Tire Lab Test: Cadex Aero Cotton 28
Contents and Test Summary
- Introduction
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Size, Weight, Thickness
- Rolling Resistance: 10.6 Watts
- Puncture Resistance: 46 Points
- Static Wet Grip: 75 Points
- Conclusion: 5.0 / 5 Highly Recommended
- Comments
- Cadex Aero Cotton 28
(100% is best)
The name of the CADEX Aero Cotton can't be any clearer, as it's a (tubeless-ready) cotton tire optimized for aero performance on CADEX hookless wheels. Some people swear by cotton tires, and the Aero Cotton might also be interesting if you don't own any other CADEX equipment, as we've found it to be a strong performer that offers some advantages over other tubeless-ready cotton tires.
The cotton casing is a 2nd-generation 320 TPI design and is both hookless-compatible and tubeless-ready. Mounting, inflating, and sealing were excellent due to the 2nd-generation tubeless-ready cotton casing. It's worth noting that it's in no way comparable to the 1st-generation tubeless-ready cotton tires, which were sometimes impossible to mount, inflate, and keep inflated. If those 1st-gen cotton tires have turned you off and you still like cotton tires, the CADEX Aero Cotton might be worth a try.
The Aero Cotton is classified as an "all-round" road bike tire for both racing and training, as it features a "Race Shield" anti-puncture belt under the tread and a decent tread thickness. The CADEX RR-S2 silica compound is fast rolling yet still offers good wet grip.
You have to be cautious when picking the right size, as we've found the 28-622-rated Aero Cotton to be the smallest 28 mm-rated road bike tire on the market. It's also available in the 30-622 size, and we're sure most of you will be happier with the 30 mm rated size if you're expecting 28 mm volume.
Let's go on to the test results and see how the CADEX Aero Cotton compares to other cotton and nylon road bike tires.
Manufacturer Specifications
| Manufacturer Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Cadex |
| Model | Aero Cotton |
| Year | 2026 |
| Tire Type | Tubeless |
| Supplied By | Bought in store |
| New or Used | New |
| Mileage | 0 km |
| Price Range | Very High |
| Buy At | |
| Manufacturer part number | 340000323 |
| EAN | 4713250079516 |
| TPI | 320 |
| Compound | RR-S2 |
| Bead | Folding |
| ETRTO | 28-622 |
| Size Inch | 28" |
| Specified Width (mm) | 28 |
| Specified Weight | 278 grams |
| Max Air Pressure (psi) | 72 |
| Made In | Pro Data |
| Available Sizes |
28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) |
Cadex Aero Cotton 28 Test Results
Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
| Size, Weight and Thickness Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Specified Weight | 278 grams |
| Measured Weight | 292 grams |
| System Adjusted Weight (tire + valve + rim seal) |
312 grams |
| Measured Width | 27 mm (un-round) |
| Measured Height | Pro Data |
| Tire Circumference | Pro Data |
| Total Tire Thickness Center | 2.7 mm |
| Total Tire Thickness Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Unmounted Casing Width | 70 mm |
| Unmounted Tread Width | Pro Data |
| Tread Cover (Tread / Casing Ratio) | Pro Data |
| All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 100 psi / 6.9 bars on a 18 mm inner width (unless otherwise stated) rim. | |
Rolling Resistance Test Results
| Rolling Resistance Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Inner Tube | None (20 ml sealant) |
| Measured Width | 27 mm (un-round) |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 132 psi/9.1 bar 25-27 = 120 psi/8.3 bar 28-30 = 108 psi/7.4 bar 31-32 = 100 psi/6.9 barUltra High Air Pressure (120 psi / 8.3 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 110 psi/7.6bar 25-27 = 100 psi/6.9 bar 28-30 = 90 psi/6.2 bar 31-32 = 83 psi/5.7 barExtra High Air Pressure (100 psi / 6.9 bar) |
Pro Data |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 88 psi/6.1 bar 25-27 = 80 psi/5.5 bar 28-30 = 72 psi/5.0 bar 31-32 = 67 psi/4.6 barHigh Air Pressure (80 psi / 5.5 bar) |
10.6 Watts CRR: 0.00318 |
| Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 22-24 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 25-27 = 54 psi/4.1 bar 28-30 = 60 psi/3.7 bar 31-32 = 50 psi/3.4 barMedium Air Pressure (60 psi / 4.1 bar) |
Pro Data |
| The Road Bike section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load. |
|
Puncture Resistance Test Results
| Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better) | |
|---|---|
| Total Puncture Score Tread | 46 Points |
| Total Puncture Score Sidewall | Pro Data |
| Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Pro Data |
| Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Pro Data |
| Tread Total Tire Thickness | 2.7 mm |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle | Pro Data |
| Sidewall Total Tire Thickness | Pro Data |
Static Grip Test Results
| Static Grip Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Wet Grip Average | 75 Points |
| Wet Grip Center | Pro Data |
| Wet Grip Edge | Pro Data |
| Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 Road bike grip test rim width = 19.0 mm (unless otherwise stated) |
|
Conclusion
- Cadex Aero Cotton 28
(100% is best)
The benchmark in the cotton tire category is Vittoria's Corsa Pro TLR (read our review), and we're impressed that the CADEX Aero Cotton outperforms it in nearly all our tests. The Aero Cotton is a bit heavier, especially when you factor in the lower volume and the fact that our test sample came in much heavier (292 grams) than the advertised weight (278 grams).
When it comes to overall performance, and you're only interested in cotton tires, the Aero Cotton now comes out on top on our road bike overview. When you factor in price and availability, that might shift, as the differences are quite small and fall within the margin of error of our tests.
When we compare the CADEX Aero Cotton to nylon tires like the Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR (read our review), Pirelli P Zero Race RS TLR (read our review), etc, we see some of those tires have an edge over the Cotton Aero in our tests.
RATING:
5.0
/ 5
TEST VERDICT:
Highly Recommended