First Ride: Roval's Control SL Team Wheels Use Carbon Spokes & Weigh 1190 Grams

On the topic of buying, Roval is only producing 400 Team Control SL wheelsets. The $3,300 price tag isn't just for the wheels, though; that includes two tires (a 29 x 2.35" S-Works Fast Trak and Renegade), a padded wheel bag, two water bottles, and a Dynaplug tire plug tool. On top of all that, Roval includes 20 spare spokes, a full set of extra bearings, plus a Microspline freehub body. It's a substantial package, but then it should be considering the cost.



Details

The Control SL Team wheels use the same carbon rims found on the Control SL wheels, except there are only 20 holes drilled into them rather than 24. Roval also went with standard rim tape for these wheels, instead of the plastic plugs used on previous XC wheelsets.

The 29mm inner rim width is designed to work well with modern 2.3 – 2.4” wide XC tires, and the rim's sidewall is wider and flatter at the top in order to reduce the likelihood of a pinch flat. That design has proven to be very effective, but for riders who want even more security against flats the rims are approved for use with tire inserts.


It's the hubs and spokes that separate the Team wheels from the standard Control SL; those hub shells have been extensively machined and then covered with a clear coat to save as much weight as possible. As an extra-fancy touch, the signatures of the S-Racing team members are etched into the hub shell. The hubs use DT Swiss' SINC ceramic bearings, and contain their 180 internals with a 36 tooth ratchet ring.

As for the spokes, those were developed by Roval, and are proprietary to these wheels. They're said to be 29% lighter than a steel spoke (each one weighs just 3 grams, and the nipple is .38 grams), along with being stronger and more durable. The spokes are laced in a two cross pattern, front and rear.

Although these wheels were designed specifically for XC racing, I know there are riders out there wondering about putting them on not-quite XC bikes. According to Roval, the Team SL wheels are designed for XC and downcountry bikes, and are not approved for e-bike usage. Essentially, if your bike has more than 130mm of travel or a motor then these won't be the wheels for you.


Ride Impressions

I'd meant for my first ride to be a medium speed cruise, but after running into some buddies on the trail it turned into an all-out sprint fest, and a good chance to see how the wheels felt at almost race pace. For an ultralight wheelset with only 20 spokes per wheel, the Rovals feel much more solid than I would have expected – they're super light without feeling sketchy, a trait that's not always present in this category.

The Control Team SL wheels took the place of a set of DT Swiss's new XRC 1200 wheels, which weigh around 1300 grams, so I can't say that the Roval's light weight smacked me over the head as hard as it would have if I'd been on some heavier hoops, but there's no denying that this a very fast set of wheels, especially when they're mounted up with quick-rolling XC race tires. They accelerate quickly, whether that's from a standstill or when pedaling out of a tight corner, with a satisfyingly zippy feel to them.

The lack of noise has been especially impressive. I've ridden plenty of light wheels that seem like they're actively warning you not to push hard in the corners, letting out pings and twangs that make it harder to trust that they're not going to fold over. The Rovals haven't let out a peep so far, and I've taken them on a good selection of rough trails that typically make noisy wheels sing.

I'd be remiss not to address that $3,300 price tag. Are they worth it? Well, that depends. We are talking about some of the lightest XC wheels in existence, so it's not surprising they cost a pretty penny. Plus, Roval really has put together a very nice package – the inclusion of race-ready tires, the spare bearings, and even the signatures on the hub shell do add extra appeal for deep-pocketed XC aficionados.

For riders who aren't quite as focused on shaving every gram possible, Roval's 28-spoke Control wheels uses the same rim design, weigh a still-reasonable 1450 grams, and cost $1,350 USD. Or there's the standard Control SL wheelset, which weighs 1240 grams, uses 24 DT Swiss Aerolite spokes per wheel, and is priced at $2,500.

I'm going to keep putting the miles on these wheels and will report back if any durability issues arise. The first fifty miles have been very promising, and it's easy to see why these would be the wheels of choice for several Olympic hopefuls.

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Reviews and Tech First Rides Wheels Roval Roval Control Sl Team