Astral Solstice Disc Rim
The Astral Solstice is the deeper alloy rim-brake road rim from Astral, the rim brand of Rolf Prima in Eugene, Oregon: a semi-aero section that adds stiffness and a hint of aero over the Radiant, a modern wide bed for 25 to 32mm tires, a machined brake track and Astral's Tubeless Easy bead. It is the alloy rim we build for rim-brake road bikes ridden hard by heavier riders, crit racers and fast group rides.
This page covers the Astral Solstice Disc Rim in 700c. The Solstice 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 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 Solstice wheel is stiff and quick. The depth does not flex in a sprint, the wide bed keeps a 28mm tire comfortable, and the machined brake track brakes well. It is a little heavier than the Radiant and a good deal stiffer. For a light climbing wheel the Radiant is the choice; for a fast, tough alloy rim-brake road wheel, the Solstice is the Astral rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 594.5 (29in) |
| Inner width | 20 mm |
| Depth | 22 mm |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h |
| Weight | 405g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 700c listing of the Solstice, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, about 405g, 20mm inside, 22mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The disc version of the Solstice 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 Solstice Disc Rim comes in 700c and 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h drilling. It is a rim-brake road rim. We build the Solstice 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 Race, CX-Ray or Laser spokes or DT Competition and Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the Solstice is 25 to 32mm. Pick road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for gravel and road disc and track and road single-speed builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Astral Solstice 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.
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 Solstice; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every Solstice 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. Built into a wheel by us, this part is covered by our own one-year wheel warranty on top of the maker's. For a year we replace broken spokes whatever caused them, and we cover the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild if it needs one. If a rim or hub fails and its maker covers it, we run that claim for you; if the maker says no, you get an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off retail. You pay the shipping each way. Wheels built from parts you send us are excluded.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Solstice 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.
Which spokes and nipples suit the Solstice?
For most riders a double-butted spoke such as Sapim Race or DT Competition with brass nipples; lighter riders can go to Sapim Laser or CX-Ray. The configurator recommends a gauge and count for the Solstice from your bike type and weight.
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 Solstice 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.
