• Get Started
    • Get Started on Zwift
    • Zwift Course Maps
    • How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More)
    • Links Every Zwifter Must Have
    • More “Get Started” Posts
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Kit Unlock Codes
    • Training & Nutrition
    • Racing
    • Zwift Hacks
  • Reference
    • How Zwift Works
    • Course Calendar
    • RoboPacer Calendar
    • Smart Trainer Index
      • Top Wheel-On Trainers
      • Top Direct-Drive <$900
      • Top Direct-Drive >$900
      • Exhaustive Trainer List
    • Achievements & Unlocks
    • Frames & Wheels
    • Routes & Maps
      • Master List of Routes
      • Master List of KOMs
      • Master List of Sprints
      • Downloadable Watopia Map
      • Rebel Routes
    • Speed Tests
  • News
    • Events
    • Game Updates
  • Shop
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Get Started
    • Get Started on Zwift
    • Zwift Course Maps
    • How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More)
    • Links Every Zwifter Must Have
    • More “Get Started” Posts
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Kit Unlock Codes
    • Training & Nutrition
    • Racing
    • Zwift Hacks
  • Reference
    • How Zwift Works
    • Course Calendar
    • RoboPacer Calendar
    • Smart Trainer Index
      • Top Wheel-On Trainers
      • Top Direct-Drive <$900
      • Top Direct-Drive >$900
      • Exhaustive Trainer List
    • Achievements & Unlocks
    • Frames & Wheels
    • Routes & Maps
      • Master List of Routes
      • Master List of KOMs
      • Master List of Sprints
      • Downloadable Watopia Map
      • Rebel Routes
    • Speed Tests
  • News
    • Events
    • Game Updates
  • Shop
More
    Sign in
    Welcome! Log into your account
    Forgot your password? Get help
    Privacy Policy
    Password recovery
    Recover your password
    A password will be e-mailed to you.
    FeaturedReferenceSpeed Tests

    All About Zwift’s New CADEX Tri Frame

    Eric Schlange
    By Eric Schlange
    September 22, 2022
    29

    Zwift’s September update included the first in-game frame from CADEX, named the CADEX Tri. This frame has a very distinctive design which according to CADEX offers strong aero performance, but also custom fit options and light weight that all packs well into a triathlete’s travel case.

    It appears CADEX is onto something. Remember Zwift’s Sub7/Sub8 initiative? In June 2022, Kristian Blummenfelt rode this frame to the completion of the world’s first sub 7-hour long distance triathlon event. Blummenfelt and his team of eight pacers each rode the new CADEX Tri frameset and CADEX Aero WheelSystems. He completed the 180km bike distance with a time of 3:24:22 for an average speed of 52.8 kph, shattering his target time by nearly 25 minutes for a historic full-distance time of 6:44:25.

    Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop, where it is priced at 1,029,500 Drops and level-locked at 42+:

    The CADEX Tri frameset is a no-holds-barred triathlon machine—no restrictions, no limitations. It’s designed, engineered and put to the test by the world’s fastest triathletes in a bold quest to push the sport forward. It rewrites the rules. There’s nothing conventional about this bike. The frame, with its radical monocoque design, unlocks a new level of aero efficiency. It gives triathletes an entirely new way to access nutrition, hydration and other essentials right from their racing position without the wind ever noticing. It’s all right there, tucked inside the aero down tube, invisible to the wind.

    The CADEX Tri bike in real life

    Like every TT frame on Zwift, the CADEX Tri is rated 4 stars for aero and 1 for weight. But how does it actually stack up against the other 20 TT frames in game?

    We ran the new frame through our standard speed tests to find out, and the results were impressive! Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the new CADEX Tri frame in Zwift.

    Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance

    The CADEX Tri’s aero performance outclasses every other frame in game, including the former-fastest Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc.

    Its flat course test time of 49:36.5 is 4.5 seconds faster than the Canyon, making it the fastest TT frame in game by a significant margin when you consider TT races are where every second counts.

    With frame choice sometimes coming down to a trade-off between climb and aero performance we should also mention here that the CADEX Tri is 6.5 seconds faster in our flat test than the two best climbing frames, the Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate. See below for details on how it stacks up against those frames on climbs.

    Comparing it standard road frames, the four fastest road frames (Cervelo S5 2020, Felt AR, Specialized Venge S-Works, and Uranium Nuclear) all turn in a time of 51:17 on our flat test. That makes the CADEX Tri frame 100.5 seconds faster!

    Reminder: our flat test course is two laps of Tempus Fugit totaling 34.6km.

    Climb Performance

    The CADEX Tri’s climbing performance is also solid. Although it’s not the best climbing TT frame in game, it outclimbs the Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc.

    The CADEX Tri turns in an Alpe time of 50:06.5. The fastest overall climbing TT frames in game (Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate) complete the test 5.5 seconds faster, while the Canyon Speedmax is 2.5s slower.

    Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm carbon wheelset.

