Specialized Roval SLX 24 Rim Brake Wheelset

Recent advancements have made carbon fiber nearly equal in strength to aluminum, but these innovative technologies typically come at a high price. For when durability, strength, and budget are the top three things on your wheel search list, nothing beats aluminum as the material of choice. With this in mind, we set out to create a disc-only alloy wheelset that features many of the desired qualities found in a carbon wheel, such as low weight, stiffness, and good looks, but with the durability to train and race both on and off road. In the end, our SLX 24 wheelset came out as a lightweight, durable wheelset that’s ready for whatever you throw at it.

The wide profile of the SLX 24 is what really sets them apart from others in in the same weight category. Most wheels in this category feature a much narrower internal width, a flaw that impairs a proper tire/rim match. But the 20mm internal rim width of the SLX 24s have them pair nicely with road and ‘cross tires alike. This match allows for lower rolling resistance due to the ability to run lower pressures and wider tires. Lower pressures with wider tires and rims is somewhat of a new concept, but can greatly improve ride quality and performance. Wide rims allow for more air volume in the tire, and with more air, less pressure is needed to have the same resistance to pinch flats, providing you with a more supple ride without the risk of flats both on and off-road. On the performance side of things, less pressure equates to less rolling resistance via the tire soaking up road imperfections rather than bouncing over them. When too much pressure is in a tire, without realizing it, your bike will ever-so-slightly spring over road imperfections, wasting precious watts—but lower pressures soak up these bumps and keep use your power strictly for forward movement. Less pressure also greatly improves grip, inspiring confidence when the road gets twisty.

Even with a budget-friendly price in mind, we made sure not to compromise quality with the build components of our SLX 24. The use of quality alloy sets the tone for the rest of the build, quality, and with this, we start with the 24-millimeter-deep rims that offer both low weight and great durability, and hand-lace them to the same aero (AF) hubs that you find on our top-end carbon models via 20/24 DT Swiss Competition spokes—resulting in a respectable 1495-gram wheelset. Building wheels by hand is a practice that’s becoming scarce, but being fully invested in making the best wheels means that we know hand-built wheels provide a level of quality unmatched by machines. Machines miss little discrepancies that humans catch, and these are the flaws that make the difference between a good and a prestigious wheelset.

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense wheelset that you can race and train on with equal aplomb, without worrying about reliability, look no further than our SLX 24 wheelset.

• Rim Type: Alloy clincher, 2Bliss Ready
• Rim Material: Alloy
• Braking Surface: CNC Alloy
• Rim Depth: 24mm
• Rim Width: 20mm internal, 24mm external
• Front Spoke Pattern: Radial
• Rear Spoke Pattern: Radial/Two-cross (2:1)
• Spoke Count: 20 front, 24 rear
• Spoke Type: DT Swiss Competition Race T-head
• Nipple Type: DT Swiss Pro Lock hexagonal
• Front Hub: Roval AF1, sealed cartridge bearings
• Rear Hub: Roval AF1, sealed cartridge bearings, DT Swiss 350 internals, 11-speed
• Assembly Method: Hand-built
• Extras: Roval steel quick-releases, Roval tubeless plugs and valves
• Total Wheelset Weight: 1,495g