time you would be saving across an hour of flat riding if you upgraded to the recommended setups above at each level:
The biggest individual improvement comes when you upgrade to the Zwift TT frame (your first TT frame) at level 4. And by level 11, over 77% of your possible improvement has already been achieved. And once you’ve hit level 42, the only way you’ll get faster is by racing smarter and training stronger!
Hopefully this helps you select a rig for your next TT effort, no matter your Zwift level. Got questions or comments? Post below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the TT frame charts, wheel charts, and TT Top Performers for current time trial-related performance data.
5 New Or Updated Disc Wheels: Learn All About Zwift’s Kona Wheelset Drop
Yesterday’s Zwift update included the “Kona Drop” – the largest release of TT frames ever on the platform, along with 3 brand new disc wheelsets and updates to 2 existing disc wheelsets. Here are the wheels that arrived in the Drop Shop with game version 1.123:
All of the wheelsets above are rated 4 stars for aero and 1 star for weight. But Zwift’s star rating system isn’t very precise, so we’ve run our standard tests to see exactly how each of these wheelsets performs in game. Read on for details!
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The new crop of disc wheels is faster than we’ve ever seen on Zwift, with the three new wheelsets all turning in a flat performance better than any existing disc wheelset. This is big news, especially in the TT world.
The fastest aero performer is the double-disc Reserve Infinity Disc (shown above), with a flat time gap of 72.1 seconds compared to our base Zwift 32mm wheels across an hour of riding using the Zwift TT frame. Prior to this update, the fastest wheelsets were the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc and Swiss Side HADRON Ultimate 850/Disc, which both turned in a flat time gap of 68.6 seconds.
Climb Performance
As mentioned above, Zwift adjusted the Shimano DURA-ACE C99/Disc wheelset in this week’s update. Specifically, Zwift lightened the wheelset a bit, to match the manufacturer’s spec. This made the Shimano DURA-ACE C99/Disc the best climbing disc wheelset in game.
The Cadex 4-Spoke/Disc isn’t far behind, just 1.3 seconds slower than the Shimano disc across an hour of climbing (while being 2.2s faster on the flats). These are the two top climbing disc wheelsets, both beating the former top climbing disc (Zipp 858/Super9) by 11-12 seconds.
Comparison Chart
How do these new disc wheelsets compare to each other? Here’s a simple chart of their performance when paired with top TT frames, showing what each combo saves you across 1 hour of riding at 300W (4 W/kg) compared to the stock Zwift TT frame with 32mm carbon wheels.
Items marked with a * are older items that were former category leaders, included in this chart as reference points.
Select at least one bike to display the chart. Bikes with wheel combos also require a wheelset selection.
Conclusions
Yesterday’s disc wheel release/update delivered five very fast wheelsets to the game. Time trialists, in particular, will head to the Drop Shop to buy the top performers, which easily beat the former leading disc wheelsets. The CADEX 4-Spoke/Disc is especially enticing, given its impressive light weight and strong flat performance. (Purists may also pick up the double-disc Reserve Infinity for its slight aero edge and unique look.)
This update will also find more road racers riding on disc wheels, since the new fast discs are lighter and faster than the old crop. Even though disc wheels get a performance penalty on road frames, they still outperform non-disc wheels on road bikes by a small margin when the road is fairly flat. See the “Time Savings at 300W (TT vs Road)” chart on our wheel charts page to drill down into that data.
These wheels have been added to the following posts:
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
If you’re racing on Zwift, using the fastest frame and wheels available can cut some significant time off your efforts. But figuring out where to spend your hard-earned Drops can be confusing! So we’ve put together this table which lists the fastest frame and wheelset available at every Zwift level.
Keep in mind this list applies only to road bikes on flat and rolling routes. The data here doesn’t apply to climbing races or time trials using TT frames. (That info will come in other posts.)
* There are several frames which all turn in times within ~1 second of the Canyon Aeroad 2024 in our flat tests, so we consider them to be essentially equal in flat performance. The Aeroad is listed here since it is available at a much lower level than the others. These fast frames differ significantly in climb performance, though (learn more), so you’ll want to pay attention to that metric when choosing a bike.
1 It’s worth noting that disc wheels perform better on TT frames than road frames, so the performance gap between disc and non-disc wheels will be larger on TT frames vs road frames. The data above applies to road frames only.
Total time savings of fastest frame and wheelset over stock Zwift setup (Zwift Steel frame and Zwift Classic wheels) across 1 hour of riding: 68.6+59.9=128.5 seconds
Times above based on our flat speed tests, done with a solo 75kg, 183cm rider at 300 watts on Watopia’s very flat Tempus Fugit route.
Strategic Shopping
It may seem simplest to just purchase each frame or wheelset on the list as soon as you level up, but if you want to maximize performance you also need to take Zwift’s Bike Upgrade functionality into account, since it rewards riders who stay on the same frame long enough to fully upgrade it. Simply put: it doesn’t make sense to buy each frame/wheelset on this list, since you won’t be able to fully upgrade it before having access to buy the next fastest frame. So you’ll need to choose your purchases/upgrades wisely.
Speaking of upgrades: all the time data in this post is from un-upgraded versions of the frames. Upgraded frames will be even faster. Get more details here >
The Zwift Concept Z1 (Tron) bike is much faster than the stock Zwift Steel+Classic wheels setup, and in fact just slightly faster than the fastest setup shown above.
The Tron bike doesn’t climb well, though; a fact you’ll want to consider if you are racing a course with any significant hills.
