Aero test · Cyclingnews
Wind tunnel tested: 12 aero bikes (Cyclingnews Labs)
Launched since and not tested here: BMC Timemachine Mpc., Cannondale SuperSix EVO Carbon, Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD, Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71, Cannondale SuperSlice LAB71, Canyon Aeroad CFR, Canyon Speedmax CF SLX, Canyon Speedmax CFR, Colnago TT2, Cube Litening Aero C:68X, Eddy Merckx 525R, ENVE Melee, Factor ONE, Felt Nexar, Felt Nexar UD Carbon STD, Giant Propel Advanced, Giant Propel Advanced Pro, Giant Propel Advanced SL, Liv EnviLiv Advanced, Liv EnviLiv Advanced Pro, Liv EnviLiv Advanced SL, Look 795 Blade RS 3, Megamo Pulse SL, Megamo Pulse SLR, Merida REACTO CF3, Merida REACTO CF5, Quintana Roo Service Course Tri, Quintana Roo Studio NEXT Service Course Tri, Ridley Triton Fast, Rose Shave FF, Rose Shave FFX, Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9, Specialized Tarmac SL9, Ventum NS1, Wilier Triestina Filante SLR ID2.
| # | Bike | CdA | Gap to fastest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cervélo S5SRAM Red AXS XPLR 1x | 0.3318 m² | fastest |
| 2 | Factor PrototypePre-production UCI-legal prototype | 0.3319 m² | +0.0001 m² |
| 3 | Colnago Y1Rs | 0.3363 m² | +0.0045 m² |
| 4 | DARE Velocity Ace-AFO | 0.3387 m² | +0.0069 m² |
| 5 | Ridley Noah Fast 3.0Shimano Ultegra Di2 | 0.3393 m² | +0.0075 m² |
| 6 | Van Rysel RCR-FShimano Dura-Ace Di2 | 0.3404 m² | +0.0086 m² |
| 7 | Cube Litening Aero C:68XShimano Ultegra Di2 | 0.3406 m² | +0.0088 m² |
| 8 | Elves Falath EXP | 0.3407 m² | +0.0089 m² |
| 9 | Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro (prototype)Pre-production prototype | 0.3410 m² | +0.0092 m² |
| 10 | Scott Foil RCFoil RC Pro spec, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | 0.3421 m² | +0.0103 m² |
| 11 | Merida Reacto 9000Previous-generation Reacto, Ultegra Di2 | 0.3425 m² | +0.0107 m² |
| 12 | Bianchi Oltre RC | 0.3466 m² | +0.0148 m² |
| 13 | Trek Emonda ALR (2015)Baseline: rim brakes, shallow wheels, external cables | 0.3653 m² | +0.0335 m² |
Test conditions
- Publisher
- Cyclingnews
- Published
- 2025-09 (1 year ago)
- Method
- Wind tunnel
- Facility
- Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub wind tunnel, UK
- Speed
- 40 km/h
- Yaw angles
- -15° to +15° in 5° steps (7 angles), weighted average using Nathan Barry's 2018 real-world yaw distribution
- Measured
- CdA
- Independent
- Yes
Setup
Same rider (Josh Croxton) on every bike in the same kit, helmet, shoes and overshoes, wearing a Rapha Pro Team Roadsuit, in the drops at about 90 rpm, with position matched to projected outlines. Size 56 (or the closest size), set up the day before to match the same position. Stock wheels with a standardised 25 mm Continental GP5000 S TR front tyre at the same pressure. Two bottles in Elite Vico Carbon cages (or the bike's own aero cages). Out-front computer mounts removed. 30 s capture per yaw angle.
Values are the with-rider weighted average CdA. The stated margin is ±0.0021 m² (1.73 W), so Cyclingnews calls the middle of the table statistically equal. The same session also measured bike-only CdA. Most bikes ran Dura-Ace Di2; handlebar widths ranged from 37 to 42 cm. The Argon 18 was a pre-production prototype and the Factor an unreleased prototype; the Merida is the previous-generation Reacto. Cyclingnews paid the standard tunnel rate.
Read the original test