Cadex Max 40 Wheels reviewed: $4500/£3500 is hard to justify; you just enjoy the ride

For those who can afford it, the Cadex Max 40 Wheelsystem offers a top-end package that delivers a light, fast and thoroughly enjoyable ride.

Cadex Max 40 Wheels
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

A wonderful all-rounder, the Cadex Max 40 wheelset delivers a top-tier package that looks fantastic, handles superbly and offers a fast and thoroughly enjoyable ride for long, undulating days in the saddle.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Light

  • +

    Stiff

  • +

    Stunning to behold

  • +

    Responsive and fun to ride

  • +

    Ceramic bearings

  • +

    Great all-rounder

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Extraordinary loud hub

  • -

    Integrated carbon spokes can’t easily be replaced; hub-spoke structure will need to be replaced at an authorized Cadex dealer

  • -

    Expensive

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

When the cycling industry, in its pursuit of performance excellence, pushes into the realms of the extraordinary, the price tag follows. All year, we’ve been writing about $18,000 race bikes, $4,600 groupsets, $2,400 power metres and $500 saddles. These days, premium products demand a premium investment, and Cadex’s newest wheelset, the Max 40, is no different. While they’re not quite in the luxury tier of the likes of Partington or Lightweight, they’re certainly a tier above Enve or Roval, which are already considered “premium.”

Dropping $4,500 on a set of wheels is nothing short of extravagant, and many consumers will never consider equipment in this price range. So, I will begin this review where I usually end it: by examining the value.

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Anne-Marije Rook