Specialized’s Roval Fatties were some of the first wider trail wheels available and their light weight and flowing ride feel will suit longdistance cruisers. They’re too flexy and slow on the uptake for pinners though. The shallow rim comes well-taped and with valves installed, so tubeless inflation is immediate and easy. At 28mm, it supports 2.4 to 2.5in tyres well. The carefully thought out spoke arrangement gives a soft, forgiving ride over rough terrain. They’re light and easily hopped around, and the DT Swiss rear internals are totally dependable. Excessive flex means steering accuracy and front tyre feedback is woeful though, and they feel mushy and lacking in muscle under both braking and driving torque. The freehub is slow to engage too, creating a clunky lag on the trail.
Weight 810g+920g= 1,730g
Width 28mm/32mm
Freehub lag 15°
Sizes 650b, 29in
Price $660
