Carefully Engineered To Be Ridden Recklessly
Specialized have announced a new line-up of three Roval Traverse wheelsets. Each model—Traverse SL II, Traverse HD, Traverse ALLOY—was developed around the pillars of durability, performance, and control, yet each with a specific application. Check out the full press release below.
Traverse SL II | Smoother is Faster
Trail riders who prize nimble handling will be blown away by Traverse SL II’s category-leading control, strength-to-weight ratio, and pinch-flat resistance.
- Lighter: At 1,645 grams, this is our lightest trail wheelset ever.
- Stronger: Front and Rear Specific Rims with carbon layups optimized for strength and weight boast 15% greater front wheel strength and 25% more rear wheel strength than the previous Traverse SL.
- Control-Boosting vertical compliance: 21% more vertically compliant than the previous Traverse SL (delivered through Shallow Rim Shape and front/rear specific layup) enables enhanced terrain hugging and bump-force absorbing control.
- Traction Monster: Carefully engineered rim shape intentionally flexes for improved support and traction to boost confidence and control.
- Tough Life, Long Life: Engineered rim offset enables balanced spoke tension for improved fatigue life.
- Sayonara Pinch Flats: Optimized “Flat Top” bead profile requires 85% more force to pinch flat compared to a standard round bead, virtually eliminating “snake bites.”
- Air Time: Thank our genius engineer Chuck Teixeira for inventing the “Roval ThreadBed Valve”; a valve that threads directly into the rim eliminating compression nuts, air loss from rim flex, and makes tire set-up easier, and reduces sealant clogs.
- INTENDED USE: Trail
- WEIGHT (29): 1,645g 240 EXP (with valve and tape)
- SPOKE COUNT F/R: 28H Front and Rear
- HUB: DT Swiss 240 EXP and 350 Star Ratchet
- HUB ENGAGEMENT: 36 Teeth / 10 Degrees
- WHEEL SIZES: 29
- Lifetime warranty on Roval Wheels when registered within the first 90 days of purchase.
- 2 Year “It Happens” No Fault Crash Replacement – If you damage your Roval product while riding within the first two years of ownership and it’s not covered under warranty, we’ll still replace or repair. USA Only and wheels must be registered.
Structural Weight Limit (Rider & Cargo) – 125kg / 275lbs
Traverse HD | Survival of the Strongest
More Than the Strongest Carbon Wheelset In Our Known Universe, Traverse HDs deliver unbeatable control and pinch-flat resistance in severe terrain, unlocking progression in the bike park, on a trail ride, or on an EWS track.
- Strong Like Bull (no bull): Our strongest off-set rim shape molded with optimized carbon fibers for front and rear specific characteristics, add up to our strongest carbon trail wheels we have ever made.
- Smooth and Strong: Front layup delivers a smooth, control-enhancing ride, while the rear optimizes stiffness & impact strength.
- High Precision Handling: The fusion of control and durability; where stiffness meets grip, HD glues you to your line and snaps you to the next with precision and speed.
- Sayonara Pinch Flats: Optimized “Flat Top” bead profile requires 85% more force to pinch flat compared to a standard round bead, virtually eliminating “snake bites.”
- Air Time: Thank our genius engineer, Chuck Teixeira, for inventing the “AirChuck;” a valve that threads directly into the rim eliminating compression nuts, air loss from rim flex, makes tire set-up easier, and reduces sealant clogs.
- INTENDED USE: Aggressive Trail, Park, Enduro
- WEIGHT (29): 1,706g 240 EXP (with valve and tape)
- SPOKE COUNT F/R: 28H Front and Rear
- HUB: DT 240 EXP and 350 Star Ratchet
- HUB ENGAGEMENT: 36 Teeth / 10 Degrees
- WHEEL SIZES: 29 (F/R) 27.5 (R)
- Lifetime warranty on Roval Wheels when registered within the first 90 days of purchase.
