One great resource for Zwift Riders is Zwift Insider. However, there is a caveat here. As great as the website is, the writers there compartmentalize quite a bit of information into separate articles for easier reading. Its a situation where… If you want to know what the best bike is for climbing, go here. If you want to know the best bike overall, go there. But hey! over here are speed tests!
It’s all one big confusing mess that they can resolve fairly easily. (Do not mistake my assessment as a hit against them).
Cause I wanted an easy-to-read chart, I gathered their data and put one together myself. The reasoning was that I felt that for me to enjoy my individual progress, I wanted to “buy” the best bikes/wheels I could with the drops I accumulated. As much as I love Ridley, the Noah Fast (the only bike I have “purchased” so far), I feel like I should have been smarter with my purchases. I could have accumulated some more drops and waited to get the Aeroad at level 10.
Unfortunately, I cannot make this table sortable on this blog. So, if you really want to know which bikes to buy ASAP as you accumulate drops and levels; they are as follows:
1) C’Dale EVO (Fastest Climber, Avail @ L9)
2) Spec Shiv S-Works (Fastest TT climber, Avail @ L10)
3) Canyon Aeroad 2021 (Fastest Beginner, Avail @ L10)
4) Spec. SuperCalibre (Fastest MTB, Avail @ L20)
5) Spec Venge S-works (Fastest Standard, Avail @ L33)
6) Felt IA (Fastest TT, Avail @ L37)
| BRAND | BIKE | DROPS | LEVEL REQ | AERO | WEIGHT | TYPE | Fast Reg | Fast TT | Fast < L30 | Fast < L15 | Fast TT <30 | Fast Climber | Fast TT Climb | ZI BUY @ | MUST BUY @ | Flat Time | Climb Time |
| BMC | SLR01 | 376,200 | 19 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | 3094 | 2949 |
| BMC | Timemachine01 | 781,000 | 24 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | ||
| Cannondale | Caad12 | 184,500 | 2 | 2 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 3095 | 2973 |
| Cannondale | EVO | 213,000 | 9 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | 1 | 3093 | 2938 |
| Cannondale | Synapse | 298,200 | 12 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | 3095 | 2952 |
| Cannondale | System Six | 497,000 | 27 | 3 | 3 | STD | 8 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 27 | — | 3080 | 2966 |
| Cannondale | SuperSix EVO | 816,500 | 36 | 3 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 36 | — | 3090 | 2942 |
| Canyon | Aeroad 2021 | 568,000 | 10 | 3 | 4 | STD | 5 | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | 3081 | 2944 |
| Canyon | Inflite | 234,300 | 10 | 2 | 3 | GRVL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | ||
| Canyon | Lux | 461,500 | 10 | 1 | 1 | MTB | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | ||
| Canyon | Ultimate | 461,500 | 10 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 3094 | 2942 |
| Canyon | Speedmax | 710,000 | 21 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | ||
| Canyon | Grail | 355,000 | 23 | 2 | 3 | GRVL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | ||
| Canyon | Aeroad | 532,500 | 23 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Cervelo | S3D | 468,600 | 13 | 3 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 13 | — | 3084 | 2973 |
| Cervelo | Aspero | 426,000 | 13 | 3 | 3 | GRVL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | — | ||
| Cervelo | P5 | 710,000 | 15 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 15 | — | ||
| Cervelo | R5 | 461,500 | 24 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | 3093 | 2943 |
| Cervelo | S5 | 603,500 | 25 | 3 | 3 | STD | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | 3079 | 2951 |
| Cervelo | PX-Series | 1,065,000 | 45 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | ||
| Chapter2 | Tere | 390,500 | 6 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 3093 | 2943 |
| Chapter2 | Rere | 355,000 | 16 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3088 | 2965 |
| Cube | Aerium | 248,500 | 28 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | ||
| Cube | Litening | 177,500 | 32 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3094 | 2945 |
| Diamondback | Andean | 572,900 | 35 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 35 | — | ||
| Factor | One | 426,000 | 8 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | 8 | — | 3084 | 2967 |
| Felt | AR | 639,000 | 34 | 3 | 3 | STD | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | — | 3079 | 2951 |
| Felt | IA | 1,065,000 | 37 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 5 | ||
| Focus | Izalco Max 2020 | 426,000 | 8 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 8 | — | 3083 | 2951 |
| GIANT | TCR Adv. Pro | ??? | ??? | ??? | ?? | ?? | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | 3093 | 2947 |
| Giant | Propel Advanced SL Disc | 816,500 | 22 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3083 | 2955 |
| Giant | TCR Advanced SL | 305,300 | 8 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Liv | Langma Advanced SL | 745,500 | 22 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3094 | 2947 |
| Parlee | RZ7 | 511,200 | 28 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | 3087 | 2962 |
| Parlee | ESX | 603,500 | 16 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3091 | 2962 |