    Conclusions

    The CADEX Tri’s top-of-the-heap aero performance and solid climbing performance make it the best choice today for nearly every Zwift race where TT frames are allowed. The choice is easy: if your race has you spending more time on flats and descents than inclines: go with the CADEX Tri for the fastest overall speed.

    Newer Zwifters will of course notice the level lock of 42+, which is much higher than other top performers (the Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc is 26, the Scott Plasma RC Ultimate is 33, and the Felt IA 2.0 is 34). More incentive to level up quickly!

    The CADEX Tri has been added to the following posts, and it can also be found on our Master Zwift Frames List:

    • Zwift Shopping Guide: What To Buy At Each Level
    • Fastest TT Frames
    • Fastest TT Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level
    • TT Frame Performance Charts
    • Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top TT Performers (Scatter Plot)
    • Wheel and Frame Performance Scatter Plots
    • Bike Frame and Wheelset Recommendations for Zwift’s Bologna Time Trial Route

    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 TT frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top TT Performers for current time trial-related performance data.

    Related Posts

    Related Posts

    Facebook
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    ReddIt
      Eric Schlange
      Eric Schlangehttp://www.zwiftinsider.com
      Eric runs Zwift Insider in his spare time when he isn't on the bike or managing various business interests. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. Follow on Strava

      29 COMMENTS

      Subscribe
      Connect with
      Notify of
      guest

      Connect with
      guest

      29 Comments
      Oldest
      Newest Most Voted
      Inline Feedbacks
      View all comments
      Bensonius
      Bensonius
      4 months ago

      Average speed of 52.8kph?!?! Wow, I feel so inadequate.

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Bensonius

      Don’t worry, it was only for 180km. 🙂

      12
      Reply
      Carsten Re. from Germany
      Carsten Re. from Germany
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Eric Schlange

      52,8 kph over 180km ????? … please tell us, that the course had an average gradient of -2% 🙈

      0
      Reply
      fabs
      fabs
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Carsten Re. from Germany

      he had help from 8 other pro time-trialists. It was the first time without draft-rule so he was allowed to draft for the full 180…

      0
      Reply
      Kelley Wegeng
      Kelley Wegeng(@kwegeng)
      4 months ago

      Is there any chance you could re-run this test again on Tuesday morning and post here confirming that it is still just as fast? 😛

      5
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Kelley Wegeng

      Well, until Zwift releases an update to the game, nothing can possibly change…

      3
      Reply
      Jim Haysom
      Jim Haysom(@haysom)
      4 months ago

      Righty ho then, 2 Million Drops hanging around in my Garage… time to get spending!!!

      0
      Reply
      Jeff Cottrell
      Jeff Cottrell
      4 months ago

      I wonder if Zwift is ever gonna add the Cadex Disc and triple spoke wheel combo.

      4
      Reply
      Paul Smith
      Paul Smith
      4 months ago

      It’s me again, being a pest and asking if it’s possible for you to set your bots to 200w and maybe 85-90kg as well as your standard 300w/75kg. That would be more the boundary between D-C categories than the B-A boundary you’re running. I know that’s where you race, so I understand. Aerodynamic drag increases sharply with speed. I didn’t realize the size of speed’s effect on wattage until I say GCN’s video ‘How Wide Is Too Wide For Road Bike Tires?’ from August 11. Please see the attachment and don’t get bogged down in what they were doing. I’m… Read more »

      Screen Shot 2022-09-22 at 12.34.12 PM.png
      1
      Reply
      Tony Lane
      Tony Lane
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Paul Smith

      But surely the absolute times are not the important detail – what matters is the relative performance of each frame under identical circumstances. Wouldn’t that same relative performance apply in any other set of circumstances (i.e. if frame A is 1% better than frame B at 300w it will also be 1% better than frame B at 200w, albeit that the time difference will be smaller). Or am i missing something?

      3
      Reply
      Paul Smith
      Paul Smith
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Tony Lane

      Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t have the math and I don’t trust my intuition. That’s why I was looking for actual tests.

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Paul Smith

      Hi Paul: the time gaps grow at lower power levels, as Tony Lane guessed in his reply. Basically, if your speed, say, 20% slower, then the gaps will be 20% larger. I don’t test at 300W because that’s around where I race… I test there because it’s a nice, round number that works well with a 75kg weight (approximate average weight of Zwift racers) and is in the window of a good number of competitive racers on Zwift. I’ve done lots of tests over the years at different weights and power levels, of course. But had to simplify things in… Read more »

      2
      Reply
      Paul Smith
      Paul Smith
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Eric Schlange

      I’d actually asked Zwift if we could use lower-power bots for a few tests but they didn’t want to approve it. Can’t blame me for trying.

      -2
      Reply
      JonD
      JonD
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Eric Schlange

      Eric – any chance you could a small set of TT bike tests same bike but at different heights and weights? The ones you’ve done for road bikes were invaluable for helping organize a TTT rotation. Thanks.

      0
      Reply
      dan
      dan
      4 months ago

      so does this mean we all have to ride on our “sister’s bike” for extra speed now.

      2
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  dan

      LOL. Yes it does!

