Roval Rapide C38

The Roval Rapide C38 wheels are handbuilt and designed for use both on road and gravel surfaces, making them a very versatile choice. During testing they have been dependable, and the choice of DT Swiss components, including brass spoke nipples, mean durability should be excellent, although this does compromise weight a little. There are cheaper alternatives, but the Rovals have performed admirably; they make a great all-round package, a top choice for anyone looking for genuine year-round wheelset.

The new Rapide C38s are marketed as 'World Tour performance for everyone', claimed to be a true all-rounder capable of not only road rides but also robust enough to be used on gravel. At 1,620g (on our scales, with tubeless tape) they're not the lightest wheels in this category, for example the 45mm-deep Zipp 303S seem like an obvious competitor, and come in 70g lighter.

> Buy now: Roval Rapide C38 from Cycle Store for £999.00

There are some areas where the weight is easily justified – for example, those hoping to ride these wheels year-round will be grateful to see the use of brass spoke nipples. This adds about 40g in weight to the wheelset but will drastically improve durability, especially in salty and wet conditions – well worth it if you're not looking to use the wheels for hill climbs, as it could prevent time-consuming and costly wheel rebuilds further down the line.

The use of a steel freehub body will also add some weight, but means it won't get chewed up by cassettes like a lighter, softer aluminium one would.

Both front and rear you'll find DT Swiss 370 hubs which, although reliable and dependable, do seem a little low spec on a £1,150 wheelset. For example, we've recently reviewed some £999 Vel 38mm carbon wheels that are built around DT Swiss 240 hubs, which are a step up in hub hierarchy.

An issue I found with the 370 hubs is the lack of engagement points thanks to the use of an 18-tooth ratchet design, which results in a 20-degree turn of the wheel in between teeth. This is particularly noticeable on gravel, where speeds are often lower and you tend to stop and start pedalling more often. It gives a less direct feel than higher counts, and when freewheeling means there are large periods with no resistance on the pedals, which results in less control.

The positives are that it offers better durability and lower maintenance needs than higher tooth-count options, but if I was to buy this wheelset, my very next purchase would be the 36T or 54T upgrade kit.

It is very quiet – which will please some, though not all.

The 38mm-deep rims measure 21mm wide internally and 26.6mm externally. This means they're optimised for today's wider tyres and can be used with anything from a 22mm road tyre to 47mm gravel-orientated rubber.

During testing I've used the wheels both on and off the tarmac, using a set of 28mm Goodyear Eagle F1s on the road and 45mm Schwalbe G-Ones for everything else.

Both were set up tubeless with no issues, the rim profile of the Rovals lending itself to sealing easily with just a track pump. In both cases the tyre bead made its way to the hook of the rim with minimal encouragement, unlike deeper central-channelled rims, which can be more stubborn.

The Rovals come with tubeless valves, so there's no need to worry about sourcing your own, and are also taped, making set-up a doddle.

In the real world I was pleasantly surprised by the performance – 38mm rims are a really good choice if you're looking to gain some aero benefits over box sections rims without them being unrideable in windy conditions. With the recent storms there's been plenty of wind to test these wheels in and I can happily say this is a wheelset I would use year-round no matter the conditions.

Roval also says their rim 'aerodynamically outperforms many deeper, aero-specific rims', but unfortunately it provides no data, nor does it specify which rims they outperform. I obviously don't have a wind tunnel to test these claims for myself, but I do have a timed local circuit that I regularly ride, and they haven't put in some bad times.

On climbs and during accelerations the C38s hide their weight well, which is likely down to the impressive stiffness. Their 24 J bend spokes are laced 2-cross/radial and 2-cross/2-cross front and rear respectively; these also coming from DT Swiss so most bike shops are likely to have spares readily available.

The wheels are rated for riders up to 109kg, and also included in the purchase is a lifetime warranty, covering all defects in materials and workmanship. This goes beyond what many manufacturers usually offer. Even if you're not the first owner of the wheels, you'll still be covered for two years from the original purchase date.

Value

At £1,150 the C38s are a little more expensive than some comparable wheelsets. Those Vel 38 RSLs I mentioned earlier are not only the same depth but also have brass spoke nipples, are slightly lighter at 1,490g, and have an rrp of £999. Like the Rovals, the Vels are also handbuilt, which usually results in closer tolerances in trueness and spoke tension.

> Buyer’s Guide: 58 of the best road bike and gravel bike wheelsets

I've also looked at purchasing a set of Zipp 303S wheels. As I mentioned earlier, they're lighter than the Rovals at 1,550g, despite being 45mm deep, and cost £985, which makes them a very attractive proposition, but I've been seriously impressed by the performance of the Rovals, which can also be used with a wider range of tyres because of their hooked rims, whereas the Zipps have straight-sided rim walls, restricting you to to specific tubeless-ready tyres (with or without tubes).

Conclusion

Overall, the Rapide C38s are a very capable set of wheels and a great option for year-round riding. The brass spoke nipples, steel freehub body and use of DT Swiss components mean they should be extremely durable and cope with bad weather better than others. This does add a little weight, but doesn't appear to affect performance too drastically out on the road. My only other issue is the 18T freehub, but that's an easy fix with higher tooth-count options for the 370 hubs readily available.

Verdict

Very good versatile and durable year-round wheelset