Specialized component brand Roval officially unveiled its one-piece carbon Rapide cockpit today. The new cockpit is the fastest in the company's history and will save 4 watts over the separate Roval Rapide bar and stock stem on the S-Works Tarmac SL7 race bike ridden by men's and women's pro teams.

Separate bars and stems almost always leave bolts and hardware exposed, compromising airflow at the front end of the bike where aerodynamic improvements are most effective.

According to Roval, the new design is not only aero, but also lightweight and stiff, with the one-piece design resulting in a 50g weight reduction for a 100mm x 420mm bar size. As expected, it has full internal cable routing and is compatible with the Electronic Groupset.

The one-piece construction of high modulus carbon is said to offer a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio than a two-piece bar and stem combination, allowing it to withstand the stresses of World Tour pro sprinters.

Roval used Specialized's Retul bike fitting database to ensure that the ergonomics of the Rapide Cockpit fit a wide range of riders. The stem length ranges from 75mm to 125mm, and the width from 380mm to 440mm, with over 15 different length and width combinations, all with a stem angle of -6 degrees.

According to Roval, the 125mm drop and 75mm reach drop radius are designed for optimal wrist clearance in both aero-tach and out-of-saddle sprinting.

As expected, Specialized-sponsored pro riders used the new Roval Rapide Cockpit prior to its official launch. Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecký used the cockpit during their spring campaigns, while Fabio Jacobsen won the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico.

The new Roval Rapide cockpit is available immediately, priced at £475, $600, €580, and A$850.