Specialized's house brand has spent the last two generations refining the Terra platform into one of the most versatile carbon gravel wheelsets on the market, and the third iteration sharpens that focus without abandoning what made the earlier wheels work. The Roval Terra C III front wheel pairs a 25mm internal width rim with a hookless tubeless profile, landing in a sweet spot that handles 40mm race tires and 50mm adventure rubber with equal composure. Rim depth sits at 32mm, deep enough to add a measure of aerodynamic benefit on mixed-surface days but shallow enough that crosswind handling stays predictable when the terrain opens up.

The carbon layup uses Roval's AFD (Aero Flange Design) hub interface, which integrates the spoke flange geometry with the rim's bracing angles to improve lateral stiffness without driving up weight. Spoke count sits at 24, laced two-cross to a DT Swiss 180 hub running a 36-tooth Ratchet EXP driver. That hub choice matters: the Ratchet EXP system has proven itself across a decade of cyclocross and gravel racing, and the 180-series internals shed weight versus the standard 350 hubs found on lower-tier Roval wheels without sacrificing the serviceability that makes the Ratchet system worth owning in the first place.

Roval builds the wheel around a 12x100mm thru-axle with Center Lock rotor mounting, matching the standards used on every current gravel and road disc frame. The hookless rim profile requires tubeless tires rated for hookless use and a maximum pressure of 72.5 psi, which covers virtually every modern gravel tire but rules out older clincher casings that depend on the bead hook for retention.... Read More