Astral Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake Rim
The Astral Veil 3 is the shallow member of Astral's carbon rim-brake road family: the same wide, rounded profile and carbon brake track as the Veil 4 and 6 at the depth that suits climbing, gusty roads and riders who want the lightest rim-brake carbon wheel Astral makes. Deep rim-brake carbon rims are getting rare and light ones rarer, and the Veil 3 is one of the few we still build.
This page covers the Astral Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Veil 3 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 Veil is a carbon clincher with a wide, rounded aero section that lets a 25 to 28mm tire flow into the rim and keeps the airflow attached in a crosswind, a machined carbon brake track that works with carbon-specific pads, and Astral's spoke-hole angling so the nipples sit straight. The three depths share the profile and the bed; the layup is tuned for each. External nipples, standard J-bend spokes, rim brake only. Use carbon-specific brake pads, which we supply with the wheel.
How it rides
A Veil 3 wheelset is light, calm and comfortable. It climbs like a shallow rim, it is invisible in a crosswind, and the carbon brake track works well with the pads we supply. It gives up aero to the Veil 4 and 6, which you feel on a fast flat road and never on a climb. For climbing on a rim-brake bike, the Veil 3 is the Astral rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 577 (29in) |
| Inner width | 19 mm |
| Depth | 32 mm |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h |
| Weight | 410g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
About this listing
Version notes. 700c, 20h, 24h, 28h, about 410g, 19mm inside, 32mm deep, rim-brake. The other sizes and brake versions of the Veil 3 have their own listings; this page is for this one.
This is the rim-brake Veil 3, 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 Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c and 20h, 24h, 28h drilling. It is a rim-brake road rim with a carbon brake track. We build the Veil 3 on Bitex RAF and RAR 12, DT Swiss 240 and 180, White Industries T11 and Chris King R45 hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray or Laser spokes or DT Aerolite, and alloy or brass nipples.
Tire range on the Veil 3 is 25 to 28mm. Pick road 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 Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for road rim brake and track and road single-speed 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.
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
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 Veil 3; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, 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.
Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 19mm 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 Veil 3?
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 Veil 3 from your bike type and weight.
Veil 3, 4 or 6?
Veil 3 for climbing and gusty roads, Veil 4 for all-round riding and racing, Veil 6 for time trials, triathlon and flat courses.
Is the Veil disc compatible?
No. The Veil is a rim-brake rim with a carbon brake track; the Luna and Serpentine are Astral's carbon disc rims.
Which brake pads do I need?
Carbon-specific pads, which we supply with the wheel. Never use pads that have been run on an alloy rim.
Is the Veil tubeless?
It is a carbon clincher; ask us about tubeless setup for the depth you choose.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Astral lists the Veil 3 Carbon Rim Brake 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.
