Rolf Prima Alsea 30 Carbon 29IN Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Alsea 30 is Rolf's 29 inch carbon mountain bike wheelset. It combines a hookless, asymmetric carbon rim with a 30mm inner width, 24 paired spokes per wheel and Rolf's US-made XST 4.4 hubs with a titanium freehub. Rolf lists the pair at 1495 grams, which it says is light enough for cross-country race day.
Rolf calls the Alsea 30 a next generation trail ripper and a do-it-all wheelset. It is for the 29er rider who wants one wheel for XC racing, trail riding and the occasional gnarly line, and who wants it hand-built in the USA with a hub that can be serviced anywhere and a warranty that includes crash replacement.
Paired-spoke construction is the reason the Alsea 30 can be built with 24 spokes and still be as strong as, in Rolf's words, a traditional lacing with four to six more spokes. Meeting the rim in pairs cancels the left and right pull so each spoke sits at higher, even tension. The asymmetric rim then balances drive and non-drive tension by up to 30 percent, which on a mountain wheel means a rear that stays true.
Design and construction
The rim is a hookless, asymmetric carbon clincher, 25mm deep, 30mm inner width and 35mm at its widest, tubeless ready and shipped taped with valves.
The hubset is XST 4.4: designed and machined in the USA, assembled in Eugene, Enduro steel cartridge bearings, a CNC-machined 6Al-4V titanium freehub body, and the T2 high-engagement drive with a 48-tooth ring and three independently sprung steel pawls. Rolf says it builds each Alsea 30 to your configuration, including freehub, axle, decal and hub options.
The Alsea 30 carries 24 round Sapim Laser spokes per wheel, paired at the rim, and is disc only. Rolf's front end cap menu is Boost (15mm or 12mm), 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR; the rear menu is Boost 148, Boost 141 QR, 142mm thru-axle or 135mm QR. Driver bodies: Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XD/XDR and Shimano Micro Spline.
How it rides
The Alsea 30 feels like a cross-country wheel on the climbs and a trail wheel on the way down. At 1495 grams it accelerates quickly, and the T2 drive means there is almost no dead stroke when you ratchet through a technical climb. The 30mm inner width gives a 2.4 inch tire a broad footprint and lets you run lower pressure without the tire folding in corners.
Carbon and paired spokes together make the Alsea 30 a stiff, precise wheel; it holds a line through rock gardens and does not wander under hard cornering. That precision comes with a firmer ride than an alloy wheel, and hookless carbon rims reward attention to pressure and tire choice. For riders who want to go fast on trail and XC terrain rather than hit bike park jumps all day, the Alsea 30 is the right Rolf mountain wheel. Rolf's Certainty program covers the Alsea 30 with a five-year warranty and lifetime crash replacement, which is worth weighing against carbon wheels that charge for crash replacement.
Specifications
| Wheel type | Mountain |
|---|---|
| Rim | Carbon clincher, hookless, asymmetric |
| Rim depth | 25mm |
| Rim width | (ex): 35mm, (in): 30mm |
| Brake | Disc Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 24/24 |
| Spokes | Sapim Laser, round |
| Hubset | XST 4.4 T2 High Engagement Enduro steel cartridge bearings |
| Front axle | Boost (15mm, 12mm)/ 15mm/12mm/ 9mm |
| Rear axle | Boost 148mm/ Boost 141 QR/142mm/ 135mm QR |
| Freehub | Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XD/XDR 11/12, Shimano Micro Spline |
| Tire size | Please refer to chart in product images |
| Weight | 1495g [695g/800g] Diameter: 29" |
| Includes | taped |
This listing
This listing is the Alsea 30 Carbon 29IN Wheelset as Rolf Prima sells it. The choices on this page are front axle: Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost Front, Thru Axle 12x110mm Boost Front, 15mm Thru Axle Front, 12mm Thru Axle Front, 9mm QR Front; rear axle: 148mm Thru Axle Boost Rear, 141mm QR Boost Rear, 142mm Thru Axle Rear, 135mm QR Rear. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
The Alsea 30 is 29 inch only. Front end caps cover Boost 110 (15mm or 12mm), 15x100, 12x100 and 9mm QR; rear end caps cover Boost 148, Boost 141 QR, 142x12 and 135 QR, so it fits current Boost frames and older non-Boost 29ers.
Freehub bodies are Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XD or XDR, and Shimano Micro Spline. Because the rim is hookless, use tubeless-ready tires that the tire maker rates for hookless rims and follow Rolf's pressure chart. We recommend 2.25 to 2.6 inch tires on the 30mm inner width.
How Rolf Prima tests its wheels
Rolf Prima builds every complete wheelset by hand at its facility in Eugene, Oregon. The company states that all orders are built by hand there by its own builders, and describes its process as building each wheel three times with two stress cycles in the build to seat and stretch all components. Rolf Prima says hand building lets it hit uniform spoke tensions that machine building cannot match, and that its design allows higher and more targeted spoke tension than a traditionally laced wheel, which it credits with increasing stiffness and improving spoke durability by decreasing the load cycle on each spoke.
The defining feature of a Rolf Prima wheel is Paired Spoke Technology, introduced in 1997. Bringing the spokes to the rim in pairs neutralizes the left and right outward pulling forces, which Rolf Prima says allows it to build true wheels on lighter rims with fewer spokes. Fewer spokes and lighter rims are the basis of the brand's aerodynamic and weight claims. The wheel systems combine paired spokes with the Delta rim profile, internal nipples, and patented details including the Jacketed Nipple, Self-Aligning Nipple, Differential Flange Diameter and Dish Reducing Design. Rolf Prima cites eleven patents behind its technology.
