ROVAL TERRA CLX II – AN ALL ROAD WINNER
The Roval Terra CLX II hits the jackpot for road and gravel cyclists. This one wheelset excels across a broader range of terrain and surfaces than most other high-performance all-road wheels we’ve tested and does so at a better price.
My fellow tester Miles calls the Roval Terra CLX II “quiver killers” after doing a range of road, gravel, and cyclocross rides and races on them. I used them to “cat up” and keep up on lumpy group road rides and challenging gravel ones.
By definition, all-road wheels perform well both on and off road. They don’t have weaknesses on either surface. But while some are good at a lot of things and even better at others, the Roval Terra CLX II wheelset is better at most things.
For example, the Terra CLX II excels on New England gravel rides where there is typically 1000 feet of climbing every 10 miles. It flies uphill on 38-40mm range tires, handles well through the loose corners, and is stout on Class IV technical sections.
After training with these Rovals on gravel for a week, Miles chose them for the unforgiving Vermont Overland race. The Overland includes seriously rocky and unmaintained logging roads where you need to pick your lines carefully while still going fast (it’s a race!). Light on the climbs, tough in the rough stuff, and confidence-inspiring through the corners, the Terra CLX was the right choice.
Being both stiff and lightweight (1278 grams with HG freehub), they also go uphill as well as any dedicated road climbing wheelset we’ve tested. Miles set some climbing PRs with these wheels while I kept up with my buds on climbs where I typically get dropped.
Yet, despite their weight and relatively low profile (33.0mm measured), they are also great all-around road and racing wheels. With 28mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tires inflated in the low 50psi range (25.3mm internal width, 68kg rider weight), you’ve got a race-ready setup.
The Terra CLX II wheels’ ability to maintain speed on fast courses surprised us. While you would want deeper wheels for a flat time trial, these Rovals handle better than most of any depth when cornering, on descents, and over rolling terrain. They snap up to speed in sprints, and you can drive them through corners.
Riding the Terra CLX II as a last-minute replacement for a damaged, deeper wheelset, a rider we loaned them to felt these characteristics early into a highly technical, six-corner crit. That inspired confident, aggressive riding and a finish position as high as he could have hoped for on any wheels.
Stable in sidewinds, the Terra CLX II is also very compliant. That might be surprising for a wheelset as responsive when accelerating and cornering as these. But given the ample internal rim width, there’s plenty of opportunity to create a comfortable combination with the right tires and inflation pressure.
Miles paired the Roval Terra CLX II with 40mm Schwalbe G-One RS (review coming) at 20 psi front, 23 psi rear inflation pressure. They tracked well over the Vermont Overland’s wet, rocky surface this year, providing enough give through the wheels, bike, and hands that he still felt safe through the tough, MTB-type descents and his body wasn’t wrecked after the race.
I rode 28mm Vittoria Corsa Pro TLRs at 60psi on the Terra CLX II for a ride filled with climbs and rollers on cracked, mostly worn pavement that felt supremely comfortable at my touch points. If only my legs and lungs felt half as good!
Roval uses the DT Swiss 180 ratchet EXP internals with ceramic bearings in their CLX II hubs, ones I find roll smoother and quieter when easily and regularly cleaned and greased than DT Swiss’s 240 internals.
If you love to mix it up and ride aggressively, fast, and comfortably on a range of road, gravel, and cyclocross terrain and surfaces, the Roval Terra CLX II with the right tires is an all-road winner.
Note that it’s the Roval Terra CLX II I’ve reviewed here. The first generation Terra CLX (heavier and no longer made), Terra CL (different hub and spokes, heavier), Terra C (different rim, hub, and spokes, considerably heavier), and Terra CLX EVO (dedicated gravel wheels) while less expensive, perform differently enough not to be considered in the same all-road performance discussion with the Terra CLX II.
And at its US$2500, £2500, or €2850 retail price, while not cheap, the Roval Terra CLX II is still less than its all-road competition in most currencies. You can order it while supporting the site’s ability to provide more independent reviews like this one at no additional cost to you when you buy it through this link to Performance Bike.
See how this wheelset compares to others in my review of the Best All Road Wheels.
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Thanks, and enjoy your rides safely! Cheers, Steve
I was contemplating between this and the alpinist clx ii wheelset for my tarmac SL7. Do you think this is just as fast as the alpinist wheelset? I like the 25mm internal width of the terra clx ii. Vs 21mm internal (I think) on the alpinist clx ii wheelset.
Thanks,
Flint
As fast or faster as you can use wider tires to reduce rolling resistance
I’m trying to choose between ROVAL terra clx and ZIPP 353 NSW (i can get the two for the same price, so not an argument) on an s-works sl8.
