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Roval is consistently trying to improve our system weight limits. Our newest wheels and components now have an industry leading system weight limit of 275lbs (125Kg) and our older generation of wheels has a system weight limit of 240lbs (109Kg).
275lbs (125Kg) - Rapide CLX, Rapide C, Alpinist CLX, Alpinist CL, Terra Evo CLX, Terra CLX, Control SL (2020).
240lbs (109Kg) - All products not referenced above.
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Rapide C 38
World Tour Performance for Everyone
Rapide C 38
World Tour Performance for Everyone
$999.99
what it’s for, why it’s great
The C38 brings carbon fiber high performance to the real world. It’s a versatile all-rounder equally at home crushing gravel washboards and summiting alpine passes. Optimized for use with modern wide tires, providing the right amount of sidewall support to facilitate surefooted handling in all conditions, the C38 wheelset is a great handling, lively climbing, robust all-road performer that also aerodynamically outperforms many deeper, aero-specific rims that cost twice as much.
Carbon wheels are a true performance upgrade to any bike, but too often the price tag puts them out of reach. The Rapide C38 shatters that barrier and brings a class leading Roval carbon rim and DT Swiss reliability together to provide riders with the best performance carbon wheel per dollar.
Millimeters that matter
Wider tires roll faster, and are more comfortable, than narrow tires. The tubeless ready, 21-mm internal width of the C 38 is optimized for use with modern, wider tires, providing them with the right amount of sidewall support to facilitate surefooted handling in all conditions. At a depth of 38mm, the C 38 rim is a great handling, lively climbing, robust all-round performer that also aerodynamically outperforms many deeper, aero-specific rims.
PREMIUM QUALITY HUBS AND SPOKES
With two main goals in mind—long life and easy serviceability—we looked to Switzerland. The C 38 uses an ultra-reliable, rapid engagement DT 370 star-ratchet freehub for smooth power transmission and long-term dependability. Similarly, DT Swiss Competition spokes were chosen to lace hub to rim, and finished with brass Pro-Lock nipples.
Hand built quality throughout
The premium components that make up this wheel are assembled together into the final product by hand. They are laced, tensioned, checked, and tensioned again by practiced, professional craftsmen: an added layer of quality control that machines cannot match.
Product Specifications
Technical specifications
Rim
Rim type
Carbon clincher, 2Bliss Ready
Rim material
Carbon
Braking surface
Disc brake only
Rim depth
38mm
Rim width
21mm internal, 26.6mm extrernal
Spoke
Front spoke pattern
Two-cross/Radial
Rear spoke pattern
Two-cross/Two-cross
Spoke count
Front/Rear: 24/24
Spoke type
DT Swiss Competition Race J-bend
Nipple type
DT Swiss Pro Lock Brass hexagonal
Spoke length
Front: 262mm drive, 273mm nondrive
Rear: 271mm drive, 273mm nondrive
Hub
Front hub
DT Swiss 370 Disc for Roval, 100x12mm, Center Lock™
Rear hub
DT Swiss 370 Disc, 18T Ratchet LN, 142x12mm, Center Lock™, 11-speed
Bearing Type
Sealed Steel Cartridge Bearings
Other
Assembly method
Handbuilt
Extras
Roval tubeless tape and tubeless valves
Set weight
1600g w/ Tubeless Rim Tape
System Weight Limit
240lbs / 109kg
Tire pressure recommendations
General
All Roval wheels are designed and tested as a system. This allows us to tune each wheelset specifically for the intended ride experience and deliver the highest quality wheels. For this reason, we do not offer individual components for sale.
Roval Road Wheels
Our CLX 32, 50, 64, Terra CLX, Terra CLX EVO, C38, SLX 24 and all Contol and Traverse models are compatible. Rapide CLX and Alpinist CLX wheels are not compatible with tubeless road tires. By making them tube-type specific we were able to create lighter and better complete wheels systems for performance road riders. To render these wheels tubeless would have required extra materials, and that extra mass would have outweighed the benefits of tubeless tires.
The wider CL(X) 32, 50, and 64 are compatible with tires between 22-47C. The previous CL(X) 40 and 60 models are compatible with tires up to 38C. Note that many Roval road wheels have a larger inner width than traditional road rims. Most road tires end up about 2mm wider on these wheels than on a traditional road wheel.
The wider CL(X) 32, 50, and 64 are compatible with tires between 22-47C. The previous CL(X) 40 and 60 models are compatible with tires up to 38C.
All Roval road wheels use DT Swiss internals. Stock DT Swiss replacement freehub parts are compatible with the rear wheels. Freehub bodies for virtually all component groups are available from your local Roval dealer. Please direct questions for specific part numbers to support@rovalcomponents.com
SCS is a system developed by Specialized Bicycle Components to ensure an ideal chainline and crisp shifting on disc brake road bikes with short chainstays. Wheels with SCS hubs move the cassette inboard (closer to the center of the bike). Select Roval models – CL(X) 40 and CLX 64 – are available with SCS rear hubs for use on certain Specialized Tarmac, Roubaix, Diverge, and CruX Disc models. Endcaps are available to use these wheels in both QR and SCS thru-axle configurations.
Our current generation CL(X) 32, 40, 50, and 64 wheels, along with SLX 24 disc wheels, are compatible with traditional QR and thru-axle configurations. In the front, this is 9x100mm QR and 12x100mm thru-axle. In the rear, this is 9x135mm QR and 12x142mm thru-axle. The end caps for these configurations all ship with each aftermarket wheel.
We have partnered with Swiss Stop and optimized our brake tracks for their Black Prince brake pads. These brake pads are available for Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo configurations, and they're easy to find at either your local bike shop or online. Use of a brake pad other than the Swiss Stop Black Prince or the Roval “Red” pads will void your warranty and can be unsafe.
Roval Mountain Wheels
All Roval Mountain wheels use DT Swiss internals. Stock DT Swiss replacement freehub parts are compatible with the rear wheels. Freehub bodies for virtually all component groups are available from your local Roval dealer. Please direct questions for specific part numbers to support@rovalcomponents.com.
All Roval wheel small parts are available through your local Roval dealer. For technical questions please contact support@rovalcomponents.com.
The spoke lengths and type vary by wheel. Please contact your local dealer or support@rovalcomponents.com, and we'll get you sorted.
This depends on a ton of variables. Trail type and conditions, rider weight and style, tire casing, and internal rim width all play a part in choosing the proper combination. As a general baseline, we recommend the following: 22mm internal rim width – 2.0 - 2.3” tire; 29-30mm internal rim width – 2.3 - 3.0” tire; 38mm internal rim width – 2.6 - 3.0” tire
Current generation Control and Traverse wheels (all wheel diameters and hub spacing types) are compatible with the plugs.
Still Have Question If Our Components Are Right for You?
Call Us at 1 (877) 808 - 8154
How we made it
Handbuilt
There's no substitute for the hands-on experience and meticulous attention to detail that a human being brings to the craft of wheel building. While many wheels on the market are built by machines, Roval wheels are always built by people: from lacing the hubs, to equalizing spoke tension, to truing the wheel to lateral and radial perfection.
Composite shop
Before a wheel goes into production, we do all of the engineering, prototyping, and iterating in our Northern California innovation center. This includes machining the massive molds as well as laying up and producing the prototype rims. This kind of integrated, hands-on approach accelerates development and enables optimization that’s simply not possible any other way.