We didn’t include the Tron in the chart above since you can’t separate the Tron’s frame from its wheels, and there is no set level where the Tron bike is unlocked. That said, we think it’s certainly a bike worth unlocking! Here’s how to do that >
The biggest performance gains come early in a Zwifter’s level progression. Here’s how much time you would be saving at each level if you upgraded to the recommended setups above:
You can see that purchasing the fastest frame and wheelset at level 12 delivers 90% of the overall possible improvement.
The chart only goes up to level 42, since there aren’t any new bikes or wheels available beyond that level. At that point, the only way you’ll get faster is by racing smarter, training stronger, and of course, upgrading your bike frame!
Hopefully this helps you select a bike for your next race, no matter your Zwift level. Got questions or comments? Post below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
10 New Or Updated Frames: Learn All About Zwift’s Kona TT Bike Drop
Today’s Zwift update includes the “Kona Drop” – the largest release of TT frames ever on the platform, with 7 brand new frames and updates to 3 existing frames. Here’s what arrives in the Drop Shop with game version 1.123:
New TT frames:
Factor Hanzō (requires Level 42+ and 1,800,000 Drops)
Cervelo P5 (requires Level 39+ and 1,600,000 Drops)
All of the frames above are rated 4 stars for aero and 1 star for weight, except for the Canyon, which gets 2 stars for weight as it’s the lightest of the crowd.
But Zwift’s star rating system isn’t very precise, so we’ve run our standard tests to see exactly how each of these 10 frames performs in game. Read on for details!
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The new crop of TT frames is slippery indeed, with three of the frames beating what was, until July of 2026, the fastest TT frame in game: the Cadex Tri. The new frames that don’t beat the Cadex are fast, too – faster than all the older TT frames, in fact.
The fastest aero performer is the new Factor Hanzō, with a flat time gap of 54 seconds compared to our base Zwift TT frame across an hour of riding. That beats the next-fastest frame, the Canyon Speedmax CFR, by ~3 seconds. A very significant margin!
Climb Performance
Zwift updated the already-fast Canyon Speedmax CFR in this week’s release, making it lighter. That gave it even more of an edge over the other TT frames when the road tilts uphill. The Speedmax CFR is the best climbing TT frame in Zwift – 33.7 seconds faster across an hour of climbing compared to our base Zwift TT frame.
The Factor Hanzō, on the other hand, turns in a standout climbing performance on the negative side. Zwift is using the manufacturer’s stated weights in these frames, making the Hanzō is aero but heavy in game, just like in real life. It turns in the slowest climb time of the new TT frames, gaining just 14.4 seconds on our baseline Zwift TT across an hour.
Comparison Chart
How do all the new and updated TT frames compare to each other? Here’s a simple chart of their performance when paired with leading wheelsets, showing what each combo saves you across 1 hour of riding at 300W (4 W/kg) compared to the stock Zwift TT frame with 32mm carbon wheels.
Items marked with a * are older items that were former category leaders, included in this chart as reference points.
Select at least one bike to display the chart. Bikes with wheel combos also require a wheelset selection.
Upgrading Your New TT Frame on Zwift
Like all frames in Zwift, these 10 new/updated TT frames can be upgraded in five stages. They all use the Duration, High-End upgrading scheme, giving them the following characteristics as you proceed through the upgrade process:
Performance At Each Upgrade Stage
This chart shows how many seconds this frame will save across 1 hour of riding compared to our stage 0 baseline frames (Zwift Carbon or TT). This is based on a 75kg rider, 183cm tall, at 300 watts, riding on tarmac.
Upgrade Stages (Duration, High-End)
Stage
1
2
3
4
5
Totals
hrs
6
7
8
9
10
40
cost
100,000
200,000
350,000
500,000
750,000
1,900,000
upgrade
Aero
Weight
Drivetrain
Weight
Aero
6 hrs: Aero Upgrade for 100k Drops
7 hrs: Weight Upgrade for 200k Drops
8 hrs: Drivetrain Upgrade for 350k Drops
9 hrs: Weight Upgrade for 500k Drops
10 hrs: Aero Upgrade for 750k Drops
Conclusions
This new crop of TT frames (7 new and 3 updated) raises the performance ceiling significantly, with the fastest bikes outperforming the popular Cadex Tri in both aero and climbing performance. With so many riders on fully upgraded Cadex Tri bikes, decisions will have to be made. Is it time to buy a new TT rig and put in the work (40 hours of riding) to upgrade it fully?
Of course, we’re cyclists: it’s always easy to answer the question of whether you should buy a new bike. But Zwift has set up the performance of these new bikes in such a way as to force us to make a choice. Do you go with the most aero bike (Factor Hanzō), which is what you’d want on most TT courses since they’re often quite flat? Or do you go with the next-fastest aero bike (Canyon Speedmax CFR), which climbs significantly better than the Hanzō?
Many riders will have already purchased the Canyon when it came out in July as the new fastest bike. It’s a frame worth upgrading, for any TT that includes a significant climb. But riders may now want to upgrade two frames… one for flat races, and one for all the rest.
That leaves all the other frames in the awkward place of being quite fast, but not the fastest. Riders may still buy these bikes for the look (the Cube Aerium C:68X’s paint job is sweet) or to match their real-life rig. But I bet the vast majority of TT frame purchases will be the Factor Hanzō and/or the Canyon Speedmax CFR. Because in the race of truth, only speed matters!
These bikes have been, or will soon be, added to the following posts:
What do you think of all these new TT frames? Which (if any) are you going to buy and begin upgrading? Share below…
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
