Astral Leviathan Tandem Rim Brake 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 Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Leviathan is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in 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 | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 700c listing of the Leviathan tandem, 32h, 36h, 40h, about 515g, 20mm inside, 32mm deep, rim-brake. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
This is the rim-brake Leviathan tandem, with machined sidewalls for caliper, cantilever or V-brakes. Choose it for a rim-brake frame; for a disc-brake bike the disc version, listed separately, drops the brake track and a few grams.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Astral Leviathan Tandem Rim Brake 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 it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the Astral Leviathan Tandem Rim Brake Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for tandem and e-bike builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
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.
What Astral says about testing
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."
Warranty: Astral states alloy rims are covered two years and carbon rims five years for the original owner, excluding impact damage; Rolf Prima wheels (2016 and newer) carry five years, bearings two years, plus lifetime discounted crash replacement for registered wheels.
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
Astral publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Astral makes the Leviathan tandem; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every Leviathan tandem wheel we build gets spokes cut from the rim's measured ERD, is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
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. Lace this into a wheel here and the finished wheel gets our own one-year warranty as well as the maker's. For twelve months we replace broken spokes however they broke, and the work on the wheel is on us - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild where it is needed. If the rim or hub is covered by its manufacturer we put the claim in and chase it; if it is not, we supply an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off the current retail price. Carriage both ways is the customer's, and this does not cover wheels built from parts you send in.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Leviathan Tandem Rim Brake 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 it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Astral lists the Leviathan Tandem Rim Brake Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Which spoke count should I choose?
It depends on your weight, terrain and the hub, not the rim alone. The configurator recommends a count from your bike type and rider weight, within the drillings this rim is made in.
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.
