Astral Radiant Rim Brake Rim
The Astral Radiant is the light alloy rim-brake road rim from Astral, the rim brand of Rolf Prima in Eugene, Oregon: a modern wide bed for 25 to 32mm tires, a shallow section that keeps the weight down and the ride comfortable, a machined brake track and a tubeless-ready bed with Astral's Tubeless Easy shelf. It is the alloy rim we build for classic rim-brake road bikes that want a light, comfortable, tubeless wheel from a company that builds wheels for a living.
This page covers the Astral Radiant Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Radiant comes from us only as a finished wheel: pick the hub, spokes and nipples, and we lace, tension and true it by hand in Georgia before it ships.
Design and construction
The Radiant is a welded double-wall aluminum rim with a 20mm-class inner bed that supports a 25 to 28mm tire with a round, fast profile and works up to 32mm, a machined brake track on both sides, and a Tubeless Easy bead that seats a tubeless tire with a floor pump. The spoke holes are angled toward the hub flanges so the nipples sit straight, and the section is shallow for weight and comfort. Standard nipples, J-bend spokes, rim brake only. The Solstice is the deeper alloy sibling.
How it rides
A Radiant wheel rides like a good modern alloy road rim should: light on the climbs, comfortable on rough tarmac with a 28mm tubeless tire, and predictable in corners because the tire is properly supported. The machined brake track brakes well in the wet. For a deeper, stiffer alloy rim the Solstice is the choice; for a light, comfortable rim-brake road wheel, the Radiant is the Astral rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 577 (29in) |
| Inner width | 19.5 mm |
| Depth | 32 mm |
| Drillings | 24h, 28h, 32h |
| Weight | 495g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
About this listing
Version notes. 700c, 24h, 28h, 32h, about 495g, 19.5mm inside, 32mm deep, rim-brake. The other sizes and brake versions of the Radiant have their own listings; this page is for this one.
This is the rim-brake Radiant, 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 Radiant Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c and 24h, 28h, 32h drilling. It is a rim-brake road rim. We build the Radiant on Bitex RAF and RAR 12, DT Swiss 350 and 240, Shimano, White Industries T11, Chris King R45 and Velocity Race Road hubs, usually with Sapim Laser, Race or CX-Ray spokes or DT Competition and Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the Radiant is 25 to 32mm. Pick road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it into a wheel
This rim is live in our Custom Wheel Program for road rim brake, track and road single-speed and touring builds. Start a build with the Astral Radiant Rim Brake Rim and the configurator opens with this exact rim pinned at the top of the Astral / Rolf list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
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.
Testing, standards and warranty at Astral
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 Radiant; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. We measure the rim before we cut a spoke, bring the wheel up in three or four rounds with a gauge, stress-relieve it between rounds and true it last, then tape it and fit a valve if you want it tubeless.
Only compatible hubs and spokes appear in the configurator, impossible combinations are struck through rather than hidden, and the price is live.
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. Wheels we build around this part are covered by our own one-year warranty alongside the maker's. Within the year: broken spokes replaced regardless of cause, and the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning or a complete rebuild - included. A manufacturer-covered rim or hub failure is a claim we make and manage for you; one they will not cover is answered with an eligible replacement at 25% off retail. Shipping each way is yours. Parts you supply yourself fall outside it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Radiant Rim Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 19.5mm 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.
Radiant or Solstice?
Radiant for a light, comfortable climbing and all-round rim; Solstice for a deeper, stiffer rim that suits heavier riders and fast group rides.
Is the Radiant tubeless?
Yes. Astral's Tubeless Easy bead seats a tubeless tire with a floor pump; we tape and fit a valve on request.
What tires fit the Radiant?
25 to 32mm. A 28mm tire is the pairing most of our customers run.
Is the Radiant disc compatible?
No. It is a rim-brake rim with a machined brake track; the Wanderlust is Astral's alloy disc rim.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Astral lists the Radiant 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.
