Important: this post contains performance data which was invalidated in Zwift’s mid-March 2025 update. Learn about those changes and get updated performance data >
Your choice of wheelset influences your Zwift speed significantly since it impacts both weight and aerodynamics. And Zwift’s release of the Drop Shop has given us access to lots of wheelsets: 39 now, with more on the way!
Wheel choice for flat/mixed courses has already been discussed. What about climbing? When aerodynamics matter less and weight matters more, which wheelset should you choose?
We’ve been hard at work in our lab testing wheels. Here’s a post summarizing some of our findings.
Want a look at the complete data?
Check out our Zwift Speed Test Charts for Wheels >
*First, a Disclaimer
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. Lighter items perform better on climbs, while more aerodynamic items perform better on the flats. Differences between options will also be magnified or minimized by your own power levels, drafting abilities, and more.
Your best Zwift setup, more than ever, depends on your specific situation.
About the Results
Below you will find the ten fastest wheelsets for longer, steeper climbs. This would include big Zwift mountains like Alpe du Zwift, the Epic KOM, or Innsbruck’s KOM. This isn’t an exact science, but we’re pretty confident in our findings thus far.
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. We tested all wheelsets using the same power levels, rider weight, and bike frame. This made it easy to spot which wheelsets performed best. We then ranked those wheelsets based on their climbing performance, using their flat/mixed course performance as a secondary factor when needed.
Your Winners
#1 & #2: Lightweight Meilenstein and Roval Alpinist CLX
Lightweight Meilenstein: Cannot be purchased, must be won via the Alpe prize wheel
Roval Alpinist CLX: 634,300 Drops to purchase, must be Level 38+
The Lightweight Meilenstein wheels are super-premium IRL, and their price reflects that. Luckily for us, we can get them free by just riding up the Alpe! Problem is, it may take one try… or 25. Nobody really knows how often the spinner lands on the Meilensteins, but they’re definitely a prize worth winning.
The new climbers from Roval were released in mid-2021, matching the Meilensteins climb time. Read more about the Alpinist CLX wheels >
Both wheelsets turn in essentially the same flat test times as well (we clocked the Lightweights at 0.5s faster over ~50 minutes), so your choice really comes down to preference and what’s in your garage.
#3: DT Swiss ARC 62
400,000 Drops to purchase, must be Level 40+
These hoops deliver strong climbing performance and solid aero performance, making them strong all-arounders. In fact, they rank at the top of our combined percentile rankings (see bottom chart here).
#4 & #5: ENVE SES 3.4 and FFWD RYOT55
ENVE 3.4: 200,000 Drops to purchase, must be Level 27+
FFWD RYOT55: 136,100 Drops to purchase, must be Level 18+
Just 6 seconds behind the Meilensteins, these wheels come at a low price and level unlock.
#6: CADEX 65
223,900 Drops to purchase, must be Level 33+
#7: GIANT SLR 0
165,100 Drops to purchase, must be Level 21+
Slightly lacking in aerodynamics compared to the top competition, they definitely have the light weight necessary to turn in a fast Alpe climb time. The SLR 0 wheels tested just a half second faster than the CADEX 65’s up the Alpe, but the CADEX 65’s are much faster on flat ground, so we gave them the edge.
#8 ZIPP 454
204,300 Drops to purchase, must be Level 30+
These climb at the same speed as the 353 NSW below, but are faster on the flats so they get the edge in our rankings. Because you have to get to the Alpe before you can climb it! A solid all-around wheel, the Zipp 454s rank second overall in our combined percentile rankings (see bottom chart here).
#9: Zipp 353 NSW
168,800 Drops to purchase, must be Level 24+
Zipp released the IRL 353 NSWs in late April 2021, billing them as the lightest tubeless wheelset they’ve ever made. They climb at the same speed as the 454’s, but are a bit slower on the flats.
#10: CADEX 36
216,900 Drops to purchase, must be Level 29+
These climb just a half-second slower than the highly ranked DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels, but the problem is they are much slower on flat/mixed terrain, so we placed them here. While they’re the third fastest wheelset on this list for pure climbs, their aero performance is so bad that it’s hard to recommend them over the other wheelsets above which are (at worst) just 1s slower up the Alpe!
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What’s the Time Gap?
Only 7 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.
Again, your best Zwift race setup depends on our specific situation, so do your research and choose wisely. Feel free to sift through our detailed charts!
Share Your Thoughts
Hopefully the mountain goats found this post useful. Got questions or comments? Post below!
Changelog
- December 11, 2023: updated the list based on current performance data.
- December 6, 2023: updated prices, level unlocks, and text to account for Zwift’s Drop Shop reorg.
- September 19, 2021: changed the Meilensteins and Alpinist wheels to be tied for top slots based on fresh tests. Added CADEX 36 in #10 slot.
- July 26, 2021: inserted the Roval Alpinist CLX wheels into the #1 slot.
- Apr 22, 2021: inserted the new Zipp 353 NSWs into the 2nd slot.
- Aug 11, 2020: inserted the new DT Swiss ARC 62s in the 3rd slot.
- Nov 8, 2019: Moved Bora 50s down two slots to #6. Removed 7, 8, and 9 because their flat performance is so bad, and you can get better climbing wheelsets at lower levels and prices.
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.
So complicated to choose! I weigh 95 kg and have an FTP of around 350 watts. Therefore, on the flat I can follow almost any group (often fairly easily), but struggle on the climbs. 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? Even if it meant higher efforts on the flat? Or the opposite, any advantage I get this way on hills will be wasted in the flat sections (even if I “hide” in the peloton) of any route except a huge climb like the Alpe…?
