Roval Wheels
01-01-11, 12:58 PM
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Roval Wheels
My new Vitus came with the Roval wheels that were original to the bike.
I haven't much much on the wheelset - which probably doesn't have anything to do with the modern Specialized-Roval wheels - so I took some photos.
They were one of the first shots at an aerodynamic wheelset, and the hot set of wheels in the mid-80's around here.
They featured streamlined hubs with strange lacing, bladed spokes with a T head, and hidden spoke nipples in their special rims.
This front wheel is 18 spokes - 9 laced radially per side
The rear wheel is 24 spokes - 16 laced cross one on the drive side and 8 radial on the off side.
Link to a few more photos here
I haven't much much on the wheelset - which probably doesn't have anything to do with the modern Specialized-Roval wheels - so I took some photos.
They were one of the first shots at an aerodynamic wheelset, and the hot set of wheels in the mid-80's around here.
They featured streamlined hubs with strange lacing, bladed spokes with a T head, and hidden spoke nipples in their special rims.
This front wheel is 18 spokes - 9 laced radially per side
The rear wheel is 24 spokes - 16 laced cross one on the drive side and 8 radial on the off side.
Link to a few more photos here
Last edited by Chuckk; 01-03-11 at 08:25 AM.
01-01-11, 02:46 PM
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cool wheels I hate to say it but I remember when they were the coolest thing on the TT circuit. I used to have some basic info about them somewhere.....
I want to say WM Lewis down in TX was the original distrubutor of them
I want to say WM Lewis down in TX was the original distrubutor of them
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
01-01-11, 02:55 PM
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I have a front one that I picked up at the coop it is a 22 spoke clincher, I have it on my Cannondale and it looks great but I'm a smidge worried about its durability!
01-02-11, 02:06 PM
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The main issue I've had with Rovals is de-tensioning.
The nipples sit atop a serrated metal washer and a thick nylon washer. Over time, the plastic washers compress and the wheel is left with very little tension.
Making matters worse, the spoke nipples seem to have been LocTited at the factory and it is possible to shear the threaded end off while tightening.
I recommend a thorough tensioning using a tensiometer. I would recommend always loosening each nipple before tightening it for the first time, as there is thus considerably less torque on the spoke when first breaking the LocTite bond.
Thereafter, these are strong wheels, with a large hollow rim cross-section made the traditional way, formed from thin-walled round tubing rather that from an extrusion.
Other nice details:
Fine-threaded axle is stronger due to shallower threads (I've run mine as 8-speed, no problems). Hubs perhaps(?) by Maillard: They briefly also used fine-thread axles.
The hubs polish up readily, and the decals are durable.
They seem to all be English/Italian threaded.
Rear "G3-style" spoke count arrangement fairly equalizes tension between left and right spokes.
Not so good:
The nylon washers (tho I've never broken one).
The excellent bearings use proprietary axle and cones, so leave some play before tightening the QR (or you might be searching forever for a replacement).
The rims are fairly proprietary also, given their dimensions, spoke count and that they require special washers/nipples.
The spokes are also proprietary, having a "T" head design. I have used "nail-head" spokes in a pinch, but it's good to have a spare (bent) wheel for parts like cones, spokes, nipples, axle.
There are also clincher Rovals from the same era. Look the same but have an extruded rim so are heavier. These are rather rare, as are the tubular version with matte-silver rims (I've got 'em all
)
The nipples sit atop a serrated metal washer and a thick nylon washer. Over time, the plastic washers compress and the wheel is left with very little tension.
Making matters worse, the spoke nipples seem to have been LocTited at the factory and it is possible to shear the threaded end off while tightening.
I recommend a thorough tensioning using a tensiometer. I would recommend always loosening each nipple before tightening it for the first time, as there is thus considerably less torque on the spoke when first breaking the LocTite bond.
Thereafter, these are strong wheels, with a large hollow rim cross-section made the traditional way, formed from thin-walled round tubing rather that from an extrusion.
Other nice details:
Fine-threaded axle is stronger due to shallower threads (I've run mine as 8-speed, no problems). Hubs perhaps(?) by Maillard: They briefly also used fine-thread axles.
The hubs polish up readily, and the decals are durable.
They seem to all be English/Italian threaded.
Rear "G3-style" spoke count arrangement fairly equalizes tension between left and right spokes.
Not so good:
The nylon washers (tho I've never broken one).
The excellent bearings use proprietary axle and cones, so leave some play before tightening the QR (or you might be searching forever for a replacement).
The rims are fairly proprietary also, given their dimensions, spoke count and that they require special washers/nipples.
The spokes are also proprietary, having a "T" head design. I have used "nail-head" spokes in a pinch, but it's good to have a spare (bent) wheel for parts like cones, spokes, nipples, axle.
There are also clincher Rovals from the same era. Look the same but have an extruded rim so are heavier. These are rather rare, as are the tubular version with matte-silver rims (I've got 'em all
)
Last edited by dddd; 01-02-11 at 02:15 PM.
01-03-11, 08:21 AM
#7
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Mine have a blob of blue nut lock on each nipple.
Last edited by Chuckk; 01-03-11 at 08:24 AM.
01-03-11, 08:15 PM
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Good find!
Now I wonder how well those instructions work for wheels going on 30-yrs-old?
They make some good points, and good info there, though there should have been a tension specification provided as the spokes are prone to self-detension.
I've never added Loctite, even on the spokes I literally had to make to work on those wheels, then again at my 155# the spokes see less of any cyclic tensioning/detensioning, and I make sure the tensions are all very even as well.
Now I wonder how well those instructions work for wheels going on 30-yrs-old?
They make some good points, and good info there, though there should have been a tension specification provided as the spokes are prone to self-detension.
I've never added Loctite, even on the spokes I literally had to make to work on those wheels, then again at my 155# the spokes see less of any cyclic tensioning/detensioning, and I make sure the tensions are all very even as well.
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