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Roval Traverse Alloy wheelset offers near-carbon weight for less

Just 70 grams separates new aluminum wheelset from its fancier sibling

Photo by: Roval

Hunting for an enduro-worthy wheelset without the price of carbon fibre hoops? Roval is rolling out an aluminum version of its Traverse Carbon wheelset. What makes this stand out from other alloy offerings? Roval Traverse Alloy wheelsets are just 70 grams heavier than the equivalent 29″ Traverse Carbon.

Roval Traverse Alloy

2021 Roval Traverse Alloy

Good light wheels aren’t just for enduro racers, of course. If you’re in the market for a set of rims you can ride day-in, day-out all year, or abuse on the steepest trails without worrying about how much you paid for them, Roval could be the ticket. With a suggested retail of USD$650.00 for a set – and available in 27.5″ or 29″ options (or, you know, one of each for those mixed-wheel Specialized bikes) Traverse Alloy wheels work for any use, and more budgets than the carbon firbre options.

Race light, easily serviceable

As mentioned, the Alloy version of Roval’s enduro hoop is only 70 grams heaver than the Traverse Carbon. That’s for a 29″ wheelset too. That puts the Traverse Alloy at a competitively light 1,870 grams for the 29″ hoops. The 27.5s shave a few more grams off, weighing in at 1,830 grams. Whether you’re putting a number plate on for enduro or just want to accelerate faster and climb easier, shedding a few grams never hurts.

Roval gets the weight down on the Traverse Alloys by using 28 spokes in a 2-cross pattern. J-bend DT Swiss Competition Race spokes are light and make maintenance easy should you damage a spoke. The front and rear wheel use the same spoke lengths, so finding spares in a pinch is a simple process.

Roval Traverse Alloy

Traverse Alloy rims

Roval extrudes the Traverse rims out of durable E5 aluminum alloy. The rims are a versatile 30-mm internal width, 34-mm external, which will play well with big, 2.6″ enduro tires or lighter, narrower trail bike options. The rims have a depth of 22 mm, promising solid trail feel without being harsh.

All Roval rims are tubeless ready, out of the box.

Roval / DT Swiss 370 hubs

At the centre of the Traverse Alloy wheels are Roval hub shells, stuffed with the new DT Swiss 370 LN hub internals. Stock, the hubs come with a 18t Ratchet LN system for a respectable 20-degree engagement. Roval switching the hubs to the 370 LN internals means riders have the option to upgrade their wheels in the future. All the way up to 54-tooth engagement, easily and cost-effectively in the future.

Hubs are Boost spacing (110×115 front, 148x12mm rear), and roll on durable sealed steel cartridge bearings. The hubs use 6-bolt mounts for disc brakes only.

Roval Traverse Alloy

Pricing and availability: Roval Traverse Alloy

The Traverse Alloy enduro wheelset is available now, through Roval or the brand’s dealers. The wheels carry a suggested retail price of USD$650 for the wheelset.