| Pinarello | Bolide | 923,000 | 25 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | ||
| Pinarello | Dogma 65.1 | 603,500 | 29 | 3 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | 3092 | 2973 |
| Pinarello | Dogma F12 | 958,500 | 29 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | 3083 | 2950 |
| Pinarello | Dogma F10 | 710,000 | 39 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | 3086 | 2953 |
| Pinarello | Bolide TT | 1,065,000 | 42 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | — | ||
| Pinarello | Dogma F8 | ITALY CHAL | 0 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3092 | 2956 |
| Ribble | Endurance | 390,500 | 7 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | 7 | — | 3087 | 2967 |
| Ridley | Helium | 461,500 | 3 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 3095 | 2961 |
| Ridley | Noah Fast 2019 | 426,000 | 9 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 9 | — | 3085 | 2966 |
| Scott | Plasma | 852,000 | 17 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 17 | — | ||
| Scott | Foil | 781,000 | 17 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | 3088 | 2954 |
| Scott | Spark RC | 418,900 | 17 | 1 | 1 | MTB | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | ||
| Specialized | Allez | 127,800 | 4 | 2 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 3095 | 2975 |
| Specialized | Tarmac SL7 | 674,500 | 5 | 3 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 5 | — | 3090 | 2941 |
| Specialized | Epic S-Works | 675,900 | 5 | 1 | 1 | MTB | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | ||
| Specialized | Roubaix | 461,500 | 5 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3094 | 2957 |
| Specialized | Roubaix S-Works | 745,500 | 5 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3094 | 2948 |
| Specialized | Ruby | 461,500 | 5 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3094 | 2958 |
| Specialized | Ruby S-Works | 745,500 | 5 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3094 | 2948 |
| Specialized | Shiv S-Works | 852,000 | 10 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 2 | ||
| Specialized | Tarmac Pro | 408,300 | 11 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 11 | — | 3093 | 2937 |
| Specialized | Allez Sprint | 127,800 | 14 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 14 | — | 3084 | 2955 |
| Specialized | Venge | 461,500 | 18 | 3 | 3 | STD | 7 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | 3081 | 2965 |
| Specialized | Shiv Disc | 994,000 | 18 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | ||
| Specialized | Amira S-Works | 355,000 | 31 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 31 | — | 3093 | 2941 |
| Specialized | Amira | 142,000 | 31 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | — | 3094 | 2947 |
| Specialized | Venge S-Works | 798,800 | 33 | 3 | 3 | STD | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | 4 | 3078 | 2948 |
| Specialized | Tarmac | Cali Chal | 0 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3093 | 2943 |
| Specialized | Shiv | 710,000 | 10 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Trek | Madone | 887,500 | 20 | 3 | 3 | STD | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | 3080 | 2955 |
| Trek | Emonda SL | 142,000 | 26 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | — | 3093 | 2944 |
| Trek | Emonda | Everest once 8850m | 0 | 2 | 4 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3093 | 2939 |
| Trek | Super Caliber | 532,500 | 20 | 1 | 1 | MTB | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Ventum | One | 482,800 | 31 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 31 | — | ||
| Zwift | Aero | 319,500 | 6 | 3 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | 6 | YES | 3086 | 2971 |
| Zwift | Steel | 142,000 | 7 | 1 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 3100 | 2997 |
| Zwift | Buffalo Fahrrad | 9,500 | 40 | 1 | 1 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 40 | — | 3091 | 3048 |
| Zwift | Safety | 3,550,000 | 44 | 2 | 2 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 44 | — | 3096 | 2989 |
| Zwift | Concept 1 (Tron) | Everest 6 times = 50000m | n/a | 3 | 3 | STD | 6 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | ||
| Zwift | Carbon | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | STD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3095 | 2971 |
| Zwift | Gravel | 163,300 | 0 | 2 | 2 | GRVL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Zwift | Mountain | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | MTB | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Zwift | TT | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | TT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Naturally, you’ll want to pair any one of those bikes with appropriate wheels. Sadly, I do not have a chart for that as yet. But providing that you are less thenmy Recos are:
If climbing = ENVE SES 3.4
If riding flat/rolling = Zipp 808
Me? As of the time of writing this, I’m riding a Ridley Noah Fast SL with 808s. Am I seeing a difference? Overall, yes. But on individual rides? Not really. But that has more to do with me being out of shape than anything else.
Exuding Quiet Awesomeness 