Rolf Prima EOS3 Disc Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Eos3 Disc is the flagship version of Rolf's 32mm carbon climbing wheelset. It shares its rim depth with the Ares3 Disc but is built on Rolf's top XST 7.0 hubset with Enduro XD-15 ceramic bearings and a ballistic ceramic coating, and it uses Sapim CX-Ray spokes throughout. The complete set weighs 1440 grams (660g front, 780g rear), all hand-built to order in Eugene, Oregon.
It is the wheel for the rider who wants the lightest, best-rolling carbon wheel Rolf makes for hilly riding, and who values the hub as much as the rim. The Eos line is where Rolf puts everything it has: the highest-grade bearings, the coated hub shells, the T2 high engagement drive and the titanium freehub, on a rim that is already among the lightest in the range.
Paired spokes are what make a 20-spoke, 1440-gram carbon disc wheel practical. Rolf brings each pair of spokes to the rim together, so the left and right pulling forces cancel at that pair and the rim is not flexed between individual spokes. That allows higher spoke tension and fewer spokes on a light rim, which is where both the weight and the aero advantage of the Eos3 Disc come from.
Design and construction
The Eos3 Disc rim is a carbon clincher, 32mm deep, 19mm inner width, tubeless compatible and shipped taped. At 32mm it is Rolf's shallowest carbon road profile and the least affected by crosswinds, which suits its role as a climbing and all-weather wheel.
Hubs are the XST 7.0, designed and manufactured in the USA and assembled in Eugene. The shells carry Rolf's ballistic armor Cerakote coating, which resists corrosion and cleans easily. Bearings are Enduro XD-15 ceramic, the highest grade Rolf fits. The rear uses the T2 high engagement drive, a 48-tooth drive ring with three independently sprung steel pawls that Rolf rates as twice as fast as its earlier 24-tooth ring. The freehub body is CNC-machined 6Al-4V titanium in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 or Campagnolo N3W.
Spokes are Sapim CX-Ray bladed, 20 front and 20 rear, paired. Rotor mount is Center Lock. Front axle options are 15mm thru, 12mm thru or 9mm QR; rear options are 142mm thru axle or 135mm QR.
How it rides
The Eos3 Disc is the quickest-feeling wheel in Rolf's road line. The low rim weight shows up in every acceleration, the XD-15 bearings roll with very little drag, and the T2 drive engages immediately when you pedal out of a switchback. Rolf claims the ceramic bearings actually get faster with time as they bed in, and while that is hard to measure from the saddle, these hubs do spin freely.
The Eos3 Disc suits riders who climb a lot and want their best wheelset to reward that, riders doing mountain gran fondos, and anyone who wants the top hub spec without a deep rim. Stiffness is good for a 20-spoke wheel because paired spokes hold higher tension, but this is still a light wheel; Rolf directs heavier and more aggressive riders to the Vigor or Ares6. For flatter riding the Eos4 Disc or Eos6 Disc will be faster.
Specifications
| Wheel type | Road |
|---|---|
| Rim | Carbon Clincher |
| Rim depth | 32mm |
| Rim width | 27mm, internal 19mm |
| Brake | Disc Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 20/20 |
| Spokes | Sapim CX Ray, bladed |
| Hubset | XST 7.0 Ballistic armor coating T2 High Engagement Enduro XD-15 Ceramic Bearings |
| Front axle | 15mm, 12mm, 9mm |
| Rear axle | 142mm, 135mm |
| Freehub | Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12, N3W |
| Tire size | Please refer to chart in product images |
| Weight | 1440g [660g/780g] |
| Includes | Taped for |
What this page sells
About this EOS3 Disc Wheelset listing. The choices on this page are front axle: 15mm Thru Axle Front, 12mm Thru Axle Front, 9mm QR Front; rear axle: 142mm Thru Axle Rear, 135mm QR Rear; 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
Disc brake only, Center Lock rotors. Front: 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR. Rear: 142mm thru or 135mm QR. Freehub: Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 or Campagnolo N3W in titanium. A rim brake Eos3 is sold separately for caliper-brake bikes.
Rolf's tire chart rates its 19C road rims, which includes the Eos3 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. A 25mm or 28mm tubeless tire is the natural fit on a 19mm inner width rim.
Rolf Prima's testing and certifications
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
Rolf Prima builds by hand in Eugene, Oregon. Hand-built at the factory means what it means here, that each wheel is tensioned and trued by a person rather than released by a machine, which is why we are comfortable selling them beside the wheels we build ourselves.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
Rolf Prima hand-builds every Eos3 Disc to order in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder in Georgia sells it, confirms your axle and freehub selections against your frame and cassette, and passes the order to Rolf for building and shipping. If you are torn between the Eos3 Disc and the Ares3 Disc, we will tell you plainly that the rim is nearly the same and the difference is the XST 7.0 hub, XD-15 bearings and coating, and let you decide whether that is worth it to you.
If you want a light carbon climbing wheel on a different hub or with a different 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.
EOS3 Disc questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Eos3 Disc?
No. Rolf Prima designs and hand-builds the Eos3 Disc in Eugene, Oregon. ProWheelBuilder is an authorized reseller in Georgia that sells it, verifies your order and advises on compatibility.
What makes the Eos3 Disc different from the Ares3 Disc?
Both use a 32mm carbon rim and weigh 1440g. The Eos3 Disc uses Rolf's top XST 7.0 hubs with Enduro XD-15 ceramic bearings and a Cerakote coating; the Ares3 Disc uses XST 4.4 hubs with Enduro steel bearings.
What bearings are in the hubs?
Enduro XD-15 ceramic bearings, the highest grade Rolf fits.
Which axle and freehub options are available?
15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR front; 142mm thru or 135mm QR rear; titanium freehub in Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12 or N3W.
What tires fit the Eos3 Disc?
Rolf rates the 19mm inner width rim for 23mm to 32mm tires.
What warranty applies?
Rolf's Certainty program: five-year warranty, lifetime crash replacement and a 30-day trade-out or return window for US customers on non-custom orders.
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.
