Anyone with a keen eye for cycling technology may have discovered that Demi Vollering, Tim Merlier, and a handful of other professional sponsors pros have recently won the race riding a new version of the brand's Roval Rapide CLX wheel. Cyclingnews subscribers also saw them at the recent Giro d'Italia tech gallery and know that they are set to be called the Rapide CLX II team. 

Today we can bring you all the details, lifted the cover as a specialty, check the name of the wheelset, what is different and the most pressing, why it switched to the silver hub. 

The headline figure is a weight of 1,390 g (a loss of 130 grams compared to CLX II), an aerodynamic boost of 0.5 watts (now calm down), and better windward rigidity, which essentially translates into faster acceleration and better braking response. 

Specialized is released under the tagline "the fastest race wheels." But even if it's true, it's not really the story here. 

These are limited edition wheel sets totaling 1500 pieces worldwide, in a different way of construction than CLX II wheels. They are made in the same factory but using different resins, small lay-up overlaps, and redesigned hubs using the "best craftsmen" they had

where they really stand apart from the CLX II, however, they have a complete primo presentation with a whole host of accessories.

It includes a silver stitched Robal wheel bag, a replacement DT Swiss Sinc bearing, a complete complement to the Shimano HG and SRAM XDR freehub body, a spare DT Aerolight II spoke and nipple, a silver alloy Center lock disc Rotor lock ring, S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works Brand S-Works It includes a Dynaplug Racer Pro tire plug tool, a spare plug, two special turbo RapidAir tires, a pair of S-Works water bottles, and even a build card for each wheel showing the tension of the spokes, truth and more. 

Than just a slightly better wheelset, the Rapide CLX II Team Wheel is a ticket to exclusive clubs, premium experiences, more complete service and better products. This is an all-inclusive holiday, an ad-free experience, quick boarding and business class tickets. 

Bad News to join the CLX II Team Team、£3,000/$3,800/€3,700/ AU6 that you need to fork 6,000. It's a £500/€1,000/€1,000/AU premium1,600 premium on and over the CLX II wheels. 

We've spent the last week putting them through their paces, so read our Roval Rapide CLX II team review to see if we think they're worth that premium. 

According to Roval, initially only 50 of these wheelsets were set up and were designed specifically for professional professional riders. With such a small number of manufacturing, it was possible to attack the process in a different way of thinking than the Rapide CLX II, which is constrained by the ability of the production line to manufacture tens of thousands.

This process began with rethinking the carbon layup of the rim, resulting in a smaller overlap between each layup. This took more time, but saved 40 grams per rim. 

With the rim being designed, attention was focused on the hub, and starting with DT Swiss EXP internals, the brand designed its own low-flange hub shell. Roval claims that the new hub will increase the winding stiffness of the spokes for faster acceleration and brake response, saving 50 grams across the pair. 2 grams of that savings are courtesy of the switch from black to silver, removing the powder coating from the equation and simply clear coating the hub. 

Interestingly, brands like Cadex and Hunt recently switched to carbon spokes, but Robal decided to stick with the DT Swiss Aerolight II spokes. I asked the Roval Product Manager why, and his response was an interesting insight into Specialized and the entire bicycle system approach that Roval takes.

Roval tested the weight and aerodynamic performance of 7 different spoke models and concluded that the carbon fiber spokes were lighter, but Specialized had about 1.5 watts less aerodynamic. Given that the S-Works Tarmac does not need help hitting the UCI's minimum limit of 6.8kg, the brand was willing to take weight gain and retain the benefits of aero. 

As the Rapide CLX II wheelset continues to line up and specifications continue to change in the S-Works Tarmac SL8, there are similarities to draw, but this is not the equivalent of Roval's S-Works.

Instead, the CLX team wheelset will be a limited edition aftermarket upgrade while the stock continues. It will be. That said, you have to look at this space because the marketing material for Specialized's new wheels says, "This is just the beginning." 

They can be purchased immediately at a selected dealer or specialty's own website.