The Rolf Prima Elan is the second lightweight aluminium clincher wheelset to arrive at RoadCyclingUK in recent weeks.
The American firm’s hoops follow the Julius AC22 wheelset and are part of a three-strong Elan range which also includes the Elan Alpha (which are a claimed 10g lighter, and use an upgraded hub, ceramic bearings and Sapim CX-Ray spokes) and the Elan Alpha Disc.
Our test hoops, handbuilt in the USA like all Rolf Prima wheels, come with a claimed weight of 1,325g. We weighed our test wheels at a touch more than that, at 1,380g without skewers, and 1,500g with. Either way, that’s a light wheelset – one which comes without a rider weight limit – and one we expect to be quick out of the blocks.
Despite its low weight, Rolf Prima pitch the Elan as something of an all-rounder. Light, yes, but also aerodynamic thanks to a wide rim and Rolf’s trademark spoke lacing pattern. More on that below.
Spokes
At this point in our first look we would normally consider the construction of the rim but Rolf Prima’s wheels are distinctive thanks to their paired spokes and the Elan is no different.
The paired spoke pattern was introduced in 1996 and has become Rolf Prima’s calling card, used across all the Oregon-based wheelbuilder’s hoops. Rolf say that by bringing the spokes to the rim in pairs, it neutralises the left and right outward pulling forces of individual spokes, allowing them to build true wheels on lighter rims with fewer spokes (20 round Sapim Laser spokes at the front and rear as far as the Elan is concerned).
Rolf also say the lacing pattern improves the strength of the wheel, as by pairing the spokes at the rim, they say they can build each wheel with a higher and more targeted spoke tension than a traditionally laced wheel. The lacing pattern also helps improve aerodynamics, according to Rolf, as it reduces the airflow being chopped up by spokes.
Otherwise, the internal spoke nipples use Rolf Prima’s ‘Self Aligning Nipple Technology’, which allows the nipple to rotate in a ball and socket joint. That, Rolf say, minimises bending in the spoke and increase spoke life.
Rim
The Elan uses Rolf’s 23mm-deep ‘Delta’ rim profile, first introduced on the company’s wheels in 2012. The rim has a claimed external width of 22mm and so subscribes to the current thinking that wider is better. Rolf say that using a wider rim improves airflow and stability, while also giving the tyre a wider stance on the rim and a fatter profile, improving steering response and grip.
Hub
The Elan uses the TdF4.4 hub, which is second-from-top in Rolf’s hub line-up below the TdF5.5. It’s a proprietary design, manufactured in the USA, with a CNC-machine aluminium shell and a CNC-machined titanium freehub body, available in Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo configurations, and compatible with ten and 11-speed cassettes (the wheelset comes with a spacer). The TdF4.4 uses steel cartridge bearings.
The front hub uses an 85mm-wide flange placement to increase lateral stiffness by nearly 20 per cent, according to Rolf, while the rear hub uses their patented ‘Differential Flange Diameter’. What’s that? The non-driveside flange is oversized and that’s said to increase the efficiency of torque transferred across the hub to the non-driveside spokes, thereby increasing the number of spokes ‘pulling’ the rim around and improving the wheel’s strength and stiffness, without increasing the spoke count (and, as a consequence, weight).
That’s the technical blurb out of the way, now it’s time to get out on the road. We’ll report back with our findings.
Price: £748.99
Website: Rolf Prima
UK distributor: 2Pure
