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Specialized Roval Pave SL wheelsets - clincher

4.56/5 (9 Reviews)

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MSRP : $525.00


Product Description

  • E5 alloy mid-profile seamless aero rim
  • DT New Aero butted spokes
  • Cold forged five-spoke high flange hubs
  • 20/24 spoke lacing pattern
  • DT Pro Lock brass nipples


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Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Soundtallica a Weekend Warrior

Date Reviewed: September 4, 2012

Strengths:    Feels a lot lighter than they really are, cool looking, slightly aero, stiff, bombproof, wide rim

Weaknesses:    Could be lighter, terrible manufacturing control (Listed at 1625 grams, but I have 2 identical pairs and one is 1710 and the other is 1790), wide rims can pose problems for some road brakes and frames

Bottom Line:   
I love these wheels. They feel a lot lighter than their 1710 grams and they spin up easily. Since they were designed as a cyclocross wheelset they are both stiff and extremely durable. Their wide rims make tire profiles bigger, aiding rolling resistance and comfort, and their trick hub design looks fantastic too. Now if Specialized could tighten up their quality control and make the wheelsets closer to their claimed weight (or at least make them all around the same weight) that would be cool too.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Anything with killer descents

Similar Products Used:   Open Pros, Vector Comps, Easton Vista, Easton Circuit, Ritchey Aero, etc.

Bike Setup:   Parkpre Image Road
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Larry

Date Reviewed: July 15, 2012

Strengths:    strength, durability and good looks!

Weaknesses:    none

Bottom Line:   
I'm a 230lb rider,I've had these on my S-Works Roubaix for 3 years and about 8000 miles and they remain true!...enough said!
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by TommyGunn a Recreational Rider

Date Reviewed: April 17, 2011

Strengths:    Good looking! Spin up fast, true as can be and not a creak or a groan or a wisp of change for bang-on true. Even after a few potholes and harsh pavement excursions.

Weaknesses:    Can't think of a single one.

Bottom Line:   
Needing a strong set of wheels, I went back to my LBS and asked for Ed's recommendation. Having trashed two sets of supposedly bullet-proof rings, I listened to him and got these Pave SLs. (I'll trash the other sets on other recommendations here.) I'm a Clydesdale rider -- 6'3" and 240 lbs and skinny light wheels don't like me much. THAT is why I wanted some wheels that wouldn't fail me in a season or two.

Ed told me that he had other riders bigger than me (a pastor that is 6'6" and 280 lbs!) who were quite happy with these wheels. Seems they are designed by Specialized for cyclocross riding, with large hubs and plenty of spokes. GREAT, I said. While every rider would like featherweight wheels, I don't find these much different than my Easton 70s. So far, I've got about 30 rides and 750 miles on them and they are SUPERB. Excellent quality, ride, finish, and I think they are as fast as any training wheel you'd ever need - unless you're a Cat 3 or better heading out to race a crit.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Anywhere with my buddies.

Price Paid:    $400.00

Purchased At:   LBS

Similar Products Used:   Easton Circuits, Easton 70s, Planet X standard wheels - the Model B.

Bike Setup:   Planet X Pro Carbon road frame, Shimano 105 shifters, brakes, cassette, derailleurs, and 180mm SRAM Rival OCT cranks.
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Bret a Recreational Rider

Date Reviewed: September 1, 2009

Strengths:    very trick looking hub design, decent weight for the money.

Weaknesses:    flexy!

Bottom Line:   
I borrowed these from my g'friend while I was waiting on some new wheels. They aren't the lightest, but did the job. On the first group ride I did I immediately noticed that they flexed to the point of rubbing the brake pads while standing up for a sprint. I am a light rider at only 155 lbs so this is an obvious concern, a wheel like this shouldn't flex so much. Other than that I have no real issues with them. They are back in the closet now though as my new Fulcrum Racing 1's just showed up.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   long, fast ones

Similar Products Used:   Aksium Race, Ksyrium SL, Shimano Ultegra SL, Reynolds Attack Carbon

Bike Setup:   Ridley Damocles, full Dura-Ace, Michelin Pro Race 3
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Chris Roy a Recreational Rider

Date Reviewed: August 3, 2009

Strengths:    Wheels stay true, look good, climb and accelerate well. (I have them on older Spesh Allez and the polished, high flanged hubs give sort of a classic look)

Weaknesses:    Ever since I've mounted the Rovals there is a "jingle" somewhere on the bike, can't say for sure whether it's the wheels or not, but since everything is working so well I ignore it. Not annoying, but it's "there".

