Astral Veil 4 Carbon Rim Brake Rim
The Astral Veil 4 is the all-rounder in Astral's carbon rim-brake road family: the same wide, rounded profile and carbon brake track as the Veil 3 and 6 at the mid depth that balances aero, weight and crosswind stability for riders who want one rim-brake carbon wheelset for everything. It is the Veil we build most.
This page covers the Astral Veil 4 Carbon Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Veil 4 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 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 4 wheelset is the sweet spot for most rim-brake road riders: noticeably faster than a shallow rim on the flat, still light enough to climb on, and calm enough in a crosswind that you forget it is a deep rim. The carbon brake track works well with the pads we supply. For climbing the Veil 3 is lighter; for time trials the Veil 6 is faster; for an everyday race and training wheel, the Veil 4 is the Astral rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 558 (29in) |
| Inner width | 19.5 mm |
| Depth | 42 mm |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h |
| Weight | 455g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 700c listing of the Veil 4, 20h, 24h, about 455g, 19.5mm inside, 42mm 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 Veil 4, 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 4 Carbon Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c and 20h, 24h drilling. It is a rim-brake road rim with a carbon brake track. We build the Veil 4 on Bitex RAF and RAR 12, DT Swiss 350 and 240, White Industries T11, Chris King R45 and Velocity Race Road hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray or CX-Sprint spokes or DT Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the Veil 4 is 25 to 28mm. 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 road rim brake and track and road single-speed builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Astral Veil 4 Carbon Rim Brake 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
The figures, certificates and media above are Astral's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Astral makes the Veil 4; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every Veil 4 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.
Veil 4 Carbon 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.
Which spokes and nipples suit the Veil 4?
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 4 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 4 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.
