Team Bottrill to ride new CADEX wheels in 2020
At Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching, We’re fortunate enough to get offers of wheel sponsorship quite regularly but, as everyone knows, I’m all about the numbers and if a wheel doesn’t offer any savings over what we’re already using, I’m not interested.
But when I saw the data on the new CADEX 4-spoke front and disc rear I did a double take.
At first I didn’t believe it – I was like, that’s got to be bulls**t – no one can do that with a wheel. The guys at CADEX were saying they’d optimised it for zero to 30 degrees of yaw – a much wider range than other wheel brands claim for theirs. So I said, give me those wheels, I’ll take them to the wind tunnel and I’ll find out. And I was shocked.
The way the sport is going at the moment, if you can find one or two watts you’re doing well, but with this wheelset we’re seeing anything between five and seven watts on the CADEX 4-spoke and disc wheel.
As well as working with Lotto-Soudal this winter I’ve been going to the wind tunnel three times a month and you do start to see trends. I know some wheels come into their own when they get to 10 degrees of yaw but CADEX’s data was right: they’re the fastest at much lower yaw angles and they outperform the others at higher yaw too.
We tested them against some of the leading wheel brands in the wind tunnel until I realised they actually were so good there was no way I was going to turn them down.
Real-world handling
But it’s not just about a wheel’s performance in the wind tunnel – it’s got to be able to handle in the real world, so I’ve been training with the CADEX 4-spoke front and disc in my TT bike and I can honestly say I’ve never ridden anything like these. They’re unbelievable.
Years ago we were riding tri-spokes and four-spokes that were fast on a float day in zero yaw but unstable in a crosswind. Then 80mm rims came along, which handled well in crosswinds. Now this CADEX wheelset has both the speed and the handling and they’re super stiff too.
Wider rims have been a game changer for aero wheels’ stability because they work better in higher yaw angles. More stability equals more speed. The CADEX 4-spoke front and rear disc have an internal rim width of 21mm (17mm was the old standard) so that a 25mm tubeless tyre, which is what I’m using now, sits really flush for an absolute minimum of airflow separation between the sidewall and rim.
I’ve also been riding CADEX’s road wheelsystems, which come in 42mm and 65mm rim depths. These have aero carbon spokes and are incredibly light and stiff. I will be defending my title at the Eddie Soens Memorial road race next month on these.
Our A team supported riders will be on CADEX wheels this year and I’m really excited. We’ve got the coaching, we’re giving them the nutritional support, we’re giving them the wind tunnel time and with the CADEX wheels they’ve got the best equipment. It’s about leaving no stone unturned.
If you want to have a chat to us about CADEX or anything around our bike fit packages or cycling coaching packages all available at Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching, please get in touch via the ‘Contact Us’ button below and a member of our team will be more than happy to help.