Roval expands its cross-country MTB components line-up
The new cockpit, seatpost and alloy wheelset promise to deliver the highest levels of performance, weight savings and control
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Roval - Specialized's component arm - has launched new cross-country mountain bike parts that fall under the Control SL moniker. The new integrated carbon cockpit, carbon seatpost and alloy wheels claim to deliver 'the highest levels of performance-backed geometry, insane weight-savings and, above all, the control'.
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Roval Control SL Cockpit
Roval Control SL Cockpit, by Roval
Roval has constructed this cockpit for cross-country mountain bike racers who want full integration. It’s built from high-modulus carbon fibre and comes in 780mm.
At 250g (with the 70mm stem) it's pretty light, too, and the cockpit comes with titanium bolts to shave off even more grams. The bars also include cut marks so it’s easy to tailor the width.
The Control SL cockpit has no rise, but comes with a negative 12-degree stem, eight degrees of back sweep and one degree of upsweep.
The Roval Control SL Cockpit retails for £300.
Roval Control SL seatpost
2023 Roval Control SL Seatpost, by Roval
The Roval Control SL Seatpost is also constructed from high-modulus carbon fibre and has a 180g claimed weight.
There is a single 30.9mm diameter and 415mm length available - and the post is compatible with both alloy and carbon-railed saddles.
Similarly to Roval’s lightweight Alpinist road seatpost, the Control SL uses a two-bolt design which allows for more precise adjustment of the saddle setback and angle than a single bolt would.
Roval Control SL seatpost retails for £205.
Roval Control Alloy 350 wheels
2023 Roval Control Alloy 350 296B XD wheelset, by Roval
The new Roval wheels represent a deviation from using the highest level carbon: the Control Alloy 350 is 29in wheelset and features aluminium construction. If you’re hesitant about its performance, Roval simply says you should “ride them and see”.
Roval has increased the alloy’s durability by customising the shot peening process—where metal projectiles are shot at alloy to increase strength—in order to meet the precise demands of cross-country mountain bike riders. Additionally, to eliminate creaking and reduce weight, Roval has chosen individually customised sleeves to bond every single rim.
The total claimed weight for the wheelset is 1,648g wheel weight, with the front tipping the scales at 768g and the rear at 880g.
2023 Roval Control Alloy 350 296B XD wheelset dt swiss 350, by Roval
These hoops have a 27mm internal rim width, a ‘zero bead hook design’ and are 19mm deep. The rims are laced on the new DT Swiss 350 hub with 28 straight-pull Sapim’s D-Light spokes in a two-cross pattern. Parallel to the introduction of the new Control mountain bike components, Roval also launched the Alpinist SLX, a performance alloy road cycling wheelset that also features the new 36T hub.
The freehub on the stock wheels is a SRAM XD and the recommended tyre width is between 1.9- and 2.6in.
The price for the front wheel is £310 and the rear hoop costs £450.
For full details of the products, visit the Specialized website below.
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