- 2 Year “It Happens” No Fault Crash Replacement – If you damage your Roval product while riding within the first two years of ownership and it’s not covered under warranty, we’ll still replace or repair. USA Only and wheels must be registered.
- Structural Weight Limit (Rider & Cargo) – 125kg / 275lbs
Traverse Alloy: Nothing Can Stop it. Full Stop.
The Traverse Alloy rim geometry is optimized for strength, crafted with our most durable alloy, and laced to DT 350 hubs with stout Sapim spokes and Sapim alloy nipples. What does it all add up to? A wheelset that hits harder, holds up longer, and inspires you to go bigger and farther than any other trail wheel out there.
- The engineered rim shape emphasizes the durability and strength of alloy; creating our most durable alloy wheel we have ever made.
- New 6013 alloy material finished with shot peening for impact strength and fatigue strength.
- Engineered rim offset enables balanced spoke tension for improved fatigue life to keep you rolling.
- Ride quality and impact targets derived from our factory enduro team riders.
- 30mm internal rim width optimizes tire shape for the best traction.
- Engineered bead shape ensures the bead bends inward for air pressure /tire retention under impact, so you can always finish your ride.
- Weight (27): 1900g (with valve and tape)
- INTENDED USE: Trail, Park, Enduro
- WEIGHT (29): 1,904g (with valve and tape)
- SPOKE COUNT F/R: 28H Front and Rear
- HUB: DT 350 Star Ratchet
- HUB ENGAGEMENT: 36 Teeth / 10 Degrees
- WHEEL SIZES: 29 (F/R) 27.5 (R)
- Lifetime warranty on Roval Wheels when registered within the first 90 days of purchase.
- 2 Year “It Happens” No Fault Crash Replacement – If you damage your Roval product while riding within the first two years of ownership and it’s not covered under warranty, we’ll still replace or repair. USA Only and wheels must be registered.
- Structural Weight Limit (Rider & Cargo) – 125kg / 275lbs
Traverse SL II & HD | Roval ThreadBed Valve
Air Time: Thank our genius engineer Chuck Teixeira for inventing the “Roval ThreadBed Valve”; a valve that threads directly into the rim eliminating compression nuts, air loss from rim flex, and makes tire set-up easier, and reduces sealant clogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traverse SL II 240/ Traverse HD 240
- Why are Bladed Spokes used? Aren’t they going to break?
- The DT Aerolite spokes have the optimal weight, stiffness, and ultimate strength. They make for great riding wheels that will hold up.
- DT just came out with Revlite Spokes, why are you not using them?
- The Revolite spoke adds mass and rigidity, and we have not tested it yet to determine the performance affect on our wheels. Traverse wheels were designed as a system including Aerolite Spoke and we are more than happy with the results.
- Can I run these wheels on my e-bike?
- Yes, we test all our wheels to our internal E-Bike fatigue standard. We do recommend that E-Bike riders use the HD rears as those are more impact resistant.
- Why no 32H version?
- We were able to exceed our impact targets and maintain our ride quality targets without going to 32H wheels.
Traverse SL II 350/ Traverse HD 350
- How does the change to DT CompRace spokes from Aerolite spokes affect ride performance?
- The DT CompRace spoke do add rigidity to the wheel system, while staying in our with target range. The impact and fatigue performance of the wheels with the CompRace spokes matches that of the Aerolite builds.
Traverse SL II / Traverse HD (All Carbon Models)
- Are the SL II and HD the same shape with different layups?
- No, the SLII and HD are different rim shapes given the rider needs for each intended use. They both then have specific carbon layups for fronts and rears to further optimize the wheels performance.
- What size are the beadhooks?
- 5mm, up from 2.7mm on the older Traverse SL.
- Why do large beadhooks reduce pinch flats?
- The force that is applied from an impact is now spread over a large section or rim reducing the “pinching” pressure on the tire.
- Are the wheels tested for use with inserts?
