Roval Control Carbon Wheelset

Dropped off by our favorite Fedex driver 4 days ago are the new Roval Control Carbon wheels. These light-weight XC/light-duty trail wheels feature a 29mm internal width, DT Swiss' new 350 hubs with 36-tooth star ratchet guts, 28 straight-pull spokes and a weight of around 1450g for the pair. While not inexpensive by any means, their $1,350 price tag for the pair is less expensive than a rear-only carbon Control SL wheel that's only about 100g lighter. Sure there are hub differences between the wheels in this analogy, and if you're chasing XC podiums, 100g could mean something, but most sane mountain-biking humans would be stoked to lug around the weight of a couple energy bars for a savings of over a thousand dollars. A lifetime warranty with no-fault crash replacement on the Control Carbons doesn't hurt, either.

We were able to unbox the wheels, weigh them, inspect the components, throw on some tires and get a quick 8-mile ride on them, so this is by-no-means a performance review of the wheels. We have them propped up on our summertime steel hardtail, and their addition is the perfect compliment to putting it in *XC* mode as the trails dry out and get fast.

The Carbon Control rims are doppelgangers of the Control SL rims but a few more holes for spokes [Editor's note - based on the press release below, we originally wrote and assumed that the rims on the Control set were not the same as the Control SL wheelset rims, using different composite materials and layup. Roval confirmed the rims on the Control SL wheelset and this Control wheelset are the same, just with more spoke holes]. The bead is hookless, width is 29mm internal, and they use straight-pull spokes that tie into the new DT Swiss 350 hubs. Our box included a print-out of all spokes and their tensions from the build, as well as, four extra spokes and nipples. The rims were taped, the valve stems were in place and slapping on our 2.4- and 2.2-inch Kenda Regolith tires was no problem without a pump.

Our first ride was a quick, singletrack XC lap with few obstacles, but plenty of speedy turns and flowy, undulating sections of trail that highlight the lateral stiffness and acceleration capabilities of a light wheelset. These Rovals replaced an alloy, 25mm-internal, Race Face Turbine SL wheelset, which was a shade over 1600g and retails for under $900. The tires did not change. On the hard, dusty trails, the Rovals were as swift and lively as we'd hoped. The 36t star ratchet engagement of the DT Swiss hub was not as high as the Race Face Vault hubs on our previous wheels, but the engagement was not lacking.

The firm trails were full of fossilized ruts and bumps that formed from a less-evolved species of human who thinks wet, heavy, impossible-to-get-off-the-tires, clay-based dirt of an early winter thaw must get drier if they just go a little further down the trail. The benefit of such trail-use ignorance is that a few weeks later, those slowly eroding remnants of their presence keep the trails fun and helped us determine that the Control Carbons provided a nice ride without any sting or harsh vibration.

We figured the first 8 miles of a $1,350 wheelset ride would be pleasant, and they were. We'll be clocking the miles on more varied terrain throughout the months to see how the Roval Carbon Control wheels hold up, so stay tuned for a long-term review. You can also check out our long-term review of the spendy Roval Carbon Control SL wheels that held up very well.

Here's how Roval pitches the wheels via their press release

Introducing Roval 2021 Control Carbon - World Cup Performance For Everyone

April 26th, 2021: Morgan Hill, Calif - From weekend hot laps to world cup XC qualifiers, the Control Carbon combines the low weight and strength found in our class-leading Control SL rim with the new DT Swiss 350 hubs. An unmatched level of durability, precision, and performance in this new Carbon Control set that is keen to open terrain, climbs, and berms, to a whole new era of riding.

Having your cake and eating it too is now a possibility with the combination of thoroughbred race-winning technology ingrained with a workhorse mentality. Packed with proven performance without the heavy price tag, the new Roval Control Carbon will take you to that next level of riding performance. The new Control Carbon brings top-tier performance to the masses.

Carried over from the World Cup proven Control SL Wheelset - Benefitting from the development process that led to our flagship Control SL, the Control Carbon features the same zero-bead-hook design and 29mm-inner width. By choosing a unique combination of composite materials and engineering a layup schedule with continuous fiber across the sidewall, we maximize strength, ride quality, and durability while keeping weight to a minimum.

Roval continues its partnership with the proven and trusted technology of DT Swiss, utilizing a full system approach to the wheel. Combining our award-winning rim with a new 350 hub featuring a 36 tooth Star Ratchet. The new Control Carbon wheelset brings a level of quality, precision, and performance previously found only on wheels costing twice as much.

Product Specifications:

• Carbon Control Rim
• 29mm Internal Width
• 4mm FlatTop Bead Hook
• Tubeless Compatible
• New DT Swiss 350 Hub Straight-pull
• 6-bolt Rotor - 36t Star Ratchet System
• Thru Axle 110x15mm & 148x12mm
• Weight: 1450g w/ Tubeless Rim Tape
• MSRP: $1350.00 - Wheelset
• Lifetime Warranty - No-Fault Crash Replacement