I’m riding essentially on the moutains where i live, and i tend to like to ride shallowers wheels with the years (especially for better cornering and maniability). I used to ride 60mm height wheels, then 51mm Bontrager and want to go shallower for next year. Since i tried wider inner width, i really like the comfort and ride feeling, and don’t want to go for less than 23mm IW wheelset with 28c tires. I race at an elite level (allround type of rider) on different type of profils so performance is important and ability on the flat is a plus.
(I considered Enve 4.5, but they are heavier and want to go shallower for every day training ride, i tried the roval rapide and didn’t like them on descent, they also weren’t better than my Bontrager on the flat).
Wich one do you actually recommend ?
Thank you for your answer.
Sam, hard to know without a lot more info about your riding and racing profile. Your concern about weight, depth and width seems to trump performance. Dimensions don’t determine performance. Bontrager RSL 51, ENVE SES 4.5, and Zipp 454 NSW are all faster in our experience than the Roval Terra CLX II and Zipp 353 NSW on the flat and rollers and don’t suffer from cross winds. In the mountains Roval Terra CLX II and Zipp 353 NSW will both excel but the other three won’t hold you back. At the same price, between the two you’ve fixed on I’d chose the 353 but if you can get the 454 also at the same price, that’d be the best mountain and flat/roller all arounder. Steve
Hi Steve and crew, will these Terra CLX2 with 32-35c road tires give up any road performance compared to a deeper all road whee such as the ENVE SES 4.5? The terrain is rolling, with some occasional larger climbs.
Looking for an all road wheelset for 32-38 tire size.
Zach, with that width tire, they won’t give up much aero performance vs. the deeper ENVE 4.5. Steve
Thanks Steve really appreciate your website and candid comments from your review team.
Think I should seriously be considering another wheelset from your review? SES 3.4, etc.
See our reviews and rankings of all road wheels here: https://intheknowcycling.com/all-road-wheels/
Roval Terra CLX II or Roval Alpinist CLX II for climbing in alps, which will be better when descending? 30C/32C GP 5000 Tire with inner tube.
Kris, Terra CLX II will be better descending on that width tire. The Terra rim has an internal width of 25mm and will support the wider tire in corners than the 21mm internal width of the Alpinist. Steve
Hi, im building a new MOG frame that will be mostly used on road. Looking at these CLXII and the Reserve 40|44 GR wheels to be used with 42C Sworks pathfinder. Any comment? mostly concerned with the different depth.
Enrique, I’m partial to the CLXII. I’ve not tested the 40|44 GR but did compare the CLXII, 40|44, and other all-road wheels in this post https://intheknowcycling.com/all-road-wheels/ Depth won’t make a difference to aero performance with tires as wide as those. Steve
Hi there. I had switched from my using my zipp 303 firectest and hunt 35 carbon gravel to these clx 2 wheels, and have noticed that my sworks pathfinder 42mm seem to wander and loose traction more easily on loose gravel downhills on the CLX than on the previous two wheel sets with the same tire. Do you think this could have to do with the wheel being hooked vs hookless? Or maybe I’m just over analyzing. Wondering your thoughts. Thanks!
Hi Ryan, Hard to say. Inflation pressure should to be a bit higher on hooked rims. If you’re underinflating that could cause an issue though I wouldn’t think a couple psi difference would cause it to wander and lose traction. Perhaps tire is due for replacement? BTW, I never found the S-Works Pathfinder tires to be great on loose surfaces. Better on harder dirt and paved ones. Steve
Hi Ryan, What is the measured width of the 28mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR on the Terra CLX 2 ?
The real weight is really 1270g ?
I have 28mm GP5000 on CLX (inner 20.7) and their width is about 28.2mm
Bat, the Terra CLX II are a far wider wheelset (25.3 internal width, 30.6 external by my measurements) than your measured CLX width. At 60psi, I measured the 28mm GP5K S TR right around 30.0 mm wide on those wheels. However, aero performance isn’t going to play much of a role on relatively shallow wheels like the Terra so I’d go with a wider tire like a 30 or 32mm version to get you lower vibrational rolling resistance. Steve
you made a comment that the roval terra clx ii differed fairly well from the clx evo. Do you have a public review of the evo? I am curious to know your observed differences between the two wheelsets given they are so similar. Thanks.
Hi Derek, I haven’t reviewed the CLX EVO. They are 30mm internal vs. the 25mm internal on the CLX II. That makes them more of a dedicated gravel wheelset and well-suited to the trend of 50mm and MTB tires on gravel wheels for racing. The CLX II is more of an all-road wheelset suitable for road (28mm-35mm) and gravel tire widths. You can also get the CLX EVO in 650B size. Steve