      1
      Reply
      Gavin Harte
      Gavin Harte
      4 months ago

      Yes he went fast in the sub-7 but Joe Skipper went faster on an Argon. It was more about the team and tactics than the bike in that specific circumstance.

      0
      Reply
      LanteRn
      LanteRn
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Gavin Harte

      The bike and position will also determine how much power you need to keep up the speed. If the bike itself can save you 10watts at the same speed as competitor that can make a difference.

      0
      Reply
      Ian
      Ian
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Gavin Harte

      Wasn’t that just because Joe Skipper was the stronger bike rider though? Could also argue he had the stronger team. IIRC from Alex Dowsett’s VLOG they did feel those bikes would be fast(er)

      0
      Reply
      Oscar S
      Oscar S
      4 months ago

      Interested to see if this affects bike recommendation for Bologna TT?

      1
      Reply
      Ronald
      Ronald
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Oscar S

      In bologna, you’re half of the time climbing so I believe this one is not the best choice?

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Ronald

      I think it actually still IS the best choice, Ronald – or basically tied with the Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate. The CADEX will be faster on the flat, while the other two will pull back some time on the climb. I think in the end, they’ll turn in nearly identical times – which is why I put all three in this Bologna post yesterday: https://zwiftinsider.com/bologna-setup/

      2
      Reply
      Derf
      Derf
      4 months ago

      Ya!, but does it come in blue?…

      2
      Reply
      Adam T
      Adam T
      4 months ago

      Have you ever experimented with how fast a TT bike is on a relatively flat but busy course compared to a normal road bike? Obviously the TT is fastest if there’s nobody to draft, but I’d be curious if the added draft wins (even if you’re not purposefully trying to draft people). If I was to watch something and do an easy spin and not pay attention to Zwift I wonder if the TT bike is still the way to go?

      0
      Reply
      Carl Jason LeBel
      Carl Jason LeBel(@runbikebbq)
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Adam T

      You can’t* draft with a TT bike

      *Unless doing TTT

      0
      Reply
      Peter Maloney
      Peter Maloney
      4 months ago

      I’m confused. On a flat course the CADEX is just 6.5 seconds faster than the best climbing road frames, but 100.5 seconds better than the best aero road frames?

      1
      Reply
      Evan
      Evan
      4 months ago
      Reply to  Peter Maloney

      “Comparing it standard road frames, the four fastest road frames (Cervelo S5 2020, Felt AR, Specialized Venge S-Works, and Uranium Nuclear) all turn in a time of 51:17 on our flat test. That makes the CADEX Tri frame 100.5 seconds faster!”

      All TT bikes are faster than road bikes on flat. On climbs, all road bikes are faster than TT, I believe.

      0
      Reply
      Ima Beast #TEaM (VIZSLA)
      Ima Beast #TEaM (VIZSLA)
      3 months ago
      Reply to  Evan

      You are right about the last statement there, all road bikes are faster than all TT bikes. At least, last I checked they were.

      0
      Reply
      Mark
      Mark
      2 months ago

      As a Star Wars fan the Cadex is for me.

      0
      Reply
      wpdiscuz   wpDiscuz

      Free Zwift Trial

      Create Account

      Newest Featured Posts

      Zwift Racing League Week 5 Guide: France’s R.G.V. (TTT)

      Racing

      Zwift Course Calendar – Current Guest World Schedule

      Reference

      Tiny Race Series – Results and February 4 Routes

      Events

      Support This Site

      Contribute a post, shop through us, make a donation, advertise on this site. See how you can support Zwift Insider!

      This community-driven site is maintained by Eric Schlange and a team of Zwift enthusiasts. Zwift Insider is independent of Zwift corporate (www.zwift.com), although Zwift does provide funding to help defray site costs.

      This site contains affiliate links to Amazon, Wahoo, and other brands. Zwift Insider makes a small commission on purchases made from these links, so please shop through them to support our efforts.

      Terms of Use/DMCA Copyright Policy

      Privacy Policy

      [email protected]

      Latest articles

      “Loch Loop” Route Details

      “City and the Sgurr” Route Details

      “Glasgow Crit Circuit” Route Details

      Popular Categories

      • Racing984
      • News738
      • Training & Nutrition581
      • Events507
      • Interviews440
      • Routes & Maps311
      29
      0
      Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
      ()
      x
      | Reply
      Comment Author Info
      :wpds_smile::wpds_grin::wpds_wink::wpds_mrgreen::wpds_neutral::wpds_twisted::wpds_arrow::wpds_shock::wpds_unamused::wpds_cool::wpds_evil::wpds_oops::wpds_razz::wpds_roll::wpds_cry::wpds_eek::wpds_lol::wpds_mad::wpds_sad::wpds_exclamation::wpds_question::wpds_idea::wpds_hmm::wpds_beg::wpds_whew::wpds_chuckle::wpds_silly::wpds_envy::wpds_shutmouth:
      ‹ Back to Categories
      You are going to send email to

      Move Comment


    • Related Posts