There are many things to be said about the Roval Terra CLX disc brake wheels. Suffice to say that if you are looking for an exceptional quality, all-road, carbon 2Bliss Ready/clincher option with a 25mm internal rim width that come in as a set at 1296 grams taped and valved, you have found them. Select your freehub type on this rear wheel, add to cart, do the same for the front, and order them up. But seeing how Roval applied serious engineering and testing to build these incredible wheels that are as at home on gravel and the cyclocross course as it is on the road, read on for the full details.

The Terra CLX rim and wheel design was heavily tested through a series of prototypes in the lab, and then out on the varied terrain it was being developed to dominate This iterative process created the CLX disc-specific rim, a 368 gram, 32mm tall handmade construction that can carry clincher or tubeless 28-47mm tires, with a wide pressure range. The Advanced Carbon Composite rim carries a hooked-bead to support the clincher and up to 90psi in 28mm tires. One can debate the hookless vs hooked issue, but history has proven the hooked-bead works and offers more overall versatility. The 25mm internal width gives great tire tape throughout the range, with more road aero value with 28-30mm tires. What you ride is up to you, and the wheels can manage any road, gravel or cross exigencies.

Roval designs and manufactures their own hubs for a few reasons. First is that Roval builds wheel systems, not wheels. Each component part (rim, spokes, nipples, hub) has been carefully chosen and optimized to work together. In other words, you can't buy a Roval rim then lace it to whatever hub you want. From and engineering perspective, spoke angles, tension, how the the nipple interacts with the rim, etc., have been developed to produce the exact performance, weight, and overall ride characteristics that each wheel is intended for. Hence, you see the 12/142mm thru-axle Roval AFD2 rear hub, with a sculpted aluminum body and aero flanges that are a specific height and angle to both shorten spoke length, and create the proper path to the rim. The rim has spoke hole drilling that reduces risk of damage at high tension, and factors in the head shape of the nipple and how it interacts with the rim. This is pure engineering, with each component designed for specifications in load, strength, and functionality.

By designing and creating their own hubs within the system concept, Roval dictates the internal specifications, and they built the AFD2 rear Center Lock disc hub around standardized sealed cartridge bearings, an oversized alloy axle and end caps. The Terra CLX also features the refined precision of the new DT Swiss EXP freehub. The EXP freehub boast a single-actuated star-ratchet; this decreases drag and weight while simultaneously increasing axle strength by moving bearings outboard. Roval's rationale has to be that there is no reason create a system of their own, with DT's proven design, interchangeable freehub system, and readily available parts a superior option. The hub is simply designed to accommodate the DT system, just as it does the Center Lock disc rotor mount.

DT also provides the spokes for the Terra CLX, with their butted, and lightly bladed DT Aerolite T-head design ideal for high tension and resilience, along with their alloy Pro Lock hexagonal nipples. The rear wheel carries 24 spokes, in Roval's 2:1 lacing process: doubling the spoke count on one side. The drive-side is laced 2x, while the disc side is laced 1x, which can be achieved thanks to the exemplary engineering, stoutness of the rim and hub flange, as well as the incredible tension load borne by the Aerolites. The nipples allow for external true and tension service, if needed, so there is no need to disturb a tubeless set-up to get the job done.

Roval delivers an incredibly strong and versatile rear wheel in the Terra CLX, and covers it with their Lifetime Warranty and Crash Protection program. The build and finishes are exquisite, with the Satin Carbon rim simple carrying gloss black graphics. Rated for a rider weight 240lb max, the wheel comes prepped for tubeless use, or in Specialized-Roval terms, 2Bliss Ready. The sub 1300 gram wheelset weight is astounding enough, and that is the official weight with tubeless tape and valve installed. That is also a rarity, as most wheels are weighed bare, but Roval has long done things their own way, and with the Terra CLX, you are the beneficiary.