Rolf Prima runs an in-house engineering and testing lab and states it uses the ISO 4210 standard as a base starting point but considers it not tough enough, so it applies its own in-house standards. Published test capabilities include an in-house drum fatigue tester it calls the Thrasher, which compresses years of riding into days; an impact test using a weight calibrated steel anvil that exceeds the UCI 40 joule requirement, striking at spokes, between spokes and at the valve hole; lateral and radial stiffness measurement of rims alone and complete wheels; brake energy, distance and temperature testing developed for carbon clinchers; wind tunnel evaluation; and field testing by sponsored athletes. The Certainty page cites over 10,000 hours of lab testing to above industry standards.
On racing eligibility, Rolf Prima explains that UCI approval only matters for mass start UCI road races, UCI cyclocross and draft legal ITU triathlon. Its standard wheels (Aspin and the Elan family) do not require approval, while most of its deeper or lower spoke count models are non standard and are listed on the UCI approval registry. Rolf Prima does not publish a fixed rider weight limit; it says every wheel has limits that involve riding style and road conditions as well as weight, and directs heavier or more aggressive riders toward stiffer models such as Vigor, Echelon or Ares6. All road wheels can be set up tubeless with the brand's tubeless kit, and adventure, cyclocross and mountain models ship tubeless ready with tape and valves installed.
Rolf Prima backs its wheels with the Certainty program: a five year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for the original owner, lifetime crash replacement at a discount for registered wheels, a 30 day trade out or return window in the USA, replacement parts availability for any Rolf Prima wheel regardless of age, and stated service response times of same day to 24 hours on calls and email with service work resolved within three days of receipt.
Rolf Prima's videos
From Rolf Prima
Warranty and certifications
- Limited warranty — Five years from original retail purchase against defects in materials and workmanship (2016 and newer wheels), original owner, non transferable; decals and bearings two years (source)
- Certainty program — Five year warranty, lifetime crash replacement, 30 day trade out or return in the USA, replacement parts for any Rolf Prima wheel regardless of age, same day to 24 hour service replies, service work resolved within three days of receipt (source)
- Crash replacement — Lifetime crash repair or replacement discount for the original owner; wheels must be registered within 30 days of purchase; proof of purchase and serial numbers required; freight not covered (source)
- UCI approval — Non standard models (rims taller than 25 mm, fewer than 16 spokes) are listed on the UCI approval registry; Aspin and Elan are standard wheels that need no approval (source)
- Test standards — ISO 4210 used as the base with tougher in-house standards; impact test exceeds the UCI 40 J requirement; in-house drum fatigue, stiffness, brake and wind tunnel testing (source)
- Hand built in USA — All wheels hand built in Eugene, Oregon; each wheel built three times with two stress cycles; eleven patents (source)
Sources on Rolf Prima's site:
- Rolf Prima: Testing
- Rolf Prima: Paired Spoke Technology
- Rolf Prima: Our Technology
- Rolf Prima: Certainty Program
- Rolf Prima: Warranty
- Rolf Prima: FAQ (UCI, rider weight, build process)
Rolf Prima publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder sells the finished wheel and does not test it in a lab.
A note on Rolf Prima
The paired-spoke design is why a Rolf wheel looks the way it does, and it is not styling. Grouping the spokes in pairs lets the rim carry fewer, better-supported spoke holes, which is how Rolf builds a stiff wheel at a low spoke count. Trek licensed the technology for a period, which is why riders of a certain vintage recognize the look.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
Rolf Prima builds each Alsea 30 to order in Eugene, Oregon. We sell it from ProWheelBuilder in Georgia and confirm your axle spacing, freehub body and any decal or hub color choices before the order goes to Rolf. If you are unsure whether your bike is Boost or which driver your cassette needs, ask us. A mullet drivetrain with a 10-52 cassette and a Micro Spline or XD driver is a common Alsea 30 order.
We also build custom mountain wheels on Astral rims, Rolf Prima's rim brand. If you want a 29 inch carbon rim with a different hub, a 28 or 32-spoke build for enduro use, or a 27.5 rear for a mullet bike, we can quote that next to the Alsea 30.
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. This is a complete wheelset built by its manufacturer rather than in our shop, so the maker's warranty above is the one that applies to it. ProWheelBuilder's own one-year wheel warranty covers the wheels we build. We will still handle a manufacturer claim on your behalf.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Alsea 30 Carbon 29IN questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Alsea 30?
No. Rolf Prima designs and hand-builds the Alsea 30 in Eugene, Oregon. We are a reseller.
Is the Alsea 30 hookless?
Yes. Rolf lists the rim as a hookless, asymmetric carbon clincher. Use hookless-compatible tubeless tires and follow Rolf's pressure chart.
Does the Alsea 30 come in 27.5?
No. The Alsea 30 is 29 inch. The 27.5 carbon option is the Black Rock.
Which freehub bodies are offered?
Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XD or XDR, and Shimano Micro Spline.
Does the Alsea 30 fit Boost frames?
Yes. Boost 110 front and Boost 148 or Boost 141 QR rear are offered, plus non-Boost options.
Is 24 spokes enough for trail riding?
Rolf says the paired-spoke Alsea 30 builds as strong as or stronger than a traditional lacing with four to six more spokes, and covers it with a five-year warranty and lifetime crash replacement.
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 wheels for a living.
