Astral Solstice Rim Brake 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 Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Solstice is built to order here. Choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
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 | 595 (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 | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the Solstice in 700c with 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h drilling, about 405g, 20mm inside, 22mm deep, rim-brake. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
The rim-brake version of the Solstice carries a machined braking surface on each sidewall, which is what a caliper or cantilever brake needs. It weighs a few grams more than the disc version and it is the one to choose for a rim-brake frame; the disc version is listed separately.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Astral Solstice Rim Brake 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.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the Astral Solstice Rim Brake Rim — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this rim pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for road rim brake and track and road single-speed builds.
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.
Astral's testing and certifications
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
Everything in this section is published by Astral. ProWheelBuilder is the wheel builder, not the tester, and the rim reaches us as the maker ships it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Astral makes the Solstice; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only hubs and spokes that match the Solstice drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel 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.
Solstice 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.
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 ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Astral Solstice Rim Brake Rim?
No. The rim is made by Astral; we are the wheel builder in Georgia who laces it into a finished wheel to your spec and stands behind the build.
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.
