UPDATE: after this post the Alpe du Zwift was released, which gave us a much longer climb for better testing. It also gave us the Meilenstein Lightweight wheels! See the more conclusive results of those tests.
Our speed tests have shown the TT bike to be faster than any other bike on Zwift. But the TT bike isn’t the lightest bike, only the most aerodynamic. Because of this, some of the lighter bikes actually beat the TT on longer climbs.
Here are the climb times up Watopia’s Epic KOM as well as the steep radio tower climb.
Epic KOM Forward (Strava segment)
TT with Zipp 808 @ 450 watts: 17:37
Cervelo S5 with 808 @ 450 watts: 17:40
Concept Z1 (Tron) @ 450 watts: 17:40
Trek Emonda with Meilenstein Lightweight @ 300 watts: 23:33
Cervelo S5 with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:34
Concept Z1 (Tron) @ 300 watts: 23:34
Trek Emonda with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:38
TT with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:39
Trek Madone with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:39
Canyon Aeroad with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:41
Trek Emonda with Zipp 202 @ 300 watts: 23:44
TT with Zipp 202 @ 300 watts: 23:44
Zwift Aero with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 23:45
Cervelo with Zipp 808 @ 150 watts: 41:41
TT with Zipp 808 @ 150 watts: 42:18
Climb to Tower (Strava Segment)
Cervelo S5 with Zipp 808 @ 450 watts: 4:33
Concept Z1 (Tron) @ 450 watts: 4:33
TT with Zipp 808 @ 450 watts: 4:38
Trek Emonda with Meilenstein Lightweight @ 300 watts: 6:33
Cervelo S5 with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:37
Concept Z1 (Tron) @ 300 watts: 6:38
Trek Emonda with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:38
Trek Emonda with Zipp 202 @ 300 watts: 6:38
Trek Madone with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:39
Canyon Aeroad with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:40
Zwift Aero with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:42
TT with Zipp 202 @ 300 watts: 6:44
TT with Zipp 808 @ 300 watts: 6:45
Cervelo with Zipp 808 @ 150 watts: 12:51
TT with Zipp 808 @ 150 watts: 13:09
Observations:
- More watts=more speed=more impact from aerodynamics. The TT bike is slower than the Cervelo S5 at 300 watts, but faster at 450 watts. This is because the impact of aerodynamics increases as you go faster.
- Since the TT bike performs much better when descending, over a full loop course it is still the fastest bike. The TT bike descends the backside of the Epic KOM in 5:10, while the Cervelo S5 does it in 5:30.
- The very best climbing setup is the Trek Emonda combined with Meilenstein Lightweight wheels (which are only available with a bit of luck after you climb the Alpe). Read more about that in Fastest Bike Frame and Wheelset for Climbing Alpe du Zwift.
Notes:
- All tests were performed with a 75kg, 183cm (6′) rider unless otherwise noted.
Test the Emonda with Zipp202 please
We’ll test the 202’s, but keep in mind the Emonda is slower than the Cervelo S5. If the 202’s make the Emonda climb faster, they’ll make the Cervelo faster as well!
Emonda may be slower on the full laps tested, but the Libby hill times are pretty darn close. Over a longer sustained climb if it is a few ounces lighter (but slightly less aero…) might it not potentially fare better?
We’re testing these up a nice long climb–that’s the whole point of this set of tests, to see which climbs best.
202’s may be lighter than 808’s (according to a post from Jon Mayfield himself) but they don’t climb faster, even up a long climb. See numbers above.
Yes
Interested on how the Zwift Aero Road bike performs compared to the S5……
Stay tuned!
Done–see above.
How can I unlock a Cervelo or Trek?
Keep leveling up! Good news is, the Zwift Aero bike is quite fast also, and is the level 13 unlock. More info on fast bikes: https://zwiftinsider.com/the-4-fastest-bikes-in-zwift-and-how-to-get-them/
Interesting! I had suspected before the ZHR Mountain Race that the TT bike would be slower up the Epic KoM but I didn’t consider that the (minor) disadvantage would be more than wiped out on the descent. I think we’ll all be using TT bikes for next month’s race! 😀
Keep in mind the TT bike can’t draft, though… so if your race includes much flat, the TT advantage probably isn’t worth it.
Oh wow. I never knew that the TT bike can’t draft. I have been riding it ever since I started riding on Zwift and have a long time ago given up on the whole drafting thing. I am mainly riding alone, so it doesn’t really matter, but would be good sometimes to have somebody pull me a bit.
Makes perfect sense, though, that the TT bike doesn’t draft: it would make riding in Zwift way too unsafe 🙂
Can you list the descent results for all the bikes so we can compare aero ability?
I don’t have a complete data set for the Epic descent, but these numbers should suffice: https://zwiftinsider.com/test-lap-data/
What does it takes to get the Cervelo bike.
I’m a level 16 and I only have 5 or 6 bikes to choose !
Gotta hit level 24! https://zwiftinsider.com/the-4-fastest-bikes-in-zwift-and-how-to-get-them/
Is it possible for subscribers to set up their own tests?
Sure–I’m just a subscriber like anybody else. You just have to figure out how to do a test, which is all I did.
Any idea which setup would be fastest when doing mast climb repeats?
Maybe I missed it, but how does the ENVE wheelset perform in comparison to the ZIPPs?
It’s probably the fastest wheelset apart from the Zipp 808’s, but still loses to them overall. See https://zwiftinsider.com/test-lap-data/
How does the Concept Z1 fair in comparison at lower wattages?
Why is the Pinarello not included?
Because it’s slower than the ones we did include, so we knew we didn’t need to test it. See https://zwiftinsider.com/tests/
How did you do these tests. I’m guessing you have some way of spoofing power meter transmissions so you can automate the test process?
Pretty easy with an ANT+ simulator – see the thisisant web site …
You might have tell Zwift that you are doing this as I’m sure that there must be algorithms to detect the use of simulation or file replay to prevent people using them to achieve XPs
They are well aware of the goings on here.
Tarmac?
Do you have any information on performance of say,the Tarmac with 202s on a short climb like the hilly KOM forward?Both have 4 stars for lightness and the climb is only around 2.5 minutes @ 300w for me.I’m wondering how it stacks against say,the Madone with 808s,both have 3 stars for lightness.I understand that over a loop or long climb,aero beats lightness.