Rolf Prima Vigor AR Stealth Wheelset
The Rolf Prima Vigor AR Stealth is the top version of Rolf's all-road alloy wheel. It takes the 30mm deep, 24mm inner width Vigor AR rim, adds a ceramic coating, drops to 16 spokes front and rear, and moves up to XST 6.0 level hubs. Rolf lists the pair at 1545 grams, which puts an aluminum wheel in the same weight bracket as many carbon gravel sets.
This is the wheel for someone who wants the lowest weight and cleanest look Rolf can get from aluminum, and who is comfortable with a very low spoke count because they understand how Rolf's paired lacing works. It is a disc-only, 700c, all-road wheel approved for 28mm to 50mm tires.
The paired-spoke design is doing more work on the Vigor AR Stealth than on any other alloy Rolf wheel. Sixteen spokes per wheel is far below a conventional build. Rolf can do it because pairing the spokes at the rim cancels the left and right pull, so each spoke sits at higher, balanced tension. Fewer spokes also mean less drag and less sidewind interference, which is part of why Rolf calls the Vigor line the fastest alloy wheel on the road.
Design and construction
The rim is a USA-made asymmetric aluminum clincher, 30mm deep, 24mm inner width, tubeless ready and finished in a ceramic coating that gives the Stealth its name. It ships taped with a valve. The asymmetric profile offsets the spoke bed to even out drive and non-drive tension, and the Delta shape is tuned for crosswind stability.
Hubs are Rolf's XST 6.0 level: US-made, T2 high-engagement drive with a 48-tooth ring and three sprung steel pawls, a CNC-machined titanium freehub body, and Enduro Zer0 bearings per Rolf's description of the Vigor AR Stealth. Brake interface is disc.
Lacing is 16 front and 16 rear with bladed Sapim CX Ray spokes in Rolf's paired pattern. Axle options are the full Rolf menu: Boost 110 (15mm or 12mm), 15mm, 12mm or 9mm QR front; Boost 148, Boost 141 QR, 142mm thru-axle or 135mm QR rear. Freehub bodies are Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR (Rolf lists 11/12/13 speed), Campagnolo, N3W and Shimano Micro Spline.
How it rides
Compared with the standard Vigor AR, the Stealth is lighter by 80 grams and noticeably quieter in the wind because there are fewer, thinner CX Ray blades cutting the air. On a fast group ride it accelerates like a climbing wheel and holds speed like an aero one, and the T2 drive picks up almost instantly out of corners. Crosswind behavior is calm; 30mm is shallow enough that gusts do not grab the front wheel.
On gravel the Vigor AR Stealth is best treated as a fast all-road wheel rather than a bikepacking or rough-trail wheel. The 24mm inner width supports a 35mm to 40mm tire well and the ride is firm and precise. Riders on the heavier side, or those who ride rocky terrain hard, may be better served by the 20-spoke Vigor AR or the 24-spoke Hyalite 25; Rolf's own FAQ notes that rider weight and riding style both factor into which model is right. If you are a lighter rider chasing speed on mixed surfaces, the Vigor AR Stealth is the sharper tool; if you carry bags or ride rough gravel often, the standard Vigor AR gives up little and adds four spokes per wheel.
Specifications
| Wheel type | All-Road |
|---|---|
| Rim | Alloy Clincher, asymmetric |
| Rim depth | 30mm |
| Rim width | 27mm, internal 24mm |
| Brake | Disc Brake |
| Spoke count (F/R) | 16/16 |
| Spokes | Sapim CX Ray, bladed |
| Hubset | XST6.0 T2 High Engagement Enduro steel bearings |
| Front axle | Boost 110mm (15mm or 12mm), 15mm, 12mm, 9mm |
| Rear axle | Boost 148mm, Boost 141mm QR, 142mm, 135mm |
| Freehub | Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR 11/12/13, Campagnolo 11/12, N3W, Shimano Micro Spline |
| Tire size | Please refer to chart in product images |
| Weight | 1545g |
| Includes | taped |
This version
This page is the Vigor AR Stealth Wheelset itself, not a custom build. 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; driver type: Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo, Campagnolo N3W, Shimano Micro Spline. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
The Vigor AR Stealth is 700c and disc only. End caps are available for 12x100, 15x100, Boost 110 and QR fronts, and for 142x12, Boost 148, Boost 141 QR and 135 QR rears, so it fits nearly any current road, all-road or gravel frame. Freehub options include Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo, N3W and Shimano Micro Spline.
Rolf approves 28mm to 50mm tires on the Vigor AR Stealth. For a wheel this light we suggest staying in the 30mm to 40mm range unless you are riding smooth surfaces with something wider.
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)
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 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 Vigor AR Stealth to order in Eugene, Oregon, and we sell it from ProWheelBuilder in Georgia. When you order we double-check your axle spacing and driver body, and we can advise if you are moving between a road group and a gravel or mullet drivetrain and need the right freehub.
We also build custom wheels on Astral rims, Rolf Prima's rim brand, so if you want the Rolf rim philosophy with a different hub, a conventional 24 or 28-spoke lacing, or a specific color scheme, we can quote that as an alternative.
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. These wheels were built at the factory, not on our bench, so it is the maker's warranty above that stands behind them - our own one-year wheel warranty covers wheels we lace ourselves. If you do need to claim, we will deal with the manufacturer for you.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Vigor AR Stealth questions
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Vigor AR Stealth?
No. Rolf Prima makes the Vigor AR Stealth in Eugene, Oregon. We are a reseller and handle your order and configuration questions.
What is different between the Vigor AR Stealth and the regular Vigor AR?
The Stealth uses a ceramic-coated rim, 16 spokes per wheel instead of 20, Sapim CX Ray spokes instead of CX Speed, and XST 6.0 hubs instead of XST 4.4. Rolf lists it at 1545 grams versus 1625 grams.
Is 16 spokes safe on a gravel wheel?
Rolf has built paired-spoke wheels at low counts since 1997. Pairing balances left and right spoke pull so each spoke carries higher, even tension. Rolf covers the Vigor AR Stealth with its Certainty program: five-year warranty and lifetime crash replacement.
Will the coating on the Vigor AR Stealth wear?
The Stealth rim is disc only, so there is no brake track to wear. The ceramic coating is a finish, not a wear surface.
Which freehub bodies are available?
Shimano HG 10/11, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo, Campagnolo N3W and Shimano Micro Spline.
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.
