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The Roval Alpinist CL: Performance to the People

CL-level Alpinist Joins CL50 in The Roval CL Series

Conquer mountains, flatten hills, and feel your bike come alive with this ultra-light 1365 gram wheelset. Roval’s new Alpinist CL pairs the climbing pedigree of the featherweight Alpinist rim with workhorse DT Swiss 350-series hubs and gossamer DT Swiss Aerolite spokes.

The new Alpinist rim technology has already proven itself worthy of the name. In the months since it was unleashed on the pro peloton, Deceuninick– Quick-Step team pros have ridden the CLX wheelset to victory on multiple race stages, notably in Remco Evenepoel’s command performance over 51k and four significant climbs in the Tour de Pologne. The brand-new Alpinist CL now brings this mountain-taming performance slightly closer to Earth with a carefully selected build designed to let riders take full advantage of the low rim and spoke mass.

Mass is the enemy of performance, and the Alpinist CL is the lightest wheelset in its class.  Weight has been pared to the absolute minimum where it counts most, allowing your every watt to deliver incredible responsiveness without sacrificing any of the strength, ride quality and durability crucial to long-term performance and satisfaction.

The backbone of this 1365 gram wheelset is the Alpinist rim. Optimized to provide minimal weight without sacrificing Roval’s signature ride quality, this rim is also wind-tunnel engineered to outperform similar profile depths. Using complex and precise carbon fiber layup to minimize weight and optimize strength and durability, the Alpinist CL wheelset maintains the smooth ride and superb handling of the CLX edition so you can lighten your bike, not your wallet.

Maintaining serviceability is one of Roval’s goals, and to that end, the Alpinist CL uses a suite of technologies to make it easier to keep rolling. Mechanics everywhere will appreciate the external Pro-Lock alloy spoke nipples with standard sizing, as well as the DT Swiss hub internals featuring the reliable and easy-to-service Star Ratchet drive system. Spokes, bearings and hub end caps are all available from multiple sources should the need arise, meaning riders will spend more time on their wheels and less time waiting for service.

With the ProTour-tested Alpinist rim and rider-centric approach to wheelset design, the Alpinist CL is a strong contender for performance-minded cyclists looking for low weight and high value in a climbing-oriented wheelset.

Alpinist CL Highlights:

  • Carbon, Clincher (tube-type) / Rim Depth: 33mm  / Rim Width: 21mm internal
  • Hubs: DT Swiss 350, CenterLock, Sealed Cartridge bearings, DT Swiss Star Ratchet internals, 12mm thru-axle compatible, convertible to Quick Release. Shimano HG freehub.
  • Spoke Count: 24 front, 24 rear
  • Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolite T-head
  • Nipples: DT Swiss Alloy Pro Lock Hexagonal
  • Front Spoke Pattern: Two-cross/Radial (2:1) Rear Spoke Pattern: One-cross/Two-cross (2:1)
  • Hand-built
  • Weight:  601g (f) 764 (r) 1365g (set)
  • MSRP: $1600
  • Extras: Roval padded wheelbag. No-Fault crash replacement policy. Lifetime warranty.
  • Available at Rovalcomponents.com and Roval/Specialized Retailers

The Roval CL Series:

The Roval CL series is comprised of the new Alpinist CL and existing CL50 Disc wheels.

These models share the same ProTour-level rim technologies as the AlpinistCLX and CLX50 sets. DT Swiss 350-level hubs provide proven technologies with excellent serviceability. Alpinist CL features super-light Aerolite Spokes and Alloy Nipples, while the CL50 Disc uses Competition Spokes and Brass Nipples.

Whether riders are looking for an all-around speed weapon in the CL50 or faster way to the top of the toughest climbs with Alpinist CL, Roval CL-series wheels bring greater value to the equation for riders looking for race-ready performance paired with greater serviceability and a lower overall price point.

CL50 Disc Highlights:

  • Carbon clincher, Tubeless Ready
  • Rim Depth: 50mm, Rim Width: 20.7mm internal, 29.4mm external
  • Front Hub Roval AFD1, Centerlock, sealed cartridge bearings, quick-release or 12mm thru-axle end cap  
  • Spoke Count: 21 front, 24 rear
  • Spoke Type: DT Swiss Competition Race T-head
  • Nipple Type: DT Swiss Pro LockBrass hexagonal
  • Front Spoke Pattern: Two-cross/Radial (2:1) Rear Spoke Pattern: One-cross/Two-cross (2:1)
  • Hand-built
  • Total Wheelset Weight: 1,515g
  • MSRP: $1750
  • Extras: QR Endcaps and Roval steel quick-releases, Roval tubeless plugs and valves