Roval Alpinist CLX II
ASIDE FROM IT NOW BEING
tubeless-compatible, the Alpinist CLX II isn’t hugely different from its predecessor, which was impressively light and improved the agility and overall ride quality of any bike it was mounted to.
The Alpinist’s 33mm-deep carbon rims now have more layers of carbon, helping ensure tubeless tyres remain seated on severe impact. This weight gain is offset with updated hubs so the CLX II is still the lightest wheelset Roval has produced, at 1,265g including tape and valves. Many wheel brands are shifting to hookless rims, yet the CLX II retains a hooked design. According to Roval, a hooked bead gives another layer of security and offers the broadest range of compatibility with tubed and tubeless tyres, while avoiding sacrifices in strength or cut fibres. The CLX II is optimised for 26mm-wide tyres.
I spent three months testing the CLX II on high mountain roads and mixedsurface routes through the foothills and plains of Colorado. The weight savings weren’t substantial over the Shimano Dura-Ace C36 wheelset it replaced (less than 100g), but there was a notable improvement in ride quality – these lighter, lower-profile wheels did a better job of muting road buzz. The refined ride quality of the CLX II was most apparent when riding on rough-hewn byways that can transmit high-frequency vibrations from the bike to the rider, and while the hum was still present, it was damped and less of a distraction. As expected, the CLX II was at home traversing mountain passes. This 1,265g wheelset spun up to speed quickly and was a nimble companion when changing direction through hairpin switchbacks. While I can’t speak to its performance under riders near the wheelset’s 125kg weight limit, I found the steering precise, and flex wasn’t an issue.
With 30mm-wide tubeless tyres mounted, the wheelset tackled hardpacked dirt with ease. The muted ride of these wheels, along with the larger footprint and lower pressure of the wider tyres, gave confidence through potholes and over the chatter of braking bumps. If, like me, your favourite “road” rides include sections of smooth dirt and gravel that can be ridden on 30–32mm tyres, rest assured the Alpinist CLX II is up to the challenge. In all, these wheels are light, agile and supremely comfortable on rough roads, making them great, not only for weightconscious climbers, but for any cyclist searching for a comfortable set of wheels.
The one area Roval lags behind its competitors is its short, two-year crashreplacement policy, with discounted crash-replacement coverage after that
(it does have a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects). Some other brands offer longer or lifetime crash-replacement programmes.
“If your favourite ‘road’ rides include sections of smooth dirt and gravel that can be ridden on 30-32mm tyres, rest assured the Alpinist CLX II is up to the challenge”