Specialized Release New Roval Control World Cup Wheelset, Super Fast Tyres and Phenom Pro Saddle

Roval Control WC Wheelset: Faster, lighter

Specialized are no stranger to the front of the race, and what makes you faster than lightweight wheels? Well, other than being incredibly genetically gifted, working extremely hard, making life sacrifices and a solid World Cup support network.

The new Roval Control Wheelset weighs a feathery 998g, making it the lightest cross country wheelset on the market. Here’s what Specialized have to say.

“Designed hand-in-hand with Specialized Factory Racing, the new Roval Control WC wheels are built for one purpose: World Cup-winning speed. Every detail, from engineering breakthroughs to hand-laid rims, delivers unmatched performance worthy of the rainbow stripes.

Every spoke, every gram, every millimetre of the Roval Control World Cup was born from relentless obsession—engineered and perfected in collaboration with our professional riders. The result? A wheelset that redefines what it means to race at the highest level. At just 998 grams, it’s the lightest XC wheel on the market, but it doesn’t stop there. With unmatched durability and ride quality, validated by our Factory Team, the Roval Control World Cup redefines speed, durability, and performance. This isn’t just a wheel. It’s the fastest World Cup wheel. Period.

World Cup-level componentry comes at a cost, however, with the wheelset retailing at $4800, significantly less than my first car, a Daihatsu Charade. You can purchase the wheels separately, with the front at $2000 and rear at $2800 AUD.

New Rubber: FastTrak and AirTrak 

The Specialized FastTrak is a longtime favourite of cross country racers worldwide. The FastTrak gets an upgrade and is now available in the lightest 60TPI Flex Lite or Grid Lite options with sidewall protection with a dual Gripton T5/T7 compound. The FastTrak is available in both 29”x2.2” and 29×2.35” options from 605g for the 2.2” option in Flex Lite to 690g for the 2.35” option with Grid Lite casing.

A new tyre, the Air Trak, targets all-out speed and is a super lightweight offering, again offered in the Flex Lite and Grid Lite casings, with the Gripton T5/T7 compound. Shaving 60g off the Renegade, this tyre is a light and fast 29” raceday special. Shallow centre knobs ensure minimal rolling resistance, while the slightly burlier side knobs help staying upright when the riding gets rowdy. The new Air Trak is available in the Flex Lite casing in 2.2” and 2.35” widths, and in the Grid Lite casing in 2.35” width.

Specialized pitch the Fast Track as the everyday cross country workhorse, while the Air Trak is for targeting high-level racing, whether than be your club champs or the World Cup.

Both the Air Trak and FastTrak retail at $80 AUD.

Extra Power, Hold the Pain: Specialized’s new Phenom Pro with Mirror

The Phenom Pro has been a long-term player in Specialized’s saddle line up. While models like the Power feature a short-nose design that has been increasingly popular, the Phenom has been a solid workhorse for both road and trail riders. With a reasonably flat design, featuring a small anatomical curve downwards on each side of the widest part of the saddle, the Phenom features an anatomical channel for riders who prefer the extra real estate of a standard-length saddle, but don’t want to compromise on comfort. Specialized explain how they have up-specced their Phenom with their Mirror 3D technology below.

“By combining our ergonomically designed, scientifically proven Body Geometry methodology with our game-changing Mirror 3D printing technology, we have created a family of saddles that deliver evidence-based superior performance and comfort, reducing sit bone pressure up to 28% while protecting soft tissue and improving blood flow. We’d like you to meet the newest member of that family — the Phenom Pro with Mirror — developed hand in hand with the best World Tour and World Cup riders.”

At $500, the Phenom Pro with Mirror is a premium offering, but if you’re heading out for hours on the bike, or race regularly it’s one component you don’t want to save money on.