Bottom Line:   
These are the 1st low spoke count "nice" wheels I've ever bought so racers used to high end wheels may not find this review helpful. If you're like I was and are on the fence about the cost/benefit of nicer wheels I say go for it!

Originally I bought the wheels, a cassette and tires thinking I would use my old wheels for commuting and save the Rovals for the weekend.

Turns out I need not have bothered, the old wheels are gathering dust while the Rovals have done it all; commuting, club rides, centuries, and a bit of hard packed dirt roads for good measure. I have about 1000 miles on them and so far they are still perfectly true.

The lightness compared to my old wheels means my average speed has gone up by about 1mph. I notice the difference mainly in climbing and leaving a stoplight.

Since these wheels come stock on the higher end Specialized Tri-Cross Cyclocross bike they are a good mix of strength and lightweight.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Pacific Coast Highway, So Cal

Price Paid:    $525.00

Purchased At:   Rock N Road Cyclery

Similar Products Used:   Mavic CXP 21 32 spoke wheels with Cannondale hubs (lower end heavy wheels)

Bike Setup:   1994 Specialized Allez mongrel bike with Shimano 105 9 speed.
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Luc a Road Racer

Date Reviewed: July 20, 2009

Strengths:    They stayed true for the first year.

Weaknesses:    Cracks appeared in 2 places in the rim after 14 months. I had to by a new rim 90 $ plus labour.

Bottom Line:   
I bought my Specilized Tricross in may 2008. So far I was really please with this bike and with those wheels Pavé SL that came with it.I ride my bike to work 40 miles every day, I weight 205 and I ride about 7000 km a year. But this week I have notice some cracks in the rim. I have to buy a new rim because the warranty is over by 45 days. So we will have to see if the next rim will hold.

Expand full review >>

Bike Setup:   Specialized Tricross
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by DeweyJuice a Recreational Rider

Date Reviewed: April 23, 2009

Strengths:    Light and strong.

Weaknesses:    They are a bit wider than other rims.

Bottom Line:   
I'm 220lbs and seem to be hard on wheels. I get my cxp33 36 spoke wheel trued every 3 months on my road bike.
My 2009 Specialized Tricross came with these wheels (Roval Pave SL). I took that bike offroad last summer and beat it up and road it like an xc mountain bike. The wheels never came out of true so I bought another set on ebay for my road set. I don't ride them as much as the mavic cxp33, so it's not an apples to apples comparison, but they still haven't been trued. They are pretty light too.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Road

Price Paid:    $250.00

Purchased At:   ebay

Similar Products Used:   mavic cxp 33, bontrager race lite

Bike Setup:   2009 Specialized Tricross Expert (stock).
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Norway1000 a Commuter

Date Reviewed: March 17, 2009

Strengths:    Stiff, light and strong.

Weaknesses:    Expensive (in Norway)

Bottom Line:   
Perfect wheels for heavy rider in all year conditions (-20 to + 25 deg C).
I have two sets one for slicks and one for studded winter tires.

Expand full review >>

Price Paid:    $159.00

Purchased At:   Certini (UK)

Similar Products Used:   Mavic CXP-22

Bike Setup:   Felt F1X Cyclocross - 2006 model (mainly Ultegra components)
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Bubba Hotep a Recreational Rider

Date Reviewed: December 27, 2008

Strengths:    I'm a wheel/hub breaker. If a wheel can withstand my brand of punishment (since I am pretty strong and somewhat weighty) then I consider it my Holy Grail having broken more wheels, especially rears, than I can remember. These wheels are fairly lightweight yet hold up very well. I have 1,000 miles on them including several encounters with deep potholes. No worries so far.

Weaknesses:    None yet, but watch this space.

Bottom Line:   
I've been using these wheels for 5 months. They are a birthday/Christmas gift from my SO. I'm somewhat of a fatty, weighing 250 pounds. Although 10 years ago I was a much lighter, active off-road motorcycle racer and trained with the local bicycle club to stay in shape, nowadays I just ride for fun. These wheels have rekindled my enjoyment of riding since they (seem) to be strong and give a nice ride, even on bad pavement.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Texas Hill Country

Price Paid:    $475.00

Purchased At:   LBS

Similar Products Used:   10 year-old Mavic CPX30s on Ultegra hubs (heavy but bulletproof)

Bike Setup:   1995 Litespeed Classic 63cm, Kestrel carbon fork, Ultegra 6500 gruppo
Reviews 1 - 9 (9 Reviews Total)

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

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