Back in June, Roval spun out their new Alpinist CLX road wheels. While the new wheels were not tubeless compatible, they did take the title of their lightest road clinchers to date. However, the $2,500 price tag positions them out of reach for a lot of riders, so the new Alpinist CL wheels are set to change that. Thanks to one small change at the hubs, the CLs are $900 less, though they are a bit heavier…
Adding to the current CL50 Disc, the Alpinist CL joins the CL Series using the same rim as the Alpinist CLX. That means a 33mm deep carbon fiber disc brake specific rim with a 21mm internal width.
Also like the CLX, the hookless profile is not tubeless compatible. While it’s a bit odd to see a wide, hookless road rim without tubeless capabilities, Specialized claims that this is because the rim was designed with the ultimate light weight in mind.
The biggest change for the CL wheels is the move to DT Swiss 350 centerlock hubs from the Roval AeroFlange disc hubs on the CLX models. The hub change also means a slight difference in spoke count with 24 spokes front and rear on the CLs, but the wheels keep the DT Swiss Aerolite T-Head spokes with alloy Pro Lock Hexagonal nipples.
The change in hubs makes for a heavier wheelset, bringing the total to 1365g for the set (601g f/764g r).
But the change also makes for a big reduction in cost with the set priced at $1,600. That’s a pretty big change from the $2,500 price tag of the CLX model for a hub upgrade. The addition of the DT Swiss hubs should also make the wheelset more user serviceable with widely available service parts.
Alpinist CL Highlights:
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Carbon, Clincher (tube-type) / Rim Depth: 33mm  / Rim Width: 21mm internal
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Hubs: DT Swiss 350, CenterLock, Sealed Cartridge bearings, DT Swiss Star Ratchet internals, 12mm thru-axle compatible, convertible to Quick Release. Shimano HG freehub.
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Spoke Count: 24 front, 24 rear
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Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolite T-head
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Nipples: DT Swiss Alloy Pro Lock Hexagonal
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Front Spoke Pattern: Two-cross/Radial (2:1) Rear Spoke Pattern: One-cross/Two-cross (2:1)
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Hand-built
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Weight: Â 601g (f) 764 (r) 1365g (set)
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MSRP: $1600
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Extras: Roval padded wheelbag. No-Fault crash replacement policy. Lifetime warranty.