Cadex 36 Tubeless

£1099.99 (f), £1399.99 (r) Flyweight tubeless carbon rims

THE 36s AREN’T built like traditional wheels. They feature carbon-fibre spokes with alloy spoke ends ‘cooked’ or cured onto the carbon. This means the ends of the spokes aren’t bonded directly onto the wheels (as normally happens with all-carbon versions), making home servicing possible as these dualmaterial spokes can be adjusted in the same way as a traditional one. The spokes are also aerodynamically shaped, which Cadex claims will save you up to 2 watts over a standard spoked wheel.

All this makes these spokes a massive 45 per cent lighter than steel-only spokes, with a pair of wheels tipping the scales (with tubeless valves, lockrings, and tapes in place) at 1322g (rear 731g, front 591g). It’s easy to set up tyres on the 22.4mm internalwidth hookless rim, and the 28mm tyres sealed first time with a track pump, fitting true to size (28.8mm wide).

Out on the road, the 36s (36 refers to the rim height in mm) are just as impressive as the more aero 42 version. These feel taut and respond to big efforts with a flexfree lateral stiffness. When you’re exiting a corner, you feel like you’ve unweighted the pedals the second you lift your weight, and when you push down on the pedals, the wheels want to stand up vertically and accelerate in a straight line. That could be a worry if all you had was stiffness, but the 36s roll really smoothly. Cadex claims carbon spokes are better at high-frequency vibration damping than metal spokes. On this evidence, I’m inclined to agree.

The hubs are Cadex’s own, using a new freehub with a 30T ratchet with hardened steel faces on both sides (for longevity) and sprung on one side for even engagement. There are full ceramic bearings throughout too and the freehub picks up with a rapid and responsive feel.

Wheelsets of this low weight always offer plenty when climbing: the lack of mass feels more responsive, quicker even. On descents, that stiff feel of the 36s gives you confidence to push your limits, especially in corners.

They are premium priced (more than Zipp’s 303 Firecrest; less than ENVE’s SES AR) but the price includes wheel bags, a two-year unlimited warranty and a crash replacement scheme for five years.

In all, the 36s are impressive wheels that offer something different. If your budget can stretch and you’re looking for a fast, modern, road-focused wheelset, the 36s are among the very best around.

“The spokes are a massive 45 per cent lighter than steelonly spokes”