Rolf Prima Elan Alpha Stealth Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Elan Alpha Stealth wheelset is the top version of Rolf's lightweight alloy Elan. It keeps the 22mm alloy rim, 20mm inner width and 20 paired spokes per wheel, then adds a Cerakote ceramic coating to the US-made rims and hub shells, upgrades the hubs to Rolf's 6.0 level with Enduro Zero ceramic bearings, and keeps the T2 high engagement drive and titanium freehub. It is one product sold with a Brake Type choice: Elan Alpha Stealth for rim brakes at 1345 grams, or Elan Alpha Stealth Disc at 1445 grams.
This is the Elan for the rider who wants the lightest alloy climbing wheel Rolf makes with its best hub internals and a dark, uniform finish that stays that way. Rolf calls it ultra-lightweight, powerful, versatile and stealth, and the wheel is aimed at riders who want both the look and the performance.
Paired spokes are the foundation, as on every Rolf wheel. Each pair of spokes meets the rim together so the left and right pull cancel at that pair, which lets a light, shallow alloy rim be built true at high tension with 20 spokes. Rolf states there is no sacrifice in stiffness or strength even for heavier riders, though it still directs the heaviest and most aggressive riders toward the Vigor line.
Design and construction
The rim is an alloy clincher, 22mm deep, 20mm inner width, finished in Rolf's ballistic armor Cerakote coating, tubeless compatible and shipped taped. Rolf notes that on the rim brake version the coating on the brake track will wear naturally with use, faster in wet and dirty conditions, and that this wear is normal and safe.
Hubs are Rolf's 6.0 level: TdF 6.0 quick release hubs on the rim brake Elan Alpha Stealth and XST 6.0 Center Lock hubs on the Elan Alpha Stealth Disc. Both are designed and manufactured in the USA, assembled in Eugene, Cerakote coated, and run Enduro Zero ceramic bearings. The rear uses the T2 high engagement drive, a 48-tooth ring with three sprung steel pawls that Rolf rates as twice as fast as its earlier 24-tooth ring, and a CNC-machined 6Al-4V titanium freehub in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 or Campagnolo N3W.
Spoke count is 20 front and 20 rear, paired. Rolf's spec lists Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes on the rim brake version and Sapim Laser round spokes on the disc version. Disc axle options are 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR front and 142mm thru or 135mm QR rear; the rim brake set is quick release.
How it rides
On the road the Elan Alpha Stealth rides like the standard Elan with the drag taken out of the hubs. It is a climbing wheel first, light enough to make a difference on every rise, and the Enduro Zero ceramic bearings and 48-tooth T2 ring make it coast freely and pick up instantly. The 22mm rim is not an aero profile, so on the flat it relies on the paired spokes and low spoke count rather than rim depth.
It suits climbers and lighter riders who want a premium alloy wheel with the best hubs Rolf fits, riders who prefer an alloy brake track in the rain, and anyone who wants a blacked-out wheel that will not fade or corrode. The Elan Alpha Stealth Disc is the version for modern frames; the rim brake version is a rare current-production 1345-gram alloy wheel for caliper-brake bikes.
Specifications
| Wheel type | Road |
|---|---|
| Rim | Alloy Clincher with Ballistic Armor |
| Rim depth | 22mm |
| Rim width | 23mm, internal 20mm |
| Brake | Disc Brake / Rim Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 20/20 |
| Spokes | Sapim CX-Ray bladd |
| Hubset | TdF6.0 Ballistic armor coating T2 High Engagement Enduro Zero Ceramic bearings |
| Front axle | QR |
| Rear axle | QR |
| Freehub | Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12, N3W |
| Tire size | Please refer to chart in product images |
| Weight | 1345g [585g/760g] |
| Includes | Taped for |
| Second build weight | 1445g [665g/780g] |
| Second build brake | Disc |
This listing
This listing is the Elan Alpha Stealth Wheelset as Rolf Prima sells it. The choices on this page are brake type: Disc Brake, Rim Brake; driver type: Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo, Campagnolo N3W. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
Choose Rim Brake or Disc Brake when ordering; they use different hubs and are not convertible. Rim brake: quick release, 100mm front, 130mm rear. Disc: Center Lock rotors, 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR front, 142mm thru or 135mm QR rear. Freehub bodies on both versions are Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 and Campagnolo N3W in titanium.
Rolf's tire chart rates its 20C road rims 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. Because the coating on the rim brake track wears with use, we suggest keeping pads clean and avoiding gritty wet rides on the rim brake version if you want the finish to last.
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)
Everything in this section is published by Rolf Prima. ProWheelBuilder is the seller, not the tester, and the wheel reaches you as the maker builds it.
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 every Elan Alpha Stealth and Elan Alpha Stealth Disc to order in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder in Georgia sells the wheelset, takes your brake type, axle and freehub selections, checks them against your frame and drivetrain, and forwards the order to Rolf for building, taping and shipping. If you want to know whether the 6.0 hubs and ceramic bearings are worth the step over the standard Elan for your riding, ask us and we will give you a straight answer.
If you prefer a light alloy wheel on a hub of your own choice or with a higher spoke count, we build custom wheels on Astral rims, Rolf's own rim brand.
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. Because this wheelset comes assembled from its maker, the warranty that applies is theirs, set out above; ProWheelBuilder's one-year wheel warranty is for wheels we build here. Either way, a claim goes through us and we will manage it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Elan Alpha Stealth questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Elan Alpha Stealth?
No. Rolf Prima builds it in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder in Georgia is a reseller that sells the wheelset, checks your order and advises on brake type, axle and freehub.
What does Stealth add over the standard Elan?
A Cerakote ceramic coating on the US-made rims and hubs, an upgrade to Rolf's 6.0-level hubs with Enduro Zero ceramic bearings, and CX-Ray spokes on the rim brake version. Weight, rim dimensions and spoke count are the same.
Is this one product or two?
One listing with a Brake Type choice: Elan Alpha Stealth (rim brake, TdF 6.0 hubs, 1345g) or Elan Alpha Stealth Disc (XST 6.0 hubs, 1445g).
Does the coating wear on the brake track?
Yes. Rolf states the brake track coating shows natural wear with use, faster in wet and dirty conditions, and that this is normal and safe. The disc version has no brake track and does not wear this way.
What tires fit?
Rolf rates the 20mm inner width rim for 23mm to 32mm tires. It is tubeless compatible and ships taped.
Which freehub bodies are available?
Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 and Campagnolo N3W in titanium.
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.
