Description
The Specialized Roval Rapide CLX II 700c Carbon Wheel is built for complete speed.The Rapide CLX is actually two wheels in one, each optimized for the unique aero challenges of its position - a 51mm-deep front rim with a 35mm external width and a 60mm-deep rear rim with a 30mm external width. The result is a tubeless wheelset that’s faster than most 65mm wheels but is 25% more stable than our CLX50 in heavy wind.The Human FactorSpeed is nothing without the stability to take advantage of it. That’s where the Rapide’s unique front wheel dimensions come in - 51mm deep and 35mm wide. Roval created this shape using the same optimization algorithm that developed Specialized’s FreeFoil library. Like any algorithm - garbage in, garbage out. What their team did was build a computer model that accounted for the rider and their reaction time. It's the first algorithm that doesn’t assume the rider is a passenger.They know from extensive automotive and aeronautical reaction timing studies that it’s wind gusts between 0.5 and 2.0 seconds that riders struggle with. Essentially a rider can’t react to wind gusts shorter than 0.5 seconds; they are too short. A rider can react to gusts lasting between 0.5 and 2.0 seconds but will react after the wind gust is over. This causes an overcorrection that needs to be corrected again, which is why blustery crosswinds feel so sketchy. So Roval instructed their algorithm to optimize stability in the 0.5 to 2.0 second window time. Faster than that, and you can’t react quickly enough to overcompensate. Slower than that, and you can easily adjust to the side force of a crosswind. For days, the algorithm randomly mutated, virtually kicking out low performers and iterating on high performers.The resulting Rapide shape was the best combination of pure drag reduction and stability within the reaction time frame that matters for a rider. There is no boundary trip layer, surface texture, or nodes in the rim shape to point at. The AI doesn’t care that the marketing team wants to sell a wheel. The AI just solved the problem with the overall shape.System ApproachBut of course, a wheel is the sum of its parts, tyre included, and the Rapide II CLX is a pretty special system. Now tubeless and compatible with a hooked rim, the new wheels take advantage of all a tubeless tire brings to the ride. From self-sealing flat protection and reduced rolling resistance to a broader range of functional tire pressure for great ride quality and handling over any surface. Roval also shifted the outer diameter dimensions to create an extra 1.4mm of bead slack in your tyre. This delivers a much better install and roadside repair experience.The Aeroflange hubs utilize DT Swiss’ latest EXP freehub with new ceramic SINC bearings and a lighter and simplified ratchet system. The design also spreads the bearings further apart for added stiffness while making the ratchet more reliable and simplifying freehub body conversion.Specialized Roval Rapide CLX II 700c Carbon Wheel FeaturesRim Dimensions: 51mm deep/35mm Wide F: 60mm deep/30mm Wide R: 21mm Int F/R1500 gramsAero Flange Hubs with EXP Internals and Sinc Ceramic BearingsDT Swiss Aerolite Spokes 18F/24RTubeless Ready110PSI Max Tubeless with 26mm Tires275lb/125kg Weight LimitHandbuilt
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