Rolf Prima Ares6 Disc Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Ares6 Disc is the deep-section wheel in Rolf's carbon road line and the one its sponsored triathletes race on. A 60mm carbon rim, 20 paired spokes per wheel and Rolf's US-made XST 4.4 hubs add up to 1715 grams (795g front, 920g rear), which is light for a 60mm wheelset and is the reason the Ares6 Disc works on rolling courses as well as flat ones.
It is built for riders who go fast on their own: triathletes, time trialists, ultra-distance riders, and road racers on flat or rolling courses where holding speed matters more than the last few hundred grams. Rolf mentions RAAM and sprint triathlons in the same sentence when describing it, and that range is accurate.
The paired-spoke design does two things on a 60mm rim. It lets Rolf build the wheel true and stiff with 20 spokes instead of the 24 a conventional lacing would want, and fewer spokes at the rim means less turbulence where the rim and spokes meet. Rolf has built wheels this way since 1997, and on the Ares6 Disc it is a large part of why the wheel is both aero and reasonably light.
Design and construction
The rim is a carbon clincher, 60mm deep, 20mm inner width, tubeless compatible and taped at the factory. It is Rolf's deepest road profile and it is shaped to shed wind rather than catch it, which keeps the Ares6 Disc calmer in side winds than its depth suggests.
Hubs are the XST 4.4, designed and manufactured in the USA and assembled in Eugene. They run Enduro steel cartridge bearings as standard with a ceramic Enduro Zero upgrade available from Rolf. The rear hub uses the T2 high engagement drive, a 48-tooth ring with three independently sprung steel pawls that Rolf rates as twice as fast as its older 24-tooth ring, and a CNC-machined 6Al-4V titanium freehub body. Rotor mount is Center Lock.
Spokes are Sapim CX Speed bladed, 20 front and 20 rear, paired. The Ares6 Disc front is offered with 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR axle end caps. The rear XST 4.4 hub on Rolf's other Ares builds is listed with 142mm thru axle or 135mm QR ends and freehub bodies in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 and Campagnolo N3W; we confirm the exact rear configuration with Rolf on every order.
How it rides
The Ares6 Disc is a wheel for holding speed. Once it is rolling above the mid twenties it takes noticeably less effort to keep it there than a shallow wheel, and on long flat or rolling efforts that is what you feel most. Acceleration is better than the depth suggests because the wheelset is light for a 60mm carbon set, and the T2 drive means the hub picks up immediately when you get back on the pedals after a corner or a descent.
Handling in crosswinds is the honest trade-off. The Ares6 Disc is well-mannered for a 60mm wheel, but a gusting side wind will still move the front. Lighter riders who ride exposed roads may prefer the Ares4 Disc, or may pair an Ares4 front with an Ares6 rear. Heavier and more powerful riders will like the Ares6 Disc more than the shallower Ares models; Rolf itself names it as one of its stiffer options.
Specifications
| Wheel type | Road |
|---|---|
| Rim | Carbon clincher |
| Brake | Disc Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 20/20 |
| Spokes | Sapim CX Speed, bladed |
| Hubset | XST 4.4 |
| Tire size | Please refer to chart in product images |
| Weight | 1715g [795g/920g] |
| Includes | Taped for |
About this listing
What you are buying here is the Ares6 Disc Wheelset. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
Disc brake only with Center Lock rotors. Front axle options are 15mm thru, 12mm thru or 9mm QR. The rear XST 4.4 hub is the same hub Rolf fits to the Ares4 Disc and Ares3 Disc, which are offered with 142mm thru or 135mm QR ends and titanium freehubs in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 and N3W; tell us your frame and cassette and we will confirm the rear spec with Rolf before the order is placed.
Rolf's tire chart rates its 20C road rims, including the Ares6 Disc, for 23mm to 32mm tires, with maximum pressures of 110 psi at 23 to 25mm, 100 psi at 28mm and 80 psi at 30 to 32mm. For time trial use a 25mm or 28mm tire is the aerodynamically sensible choice on this rim.
Testing, standards and warranty at Rolf Prima
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
Rolf still fields service questions on Vector wheelsets with thirty years and more of riding on them. That is the practical case for a company that stayed in one place doing one thing: the wheel is older than a lot of bike shops and can still be sorted out.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
Rolf Prima hand-builds every Ares6 Disc to order in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder in Georgia sells it, collects your axle and freehub details, verifies them against your bike, and sends the order to Rolf to build, tape and ship. Because the Ares6 Disc is a race wheel, we will also ask what you are racing and on what course, so that we can tell you honestly whether an Ares6 pair, an Ares4 front with Ares6 rear, or the Ares6 with the Ares TT Disc rear makes the most sense.
If you want a 60mm carbon wheel built on a different hub, or a specific spoke count, we build custom wheels on Astral rims, Rolf's own rim brand, in our shop.
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.
Ares6 Disc questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Ares6 Disc?
No. Rolf Prima builds the Ares6 Disc by hand in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder is an authorized reseller in Georgia; we sell the wheelset, verify your order and advise on axle and freehub choices.
How much does the Ares6 Disc weigh?
Rolf lists 1715g for the set, 795g front and 920g rear, with 20 spokes per wheel.
What are the rim dimensions?
60mm deep, 20mm inner width, carbon clincher, tubeless compatible.
Is the Ares6 Disc hard to handle in crosswinds?
It is well-behaved for a 60mm wheel, but any 60mm front will move in strong gusts. Lighter riders on exposed roads often choose an Ares4 front with an Ares6 rear.
Which freehub bodies are offered?
The XST 4.4 rear hub uses a titanium freehub offered in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 and Campagnolo N3W on Rolf's Ares builds. We confirm the body with Rolf on every order.
Can I combine it with the Ares TT Disc rear?
Yes. Rolf sells the Ares6 Disc front together with the Ares TT Disc rear as a race kit, and we list that kit separately.
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.
