Unbelievably light carbon wheels and tyres for whatever terrain you need to tackle
(Image credit: Cadex)
Today Cadex takes the formula you already know and pushes deeper into all-road territory with new wheels and tyres. It already has a reputation for race-ready, featherlight gear, and these new products don't change that formula. They do represent an expansion of the brand, though.
The basic formula for Cadex has never been about trying to cover an expansive range of options. Cadex is a brand that only takes on specific projects when it believes it can do something new. That has always meant high-end and ultralight. In the past it has also meant road products. Late last year that changed when the Cadex AR handlebar came to market offering the same ultralight performance but for an off-road audience.
As of today, the idea that the handlebar initiated comes into sharper focus with a further expansion of the Cadex all-road offerings. The centrepiece product is the Cadex AR 35 WheelSystem, now vying for a spot in our list of the best gravel bike wheels, but there is also a pair of tyre options to match. According to Jeff Schneider, head of product and marketing for Cadex, these offerings are a natural progression to the riding the team does rather than a specific push into a new category. Schneider goes on to say:
“From big days on backroads here in California and mixed terrain adventures in Asia and Europe, to racing at events like the Belgian Waffle Ride, we knew there were aspects of the ride experience we could improve. So, over the past two-plus years, we’ve merged our real-world experiences with time in the test lab to develop a WheelSystem that we’re incredibly proud of.”
Image 1 of 3
The Cadex AR35 wheelsystem is ultralight and still manages 25mm internal width(Image credit: Cadex)
The Cadex R2-C60 hub features ultrasmooth Cadex ceramic bearings, and a durable 60-tooth ratchet(Image credit: Cadex)
Cadex has moved to an integrated-axle front hub design(Image credit: Cadex)
Cadex AR 35 Disc WheelSystem
If you've spent a lot of time looking at what Cadex offers, or had a chance to read our comprehensive Cadex cycling range overview, then you aren't going to find a lot of surprises in these wheels. Conceptually the new AR wheels are the same as the road wheels. What's new are the details that make them more appropriate for the new use.
Like other wheels in the Cadex portfolio they are light and wide. At a depth of 35mm front and rear the wheelset weight comes in at a featherlight 1,270g. Hitting that incredible weight doesn't come from cutting width either. The Cadex AR 35 disc wheelset matches the current trend for other leading off-road wheels with an inner width of 25mm while outer width sits at 31mm. Some of the other familiar design features include the hookless bead and aero carbon spokes.
Taking that formula and applying it to an all-road offering did require some tweaks though. With an eye toward the rigours of unpaved riding the new wheels use a new hub design. The Cadex R2-C60 hub features ultra smooth Cadex ceramic bearings, and a durable 60-tooth ratchet. The high-tooth count makes for fast engagement and it's paired with a flattened coil spring and redesigned dust cover for long-lasting performance.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The front hub has also undergone changes for better longevity in off-road riding. Dirt has a way of working itself in between parts so Cadex has moved to an integrated-axle front hub design. The idea is to simplify by replacing the end cap, bearing and bushing interface with an integrated axle running the length of the hub. This design also reinforces axle support for extra stiffness.
Image 1 of 6
The Cadex AR Tubeless tyre is the mixed surface option(Image credit: Cadex)
The design features AR-S dual compound rubber with diamond-shaped knobs on the centreline tread and taller trapezoidal outer knobs for added traction in corners(Image credit: Cadex)
For the rides that get a bit rougher you'll instead want to turn to the GX Tubeless tyre(Image credit: Cadex)
Still a dual compound design, like the AR, but with deeper knobs(Image credit: Cadex)
Also like the AR is a bead to bead puncture protection system(Image credit: Cadex)
Cadex AR Tubeless and GX Tubeless Tyres
Hookless rims offer manufacturing advantages and the ability to make better wheels. Without needing to mould a hook the carbon can be more consistent, stronger, and lighter at the edge of the wheel. It also helps shape the tyre contact patch into a rounder shape with increased sidewall support for cornering. Along with those benefits is the need for the best gravel tyres to match.
Making sure that tyres of sufficient quality and performance to match not only the design but the performance of the wheels was a job Cadex brought in-house. Alongside the wheels Cadex is bringing AR and GX tubeless tyres to market. They are both high-performance, fast, tyres but they offer options for different situations.
The AR Tubeless is there for rides that take you across mixed surfaces and see you moving from paved to unpaved roads. The design features AR-S dual compound rubber with diamond-shaped knobs on the centreline tread and taller trapezoidal outer knobs for added traction in corners. AR stands for all-road and that's what this tyre is for.
For the rides that get a bit rougher you'll instead want to turn to the GX Tubeless tire. This design also uses a dual compound design but brings deeper knobs in both the centreline as well as on the shoulders. Look to this tyre when the surface is loose and there's no pavement on the horizon.
In many ways, the two tyre options are more similar than different. The focus differs but in either case you'll want to consider Cadex tyres for your fastest, highest intensity, days. Both models feature a super supple 170 TPI casing, Kevlar/Carbon composite beads, and Dual Shield bead-to-bead puncture protection. The only available size is 700x40c and pressure specs remain the same with a max pressure of 60 PSI / 4.1 Bar and a min pressure of 25 PSI / 1.7 Bar. Weight is also similar though not exactly the same with the GX weighing in at 445g while the AR is a bit lighter at 425g.
Pricing and availability
Today marks the launch of both the wheels and tyres however the tyres won’t be available right away. Blame global shipping issues and expect availability as soon as possible.
Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb.
Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx
