The cycling portion of a triathlon usually takes up 50% of the total time, and this is where equipment choices can make the difference between first and fifth. And no other gear choice will save you more time than a lenticular wheel. While traditional lenticular wheels are faster than spoked wheels, the Roval Disc 321 lenticular wheel turns conventional design on its head, creating the fastest wheel available on the market.

Lenticular wheels often fall into two categories: a completely flat shape, with a structure that comes from carbon fiber and a honeycomb foam filler, or a spoke wheel that has been paired with a carbon fiber cap.

In our quest to break traditions, the 321 uses a single layer of 1k carbon fiber on each side of the wheel, and it all comes together at the brake track bridge. This type of carbon fiber is rarely used in bicycle components due to its high manufacturing cost, but it offers a lot of performance benefits. This coveted carbon is much lighter than other types of designs, such as 3k and 12k, and can only be fitted by the most skilled carbon fiber craftsmen. It’s complicated, but the payoff is worth it, offering a supple ride and one of the lightest disc wheels available. And in the real world, this means it will turn quickly and reduce fatigue in the long run.

Stiffness is often the “hot topic” in the world of lenticular wheels, but we think it’s an interesting conversation. It has long been thought that efficient energy transfer and high stiffness are directly correlated, but through extensive testing, we have determined that this is not the case at all. In fact, our initial lenticular was so stiff that, when power was increased, it did not flex with the frame and this caused brake rubbing. This erroneously creates the perception of a flexible wheel, when in reality, the wheel is too stiff. To solve the brake rubbing problem, we first designed our optimal aerodynamic shape and then worked on our internal stiffness targets to fit within what we consider desirable frame stiffness.

And while overall light weight was a development priority, our focus was on aerodynamics. Through hours of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Wind Tunnel testing, we developed a new shape that is optimized to work with a tire for the airflow of the bike. This results in a carbon disc wheel that, on the non-drive side, has a shape that is as aerodynamic as our current understanding allows, and a shape on the drive side that is as aerodynamic as the space between the wheel and the chainring and derailleur allows.

To save every possible watt, we’ve also added CeramicSpeed bearings and DT Swiss 240 internals to our hub. Each 321 Lenticular wheel is 2Bliss-Ready and comes with a padded wheel bag, quick release, tubeless valve, and SwissStop Black Prince brake pads. Designed for the world’s most uncompromising athletes, with engineering to match, the 321 is the world’s most advanced disc lenticular.