- Yes. We test all our MTB wheels with and without inserts to ensure riders have a great experience regardless of insert use.
- Are they hand built?
- Yes, all Roval wheels are hand built.
- What width tubeless tape fits/ recommended?
- 32mm
- What is the rim offset?
- 3.5mm
All Traverse Wheels
- What testing is done?
- Impact (High and Low Energies), Pinch Flat Testing, Fatigue, Thermal Testing, Stiffness (Lateral, Vertical, Torsional), Field Testing, CT Scanning, Spoke Pullout Testing, Threaded Valve (valve fatigue and ultimate strength)
- Tension Spec and why?
- We test multiple spoke tensions to optimize wheel impact performance and stiffness. Our alloy wheel have a high tension side of 1250Nm and our carbon rims have 1275Nm. With these tensions we have shown dramatic improvements.
- Serial Number for Wheels? Register for Life Time Warranty?
- The serial number for the wheel is located under the rim tape or on the QR code on the outer surface of the wheel. To get a life time warranty, a wheel needs to be registered within 90 of purchase.
- Hub warranty, Specialized or DT Swiss?
- All DT Swiss components, including hubs, are warrantied by DT Swiss. If you do not have a local DT Swiss retailer to help, Specialized Rider Care Team is always here to provide additional support.
- 27.5 Front wheels?
- We feel like the industry is moving towards 29 and mullet setups.
Roval ThreadBed Valve
- Do standard tubeless valves work in rims designed for the Roval ThreadBed Valve?
- Yes, you can use a standard valve. They simply fit in the threaded hole that the Roval ThreadBed Valve goes in.
- Does a standard presta core work in the Roval ThreadBed Valve system?
- Yes, a standard presta valve works
- Are Roval ThreadBed Valve valves compatible with tire inserts?
- Yes, they were designed to work well with tire inserts. The raised internal surface with deep channels allows for air flow around the tire insert.
Traverse Alloy 350
- What does shot peening do?
- It’s a controlled and engineered cold forming process with parameters tailored to the rim material and dimensions. It adds a compressive stress to the surface of the rim which results in increased strength so you are operating at a lower ratio of your yield strength, which gives you more cycles to failure (simply put, it last a lot longer).
- Does the alloy wheel fall under the “It Happens” policy?
- Yes, all Roval wheels in the USA that are registered fall under “It Happens”
- Why aren’t the hooks on alloy as large as carbon? Will they pinch flat easier?
- The alloy rims are ductile and absorb energy, instead of pinching the tire. This gives us great pinch flat performance, but not quite at the level of our Traverse SL II and HD. In order to match the performance of the carbon rims, the weight increase on alloy would have been detrimental to performance.
- What is the rim offset?
- 3.5mm
- What width tubeless tape fits?
- 32mm
- Why is the Roval ThreadBed Valve not in the alloy wheel?
- The Roval ThreadBed Valve has many amazing benefits but it also adds additional cost in the manufacturing process. We wanted to ensure our Traverse Alloy 350 wheels were attainable for as many riders as possible.
- Why are you using Sapim?
- Sapim is a historic leader in the bicycle industry and has shown to create amazing products. We wanted to start partnering with them to develop additional options for our wheels. It also increases the availability of spoke options for our riders in the aftermarket.
- Can you purchase front and rears separately
- Yes, all wheels are sold individually as front and rears.
- E-bike compatible?
- Yes
- Compatible with tire inserts?
- Yes, all our rims are designed to work seamlessly with inserts.
- Decals removable / replaceable?
- The rims are anodized and a permanent decal is added. It is not replaceable or removable.
- How is the rim joined?
- Improved internal sleeve sizing and welded rim joint ensure that your wheels do not creak while riding. We use three different sleeve sizes to ensure a perfect fit every time.
For local pricing and availability check out specialized.com
Frothing? Sell your current wheels or shop for the best deals in our trusted Classifieds
Tags: specialized
