This week’s game update includes two new wheelsets from Swiss Side, long-term collaborators with DT Swiss, whose in-game wheels are familiar to any Zwift racer since they’re fast! Swiss Side helps optimize the aerodynamics of DT Swiss’ high-end wheel lines, while DT Swiss provides manufacturing capabilities and hubs for Swiss Side.
Swiss Side has also partnered with Van Rysel to optimize the aerodynamics of their bike frames, so it’s no coincidence these new wheels dropped at the same time as three new Van Rysel frames arrived in Zwift’s Drop Shop.
Here’s how the Swiss Side HADRON Ultimate Disc wheelset is described in the Drop Shop: “Maximum aero, no distractions. The 850 front and rear disc are designed for pure efficiency, minimizing drag and stabilizing airflow at race speed. Developed with Swiss precision and real-world testing, this setup is all about sustained power and straight-line speed.”
The wheels are now available in the Drop Shop, accessible at level 39 and above, for 900,000 Drops. They are rated 4 stars for aero and 1 for weight, just like other top disc wheelsets. But how do they compare? Since Zwift’s 4-star rating system isn’t precise enough for our tastes, we ran these wheels through our standard battery of tests to determine exactly how they perform in Zwift and stack up against other wheelsets.
Let’s dive in and learn all about the in-game performance of Swiss Side’s first disc wheelset in Zwift!
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
Swiss Side’s HADRON Ultimate Disc wheelset matches the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc in terms of performance. And this makes sense, since they’re the same wheelset IRL, with different branding. Because of that, their weight and CdA settings in Zwift are identical to the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc.
The DT Swiss disc is the fastest disc wheelset in Zwift, which means the new Swiss Side disc is also the fastest wheelset in game! Both wheelsets outpace our stock 32mm carbon wheelset on the flats by ~69 seconds across an hour on a TT bike, and ~50 seconds on a road bike.
Climb Performance
The Swiss Side disc matches the DT Swiss disc on our climb tests as well, although of course, disc wheels don’t exactly shine on climbing tests due to their high weight!
Both wheelsets lose ~20 seconds per hour of climbing compared to the stock 32mm carbon hoops, whether you’re on a TT frame or road frame.
Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using the Zwift Carbon frame.
Conclusions
Swiss Side’s HADRON Ultimate Disc is now tied with the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc as the top disc wheelset in Zwift. But reflecting real-world pricing and the cachet of the DT Swiss brand, the Swiss Side disc costs 100,000 Drops less, and is unlocked one level earlier!
These wheels have been, or will soon be, added to the following posts:
- Master Zwift Wheels List (added)
- Fastest Aero Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level
- The Top 10 Wheelsets in Zwift
- Zwift Speed Tests: Wheel Ranking Charts
- Zwift Shopping Guide: What To Buy from the Drop Shop at Each Level (added)
- Zwift Speed Tests Public Data (Google Sheet) (added)
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.
As one of the few people coming to level 40 as these wheels came out, I was happy to be able to spend 100,000 less drops for the same performance !
You’re all very welcome. I spent for the DT Swiss wheels about a week before these came out. My sacrifice for all who come after. Just like when I finally got the Lightweight Mielsteins, they released the wheels that made them second best within a month. And so on and so forth. Always one of the last to get something before it gets surpassed. 😉
In my opinion, the Meilsteins should be updated to be the best climbing wheels always.
Once the Roval Alpinist came out matching them in stats, I stopped doing the AdZ unless a race series required it. I think I’m about up to about 20 tries now and no Meilensteins, so I’m sort of glad there are other options that are better now. Still want one for the cache, but it’s not as crucial now.
I’ve got a massive hadron for these wheels!
Dude. Seriously. 😂
I’ve misstyped this name so many times… and it’s not like that other word is one I type regularly… what the heck?
Nice! I’ve been eagerly awaiting this review as some time trial wheels are about the last thing I “need” for in-game racing. Thanks for getting this out. Happy I can save some drops, which really means time on this.
New is fast, so I switched from the DT swiss disc set to the Swiss side disc set for more fast fun ^^