Rolf Prima Tandem Carbon AR Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Tandem Carbon AR is the adventure member of Rolf's tandem line. It takes the 40mm deep, 25mm inner width carbon rim from Rolf's Ares AR all-road wheel and builds it for two riders, with 24 paired spokes per wheel and XST 4.4 Centerlock hubs. Rolf lists the set at 1604 grams, which is remarkable for a tandem wheelset.
The Tandem Carbon AR is for teams who ride gravel and mixed surfaces, or who want a single wheelset for pavement and dirt. Rolf describes it as aerodynamics, light weight, incredible power transfer and a bomb-proof build in one package, and says it is tried, true, punished and tested. Because it shares its rim with the Ares AR, it also has that wheel's aero shape, which is unusual on a tandem.
A tandem puts roughly twice the load and torque through a wheel. Rolf's paired-spoke lacing is what makes a 24-spoke tandem wheel possible: pairing spokes at the rim neutralizes the left and right pull so each spoke can run at higher, more even tension, which is exactly what a heavily loaded wheel needs to stay true.
Design and construction
The rim is a full carbon, tubeless-ready clincher, 40mm deep, 25mm inner width and 31mm at its widest. It ships taped for tubeless with valves.
The hubset is XST 4.4 Centerlock: designed and machined in the USA, assembled in Eugene, with Enduro steel bearings, a CNC-machined 6Al-4V titanium freehub body and the T2 high-engagement drive, a 48-tooth ring with three independently sprung steel pawls.
Spokes are 24 front and 24 rear, bladed Sapim CX-Speed, paired at the rim. Brake interface is Centerlock disc. Front axle options: 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR. Rear axle options are tandem-specific: 142mm, 145mm or 148mm thru-axle. Freehub bodies offered on the Tandem Carbon AR are Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo and N3W.
How it rides
On a tandem the Tandem Carbon AR feels fast in a way alloy tandem wheels do not. The 40mm depth holds speed on rolling roads with two riders driving it, and the low weight helps a team get back up to speed after a corner or a climb. The wide 25mm inner width lets a 35mm to 45mm tire run at pressures that take the edge off gravel, which matters a lot to the stoker.
Stiffness under a tandem's torque is the real test, and the paired 24-spoke build with bladed CX-Speed spokes is built for it. This is a firm, precise wheel; teams who want maximum comfort over rough ground should size tires accordingly. Rolf recommends its tire and pressure chart for the Tandem Carbon AR, and we suggest teams stay toward the larger end of that range. Rolf's Certainty program applies to the Tandem Carbon AR: five-year warranty, lifetime crash replacement and permanent parts availability, which matters on a wheel that will see two riders' worth of miles.
Specifications
| Wheel type | Tandem |
|---|---|
| Rim | Carbon clincher |
| Rim depth | 40mm |
| Rim width | 31mm, 25mm internal |
| Brake | Disc Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 24/24 |
| Spokes | Sapim CX-Speed |
| Hubset | XST 4.4 Centerlock T2 High Engagement Enduro Steel Bearings |
| Front axle | 15mm, 12mm, 9mm |
| Rear axle | 142mm, 145mm, 148mm |
| Freehub | Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12, Campagnolo 11/12, N3W |
| Tire size | s |
| Weight | 1604g [748g/856g] |
| Includes | Taped for |
This version
This page is the Tandem Carbon AR Wheelset itself, not a custom build. 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, 145mm Thru Axle Rear, 148mm Thru Axle 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
The Tandem Carbon AR is 700c and disc only with Centerlock mounts. Front end caps cover 15x100, 12x100 and 9mm QR. Rear options are 142mm, 145mm or 148mm thru-axle, covering modern road tandems, tandem-specific 145mm frames and Boost-spaced gravel tandems.
Freehub bodies are Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo and Campagnolo N3W. Rolf's chart governs tire size for the 25mm inner width; for a gravel tandem we suggest 38mm to 45mm, and 30mm to 32mm for pavement. The Tandem Carbon AR ships taped with valves; add sealant and tires and it is ready.
What Rolf Prima says about testing
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)
The figures, certificates and media above are Rolf Prima's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; we sell the wheel and stand behind the order.
A note on Rolf Prima
The Vigor is Rolf's longest-running profile and their best seller, and the ES version has been a staple of triathlon wheel choices for fifteen years. A rim shape that survives that long in a market this faddish is usually telling you something.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
Rolf Prima builds each Tandem Carbon AR to order in Eugene, Oregon. We sell it from ProWheelBuilder in Georgia and confirm the rear spacing, front axle and freehub against your tandem before the order goes to Rolf. Tandem rear spacing varies more than on single bikes, so if you are not certain whether your frame is 142, 145 or 148, tell us the make and model and we will check. We also confirm your rotor type, since the Tandem Carbon AR uses Centerlock mounts, and we can advise on rotor size for a tandem's braking loads.
We also build custom tandem wheels on Astral rims, Rolf Prima's rim brand, if you want a different hub, a 32 or 36-spoke lacing for expedition loads, or a specific rim width.
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.
Tandem Carbon AR questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Tandem Carbon AR?
No. Rolf Prima builds the Tandem Carbon AR in Eugene, Oregon. We are a reseller.
What rear axle spacings does the Tandem Carbon AR offer?
142mm, 145mm or 148mm thru-axle. Front is 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR.
Tandem Carbon AR or Tandem Road Carbon?
The Tandem Carbon AR is a 40mm deep, 25mm inner width all-road rim for gravel and pavement. The Tandem Road Carbon is a 32mm deep, 19mm inner width rim for 25-32mm tires on pavement only.
Is the Tandem Carbon AR tubeless?
Yes. It ships taped with valves. Rolf advises checking with your tire maker on tandem tubeless suitability.
What freehub bodies are offered?
Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo and N3W.
Is 24 spokes enough for a tandem?
Rolf's paired-spoke lacing runs each spoke at higher, balanced tension than a conventional build and Rolf has built tandem wheels this way for over 15 years, backed by 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.
