Giant launches Cadex wheels and finishing kit at Tour de France

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Giant has announced its new Cadex line of wheels, components, tyres and finishing kit on the eve of the Tour de France. CCC Team, who race with Giant bikes, will pair their framesets with the new components as they line-up in Brussels for the Grand Départ on Saturday.

Giant was previously a long-term sponsor of Team Sunweb, and throughout the 2018 season and this season with CCC Team, riders have raced with components branded as #Overachieve, which Giant says were the race-tested prototypes of the new Cadex components.

The Cadex range includes 42mm and 65mm carbon road wheels, four-spoked front and solid rear carbon time-trial-specific wheels, carbon saddle and all-new tyres. Giant first used the Cadex name in 1985 with its first all-carbon road bike and the new range is a nod to that bike.

Cadex 42 and 65 carbon wheels

Cadex carbon road wheels are available in two rim depths – 42mm and 65mm – designed for hillier and flatter stages, respectively. The wheels use proprietary hubs, carbon spokes and a carbon rim, which the brand says offers superior power transmission, aerodynamics, responsiveness and an ultra-light weight.

The spokes are tensioned so they are optimised while riding as opposed to when in a static state, with claimed improvements of pedalling efficiency and stiffness.

‘Industry-leading’ ride compliance, stiffness and strength in the rims are complemented by a hookless design, allowing the tyre and rim wall to sit together seamlessly to improve aerodynamics, says the brand.

Thee wheels are available as clinchers or tubular, have a claimed weight of 1,163g (42mm tubular), have a two-year warranty and a five-year crash replacement guarantee.

Cadex 42 pricing: US$3,000 (pair), international pricing not yet available.

Cadex 65 pricing: US$3,200 (pair), international pricing not yet available.

Cadex Aero Wheelsystems

Cadex Aero Wheelsystem covers the carbon four-spoked front wheel and solid rear disc designed for time trialling, which will be used by CCC Team during the Tour de France Stage 2 team time trial and the Stage 13 individual time trial in Pau.

Like the Cadex road wheels, Giant says the Aero Wheelsystem is designed for better power transfer, efficiency and, of course, aerodynamics. A low friction hub, ultra-light carbon composite and internal rim width of 21mm combine to produce what the brand says are industry-leading aerodynamics and race-proven speed.

Like the road wheels, the Aero Wheelsystem comes with a two-year warranty and five-year crash warranty (original owner only).

The four-spoke front wheel and disc rear have a combined claimed weight of 2,020g (tubeless).

Cadex Aero Wheelsystem pricing: US$4,300 (pair), international pricing not yet available.

Cadex Boost saddle

The Cadex Boost saddle is a carbon railed saddle, which features a neat, one-piece rail and base design for smooth aesthetics and greater support while pedalling. Lower weight is combined with the stiffness/compliance balance to provide “unparalleled comfort in real-world racing and riding conditions”, according to the brand.

The Cadex Boost saddle has a claimed weight of 138g, a width of 149mm and is available in black only.

Cadex Boost saddle pricing: US$300, international pricing not yet available.

Cadex Tyres

Cadex says it worked closely with CCC Team in testing various silica-based tyre compounds to strike a balance of ultimate speed and cornering confidence with their tyres. The brand says its is the first tubeless tyre to win over the pros, although we have already seen UAE Team Emirates and EF Education First racing with Vittoria tubeless tyres and Specialized’s sponsored teams Deceuninck-QuickStep and Bora-Hansgrohe testing the tyre technology this season.

By using a single-layered casing in the tubeless tyres, Cadex says its tyres offer greater suppleness, road feel and rolling efficiencies compared to tubular tyres, which are traditionally used in WorldTour-level racing. Cadex also integrates a Kevlar material into the tyre casing to improve puncture resistance.

Cadex Race Tubeless tyres are available in 23mm, 25mm or 28mm options and a claimed weight of 270g per tyre (25mm option).

Cadex Race Tubeless tyre pricing: US$100, international pricing not yet available.

In a press release from Cadex, Olympic champion and CCC Team leader Greg Van Avermaet said: “The Cadex staff have been very open to our feedback and suggestions. Since our first CCC Team training camps in the winter through the spring Classics and now the Tour de France, we have worked together to develop and refine these products to perform the way we need them to under the most demanding training and racing conditions.”

The Cadex product range will be available from September this year, while the term ‘debut line-up’ from the brand suggest more products could be released from the brand later on.