If you’re looking for a new wheelset that can take a beating and costs less than an ASX dropper, then you might want to check out Roval’s latest enduro mountain bike offering. Transitioning from carbon to alloy, the new Roval Traverse Alloy is a wide wheel that can hang in the rock gardens…
Roval Traverse Alloy affordable enduro wheels
Harnessing the full bravado of the long-running Roval Traverse Carbon family, these $650 alloy wheels look to offer a similar ride and much of the same performance, at just half the cost!
What is it?
The Roval Traverse Alloy is a downhill-ready, all-mountain, aggressive wheel that boasts the widest rim in the Roval family. Now extruded from high-strength E5 aluminum alloy, the Traverse Alloy wheelset weighs in only 70g heavier than its carbon counterpart.
Touted as the training wheel of choice for the Specialized Enduro Team, the Traverse wheel line can take some punishment. The new 28-hole hookless alloy rim is 30mm wide and comes laced to a Roval CNC-machined “Step Flange” DT Swiss 370 6-bolt Hub.
The 30mm width is almost standard for an aggressive mountain wheel now, the girth offering better sidewall support with wider tires, leading to less tire deformation. If 30mm is too narrow for you though, a wider plus setup is available with the Traverse SL38. No word yet if Roval plans to produce the SL38 in an alloy version.
This DT 370 hub uses the same star ratchet design as the new 350 and previous generation top-tier hubs thanks to the new Ratchet LN upgrade kit that Roval takes advantage of. So, if you want to upgrade from the 18T that comes stock, it’s a straightforward process. As far as internals go, the 370 uses sealed bearings and seems clear to service.
All spokes on the Royal Traverse Alloy wheels are the same size for their circumference; 29” wheels using 283mm all around and the 27.5” model using 266mm. Having the same spoke size for each wheel will make life much easier when packing a race toolbox or finding a replacement on the go.
Available sizes & specifications
- 30mm internal rim width
- Tubeless Ready
- Roval CNC-machined “Step Flange” DT Swiss 370 6-bolt hub, 18t Ratchet LN system
- Thru-axle: Boost 110x15mm & 148x12mm
- Set Weight: 29″ at 1870g (claimed); 27.5″ at 1830g (claimed)
Roval Traverse Alloy enduro wheels – Available Now!
The new Roval Traverse Alloy enduro wheels are available now for $650 in both 29″ & 27.5″ diameters. It’s pretty clear that Roval went for function and serviceability with the new Traverse Alloy, plus the price is very competitive. If you’re looking to find a set near you, check your local Roval dealer or online.
