Roval is the wheel brand of Specialized and although you may be less familiar with the name, they have been handcrafting top quality products for both their own bike range and aftermarket upgrades for many years now. If you check out the line of S-Works Stumpjumper, Enduro and Demo 8 machines here in this year’s Dirt 100 line up you’ll find them all equipped with Roval or Roval Traverse Fattie SL wheelsets.
“It’s reassuring that Roval can produce a handbuilt carbon wheel that is not much more expensive than the budget offerings”
Roval have not been sitting idle when it come to progress with their range. With an acceptance that wider rims give a better shape to high volume rubber, resulting in better support with increased traction and control, Roval’s Traverse Fattie SL are bang up to date.
With a flood of cheaper carbon wheels on the market, many from unknown brands, it’s reassuring that Roval can produce a hand built carbon wheel package that is not much more expensive than these budget offerings, with a good warranty and back-up. At the centre of the Traverse wheels are hubs with internals from the Swiss brand DT, all proven and serviceable. Spokes are from DT too and are laced to Roval’s own carbon rim, thoroughly tested at Specialized’s Morgan Hill HQ.
