Speed Tests: Fully-Upgraded Concept Z1 (Tron) Bike vs Top Performers

Last week, we published the first version of this chart released since Zwift tweaked frame and wheel performance.

Since then, we’ve been running additional tests, including testing the upgraded versions of all bikes.

See our frame performance charts and data >

The upgraded “Tron vs Top Performers” chart below lets you toggle between seeing how frames perform in their un-upgraded state, vs fully upgraded. It also includes an additional wheelset (Zipp 858) based on user requests, and features updated test data based on additional tests we’ve run.

Tip: we charted how many seconds each setup saves across an hour of riding compared to a basic bike/wheel setup (Zwift Carbon frame + Zwift 32mm Carbon Wheels). This means you’ll find the top performers higher on the Y-axis and further right on the X-axis.

Colored based on frame. Mouse over each point for details.
Zwift Concept Z1, S-Works Venge, S-Works Tarmac SL8, Pinarello Dogma F 2024, Canyon Aeroad 2024, Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71, Specialized Aethos

Chart updated March 24, 2025

Observations

The first thing you may notice is that the Tron bike seems to have gained a few seconds of flat performance, now 3-4 seconds faster than the next-best combination (Aeroad 2024 + Zipp 858/Super9). This surprised us a bit, too, but we ran multiple tests to confirm.

While the Tron is clearly a standout performer on the flats, it’s worth noting that moving to an all-arounder setup like the Aeroad 2024 + ENVE 7.8 wheels costs 7.4 seconds on the flats, but gets you 11.6 seconds on the climbs (assuming both bikes are stage 5). Not a bad trade.

Next, you’ll notice that the Aethos regains its position as King of the Mountain when viewing fully-upgraded frame performance. The fully upgraded Aethos really is a climbing weapon, and moving from an all-arounder like the S-Works Tarmac SL8 to the Aethos means you’re basically just trading flat seconds for climb seconds on a one-to-one basis.

Example: the Aethos + Zipp 454 wheels lose 21 seconds to the Tarmac SL8 on the flats, but gain 22.8 seconds on the climbs. That’s a pretty solid trade if you’re a rider who struggles on the climbs more than the flats.

Of course, when considering performance, one also has to consider the work that goes into upgrading the bike. Getting a fully-upgraded Tron is going to take significantly more riding than upgrading a production from like the Dogma F 2024!

There is certainly more to observe from this chart and our just-released, more complete set of charts and data, but for now I’ll leave it to the Zwift community to look at the numbers and share thoughts. Ride on!

Your Thoughts

What conclusions do you draw from this updated chart? Share your thoughts below!