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2019 Specialized Control Carbon SL BOOST 29 MTB Wheelset

The 2019 Specialized Control Carbon SL BOOST 29 MTB Wheelset โ€“ 25mm Inner Rim are as tough and stiff as they are light, with all of the handling characteristics that seasoned XC riders have come to expect. Just being a flyweight wheel is no longer sufficient. These days, wheels need to be more like the new Control SL 29 with 148 rear spacing. Designed to be the ultimate cross country wheels, they had to be light in order to be low in the inertia and weight departments, strong enough to take on rocks and roots on a short-travel race bike, and wide enough so that the tyre profile was optimised for both traction and rolling resistanceโ€”not an easy feat. To check all of these design boxes, Specialized started by looking at their Traverse SL rim to see if they could extract the wide-rim benefits while keeping the weight at, or below, the previous Control SLโ€”the existing benchmark. The Specialized engineers meticulously went through rim shape developments to find the perfect balance and optimal geometry, and after fine-tuning multiple layup iterations and schedules, ended with a 25-millimetre internal width rim that’s approximately the same weight as the previous Control SL. Being able to add material and width (3mm to be exact), without a weight penalty makes for a stronger XC wheel. The new, wider rim tested is not only stronger, but faster. Keeping the Zero Bead Hook design, the new Control SL rim keeps all the sought-after features that come with this designโ€”added impact resistance, easy tubeless tyre installation, and a better tyre seal on the rim. And with a lighter rim, you’re also rewarded with extremely low inertia, that translates to faster accelerations for the punchy efforts required of XC racing. Each wheel is built by hand where the refined 2Bliss Ready rim is matched to CNC-machined hubs with DT Swiss Competition Race spokes. The hub internals feature sealed bearings and DT Swiss 240 internals with a 54-tooth star ratchet in the rear, making for lightning fast engagement. Finally, with the 110/148 variant, you receive all of the benefits that Boost spacing offers. By increasing the width of the front and rear hub flanges, and in turn, increasing frame and fork clearance and stiffness, you obtain a stiffer, stronger, and more durable system at a minor weight penalty. If you’re in need of sub-1400-gram, race-ready wheelset that has handling and strength of a modern trail wheel, the Control SL 29 148 is the perfect choice. Features Rim Type: Carbon clincher, 2Bliss Ready, Zero Bead Hook design. Black graphic under clear coat. Rim Material: Carbon fibre Rim Width: 25mm internal Front Spoke Pattern: Radial/Three-cross (2:1) Rear Spoke Pattern: Three-cross (1:1) Spoke Count: 24-hole Front, 28-hole Rear Spoke Type: DT Swiss Competition Race Nipple Type: DT Swiss Pro Lock hexagonal Front Hub: DT Swiss Internals, 15x110mm thru-axle, 15mm end caps included (19mm & 31mm OD) Rear Hub: CNC-machined alloy body, high-quality DT 240 internals and 54t quick engagement ratchet system cassette, includes SRAM XX1 11-speed freehub and 148 end caps Includes 148 drive-side end cap for 10-speed freehub bodyโ€”freehub sold separately Bearing Type: Sealed cartridge Assembly Method: Hand-built Includes Roval Tubeless Plugs for the lightest possible tubeless setup and tubeless valve stems in order to make tubeless set-up a touch easier. Total Wheelset Weight: 1330g