Only sold as pair; weight 1,594g
Contact: www.specialized.com

Specialized has all the bases covered with its Traversee wheelset, as the front hub is QR, 20mm and 25mm compatible. Spokes are straight-pull DT Super Comp with Pro Lock nipples and the rear hub sports DT’s star ratchet internals, so pick-up is reliable but only half as fast as Shimano. Sealing on the disc brake side of the front hub isn’t great when using the 25mm insert and the bearing froze up once it had been left to stand for a couple of weeks.
The light, low-profile E5 rims are Specialized’s own and the 21mm internal width is ideal for large-volume trail tyres. Additionally, the front uses a 24-hole rim versus 28 on the rear — seeing as the rear wheel bears the brunt of abuse this seems like a good way to save weight without compromising strength.
We’ve been running the Traversee wheels with the tubeless-ready set-up supplied, and even thought the rims have seen clatter on plenty of rocks, as yet, there are no dents. They are as light as XC wheels from most manufacturers , but with a sensible rim width the Roval Traversee is the only wheelset on test that is guaranteed to make you go faster.

MBR RATING: 9/10