Fifty carbon layup iterations preceded the final Alpinist rim design, a development process that speaks to how precisely Roval tuned the balance between weight reduction and structural durability. The Roval Alpinist CL II Front Wheel uses the same rim as the flagship CLX II—33mm deep, 27mm wide externally, with a 21mm internal channel—while substituting DT Swiss 350 hubs for the CLX's ceramic-bearing Roval units. The rim represents the engineering achievement; the hub swap represents the price point adjustment that makes climbing-focused carbon accessible to riders who aren't racing at the World Tour level.

The shallow 33mm depth optimizes for weight rather than aerodynamics, a deliberate positioning that acknowledges where climbing wheels deliver their advantage. Deep-section rims slice through air efficiently but carry weight penalties that become liabilities when gradients steepen. The Alpinist CL II front wheel weighs 606 grams including tubeless tape and valve, contributing to a complete wheelset weight of 1,375 grams. That mass reduction translates directly to acceleration response and climbing efficiency—the situations where rotational weight matters most and aerodynamic drag matters least.

Roval's internal testing standards for the Alpinist II rims nearly double existing certification requirements, addressing durability concerns that lightweight climbing wheels have historically carried. The engineering team developed the rim to handle real-world impacts rather than just laboratory minimums, recognizing that race-day hoops encounter potholes, expansion joints, and road debris regardless of how carefully riders pick their lines. The result withstands punishment that would crack more fragile designs while maintaining the low mass that climbing performance demands.... Read More