Astral Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim
The Astral Leviathan is the tandem rim from Astral, the rim brand of Rolf Prima in Eugene, Oregon, and the name is accurate: a heavy-duty alloy rim-brake rim with thick walls, a deep machined brake track that lasts through the braking loads two riders produce, a wide bed for 28 to 40mm tires, and 40 and 48 hole drilling. Rolf Prima builds tandem wheels for a living and the Leviathan is the rim it uses, and it is the rim we build for tandems, heavy touring bikes and cargo bikes with rim brakes.
This page covers the Astral Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim in 700c. The Leviathan is sold here only inside a wheel we build: choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator and the finished wheel ships from Georgia, laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The Leviathan is a welded double-wall aluminum rim with walls thicker than any other Astral rim, a section deep enough to be stiff under two riders and their luggage, a machined brake track with plenty of material to wear, and a spoke bed that takes the very high tension a 48-spoke tandem wheel wants. The spoke holes are angled toward the hub flanges so the nipples sit straight. Standard nipples, J-bend spokes, rim brake, 40 and 48 hole.
How it rides
A Leviathan wheel is steady. It does not flex under a tandem in a sprint, it does not go out of true after a week of loaded touring, and the brake track lasts. It is heavy, and on a tandem that already weighs forty pounds that is the right trade. With 48 DT Champion or Sapim Strong spokes on a Phil Wood, White Industries or Velocity tandem hub it is the definitive tandem wheel.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 577 (29in) |
| Inner width | 20 mm |
| Depth | 32 mm |
| Drillings | 32h, 36h, 40h |
| Weight | 515g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This version
This version is the Leviathan tandem in 700c, drilled 32h, 36h, 40h, about 515g, 20mm inside, 32mm deep, disc. Where the same rim is sold in another size or brake type, that is a separate listing with its own page.
The disc version of the Leviathan tandem has no brake track, so the sidewall is a plain extrusion that saves a little weight and never wears; it is the one to choose for any disc-brake frame. The rim-brake version, listed separately, has a machined sidewall.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Astral Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim comes in 700c and 32h, 36h, 40h drilling. It is a rim-brake rim. We build the Leviathan on Phil Wood, White Industries, Velocity Tandem and Shimano tandem hubs, with DT Champion or Sapim Strong spokes and brass nipples.
Tire range on the Leviathan is 28 to 40mm. Pick tandem or touring as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for tandem and e-bike builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Astral Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
Spoke head is decided by the hub, not the rim: this rim builds equally well with J-bend or straight-pull spokes, and the configurator only offers the spokes that match the hub you pick.
How Astral tests its rims
Astral Cycling is the rim brand of Rolf Prima; both operate from one facility in Eugene, Oregon, where Rolf Prima states alloy rim production has been in-house since 2014. Astral joins alloy rims with a press-fit sleeve about 2.5 inches long weighing 4-5 g that doubles the wall thickness at the joint, avoiding the heat-affected zone of welding. All wheels are hand-built in Eugene. Rolf Prima states it does not farm out testing and has logged "over 10,000 hours of lab testing to above industry standards."
Astral and Rolf state they use ISO 4210 "as a base starting point but it is not tough enough." Their drum fatigue tester runs at 47 mph against the ISO 15 mph, putting over 3 times the energy into the wheel, with a life requirement 66% higher than ISO. Impact tests use a calibrated steel anvil to the UCI 40 J standard and then a higher in-house level, at spokes, between spokes and at the valve hole, including pre-heated rims. Rolf's carbon brake protocol runs ISO 4210 dry and wet tests, 300 W for 15 minutes twice, 400 W for 16 minutes twice, 450 W and 500 W for 16 minutes, and 500 W for 3 minutes followed by the UCI impact test with no failure allowed. No rider weight limit is stated.
Astral's videos
From Astral
Certifications
- Made in USA (alloy rims and wheels) — Astral and Rolf Prima state alloy rims are rolled and all wheels hand-built in their Eugene, Oregon facility; rim production in-house since 2014 (source)
- ISO 4210 base + in-house standard — Fatigue drum at 47 mph vs ISO 15 mph, life requirement 66% above ISO; UCI 40 J impact plus higher in-house level; ISO 4210 dry/wet brake tests (source)
- UCI note — Rolf Prima FAQ: Aspin and Elan family are 'Standard' wheels not requiring UCI approval; no approved-model list verified (source)
- Rolf Prima Certainty — In-house engineering and testing lab, eleven patents, over 10,000 hours of lab testing, 5-year warranty, lifetime crash replacement (source)
Sources on Astral's site:
- Testing – Astral Cycling
- FAQ's – Astral Cycling
- Astral Rim Warranty – Astral Cycling
- Technology – Astral Cycling
- Rim Joining: The Process and the Mystery – Astral Cycling
The figures, certificates and media above are Astral's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Astral makes the Leviathan tandem; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Spokes are cut from the ERD we measure on the actual rim, the wheel comes up in stages on a tensiometer, and it is stress-relieved and trued before it goes in the box; tape and a valve go on if you ask.
The configurator filters to what fits, crosses out what is not made, and prices the build as you go.
Tandem or touring Leviathan?
The Leviathan is listed twice because it is sold for two quite different jobs, and this is the tandem listing - the only one of the two we offer for tandem builds. A tandem puts roughly twice the load through one wheel, usually with a high spoke count and often with a drum or disc adding its own torque, and a 515g 29in rim with a 577mm ERD is there to take it.
If the bike is a solo tourer rather than a tandem, take the touring listing instead - same rim, but the build around it is specified differently and we will spec it for one rider.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Rolf Prima gives a one-year limited warranty on its wheels under normal use. Astral is Rolf Prima's rim brand; ask us and we will confirm the current terms for the exact rim before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 20mm inside this is a road width. It suits roughly 25 to 32mm tires, which is where most road bikes now sit, and it will run a 23 if you still want one. Go much wider than 32 on this rim and the tire starts to balloon above the sidewalls and squirm when you lean on it.
What spoke count should a Leviathan tandem wheel have?
40 or 48; the configurator recommends from your team weight.
Is the Leviathan tubeless?
No. It is a tube-type tandem rim built for load.
Is the Leviathan disc compatible?
No. It is a rim-brake rim with a deep machined brake track; ask us about disc tandem rims.
Can I use the Leviathan on a cargo bike?
Yes. Its thick walls and high spoke counts suit cargo bikes and heavy touring rigs with rim brakes.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Astral Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim?
No. Astral makes the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Astral lists the Leviathan Tandem Disc Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
