Say hello to the Rapide CLX Sprint, Rapide CLX III, and Rapide CL III—wheelsets that flip conventional aero logic on its head and squeeze every watt of speed out of your sprint or road race setup.
While most brands are still pairing deeper rear wheels with shallower fronts, Roval’s engineers leaned into CFD modeling, the Win Tunnel, and 923 simulations across WorldTour stages to confirm what they suspected: up to 90% of a wheelset’s aerodynamic benefit comes from the front wheel.
So they went deep where it counts, and shallow where it saves grams, creating the fastest wheel systems Specialized has ever produced.
The Go-Fast Weapon: Rapide CLX Sprint
- 63mm deep front / 58mm rear
- 1,395g total weight
- Aero Composite Spokes co-developed with Arris (20% stronger, 1.9g each, saving 96.6g per set)
- DT Swiss 180 EXP internals with SINC ceramic bearings
- Delivers an 18cm lead in a 250m sprint vs. CLX II
- Use: Built for flat-out speed and drag-reducing performance in the final meters
- Price: $3,500 USD
The All-Rounder: Rapide CLX III
- 51mm front / 48mm rear
- Just 1,305g for the set (215g lighter than CLX II!)
- Shares the same Aero Composite spokes, hubs, and 28mm tire optimization
- Real-world aero gains plus weight savings for fast, responsive acceleration
- Use: Front rim profile based on gust-stable shapes tested across .5-2.0 second wind bursts
- Price: $3,500 USD
Privateer Aero Performance: Rapide CL III
- 51mm front / 48mm rear
- 1,555g total weight
- DT Swiss 350 internals, stainless steel Competition Race spokes
- Tubeless-ready, optimized for 28mm tires
- Use brings real-world performance and aero shape to a more accessible price point.
- Price: $2,200 USD
Why Deep Up Front?
Lionello Bardina and the Specialized Science Club asked: What if matching rim depths was holding us back? By pairing deeper front rims with shallower rear rims, the team preserved 90% of the aero benefits while reducing weight and improving acceleration.
CFD simulations, medical-grade CT scans, and drag mannequins confirmed the gains. The leading edge matters most, so Roval focused there.
Flat Protection for the races; The 21mm internal / 29mm external rim profile uses FlatStop bead hooks—wide, impact-dispersing shoulders that resist pinch flats and keep tires secure with 39% better pinch-flat resistance and industry-benchmark tubeless retention.
Tuned for 28mm Tires Every wheel in the Rapide family is optimized around a 28mm tire (the UCI friendly gearing tire width) on a 21mm internal rim width. This setup, validated by extensive drum testing across rough and smooth surfaces, delivers the lowest rolling resistance (Crr) and the best aerodynamic performance. While 26-30mm tires are compatible, you’ll get the biggest aero gain running a 28mm tire.
Details That Matter
- Designed around 28mm tires for the lowest Crr (confirmed through drum testing)
- Lightweight layups reduce rotating mass while maintaining strength and stiffness.
- Roval LF hubs cut more than 50g compared to previous versions
- ISO 5775-2 compliant and fully UCI approved
One goal. Three wheelsets. Pure speed.
Check them out at Specialized.com