Depending on the course. On flat courses you should even be able to break away (small group or alone), so a fast wheelset will definitly help. On mixed courses you need to avoid being dropped and go for a light one. In hilly routes it is obvious that a light wheelset must be chosen. But compared to your body weight a few hundred grams will not make a big difference :).
Slightly confused. 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. However here, they’re not mentioned.
Is it because they’re only better on a purely flat course, and the 454s are better with a mixed course?
Ignore. Wrong post
Hi,
currently going up the AdZ frequently doing Intervall workouts. Three of my longer workouts made me complete the AdZ but all in all three instances I received gloves…. is there any indication of percentage for the Lightweight Wheelset and the other items? I already own ENVE SES 3.4 (cheap to get) but the Lightweights would make me feel better :).
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. This is the way of the Alpe. 😀
I got my Lightweights on my 13th climb up the Alpe. I have no idea what the percentage is!
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. As mentioned here, 8 seconds on the total climb is the difference between the two…still going to run them though….#marginal_gains.
Correction…only 5 seconds noted between the Enve 3.4’s and Meilenstein wheels.
Got mine after 20th and almost want to give up as it’s only good for long steep climb event such as ADZ. 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. Btw, I could never hang with group A riders after the 2nd half of a 30 miles round. Cheers!
I think it’s fairly straight forward. Use an average based on the time (not distance) on the flats or descents, and the time on relatively steep climbs (8% or steeper). For gradual climbs, take a rough average based on how steep it is. So suppose I’m doing Bologna where I spend half the time on flats and half the climb on steep climb. Then I’d take the average of time savings on flats and steeps from these rankings. On the other hand, suppose I’m doing a route like the Watopia reverse Hilly. There I probably spend 2 minutes on steep climbs, and 11 minutes flattish/descending. So I’d weight results 11 parts flat performance, 2 parts climb performance. This should get you in the ballpark.
I got mine on the 13th, as well. Lo and behold, next trip up, i got the wheels again. Now, it’s back to gloves though. lol
I received it on my 2nd ascent.
Probably not gonna do it for a while now
I got mine up 2nd time, too. #blessed ha!
I’ve been really lucky, then. I’ve got them on my second climb up the Alpe!
I got my Lightweights on the 5th time up AdZ. This attempt was a sub 60 minute effort so maybe this was a qualifier?
If you made it up sub 60 you don’t need the lightweights! Leave em for us commoners! 😉
No, sub-60 can’t be a qualifier because I got mine after my twelveth ride up the Alpe, which was close to 90 minutes, my third worst time! *LOL* (I was hunting for the Yeti rather than the Meilenstein on that ride)
17 times up the Alpe and I still don’t have them. Continual gloves and helmets are pretty, no, exceedingly, lame. Now I would rather do something fun. But every once in a while, I get a bee in my chamois. Last time was 3 months ago. I am just no longer motivated to try.
If you stop and think about it, as a reward the Milenstein’s won’t make much of a difference unless all you do are KOMs. They are horrible on flats according to the tests. I decided that the Zipp 353 or the DT 62 make much more sense.
I received it the second time I went up there and was around 90 mins.
How do I access these top 5 wheel sets? When I went to wheels to change my current set the top five were not offered. Thanks
Are you in the Drop Shop, or your garage? Gotta buy ’em before you can use ’em!
Ps, I’m at level 43. Shouldn’t I be able to access at least one light wheel set?
I got the Lightweight wheelset at the 18x up the Alpe, but have heard of people going 25+
Zipp 202 didn’t make the cut for a climbing wheel?
It would probably be the next wheelset on the list, if we made the list longer! But I wouldn’t rank it above anything listed here, no.
So Eric, which combo do you suggest for a race “tour of fire and ice”.?
Tarmac pro as frame for sure , and then? i mean, with LW wheels i wille be able to keep the peloton on the first 10k? or better a more aero solutions as Dtswiss to keep the group ? thanks
LW wheels beat DT Swiss by 6 seconds up the Alpe. DT Swiss beat the LW wheels by 21 seconds on the flats! Not a great trade, in my book. 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.
The “Zipp 202” wheels show as the same star ratings (3* Aero, 4* Weight) as the “Enve SES 3.4” and with a better rating than the “Zipp 404”, yet the Zipp 202 wheels don’t make the list, is there a reason for that? Are the in-app star ratings not accurate when you actually put them to the test?
The star ratings are accurate, they’re just not very granular (if that makes sense).
The 202s are 4 seconds slower up the Alpe than the ENVE 3.4s. They just barely didn’t make this list – they’d be the next wheelset on the list, if we made it longer.
I wondr3d about the Zipp 202’s for climbing? Not in the Top 10 and wondered why.
So, TROV cs Cervelo S5 2020 with Zipp 808 wheel set fr Innbruckring?
Tron is faster than any frame with a non-disc wheelset, so go with Tron if those are your choices. See https://zwiftinsider.com/tron-vs-top-performers/
DT Swiss ARC 62 over ENVE SES 3.4?
I have ENVE SES 3.4 at level 17. Do not remember when I bought it, but it’s definitely not lvl 27.
It is now. Zwift changed all the unlock levels a while back, so you must have purchased them before that.
Makes sense! Lucky me 😉
Wonder where the 4.5 Pros would end up if this got updated 😉
This article says the Roval Aplinist CLX’s are the fastest climbing wheels but they don’t get a mention on the fastest climbing by level article where the Zipp 353 NSW’s are listed as the fastest? Just wondering which is correct.