# Recent Experiences with Rolf Prima Wheels



## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

I've got a Rolf Prima Vigor wheelset with about 700 light-use miles on them. Recently I noticed rear wheel brake rub while out of the saddle. Upon closer look, the wheel is true but has significant play and slight knocking when wiggling the rim. I performed the hub adjustment as described on the Rolf Prima website but it didn't help. I've handed the wheel over to my local Rolf Prima dealer for service. The front wheel is perfect by the way. I have several other wheelsets Shimano, Mavic, Bontrager - none have exhibited this kind of degradation. Is this typical of Rolf Prima wheels? Does anyone have recent experiences with these wheels?


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## veloci1 (Nov 29, 2005)

sorry to hear about your issues. i've had 2 pairs of Vigor and i had the same issues. they took them back and told me they could not replicate the issues. they trued them and sent them back to me. within 300 miles, the same thing. i made my LBS take them back and never got another pair of Rolf.


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

Sad. Not what one would expect. In my case I am going to a local dealer who was able to reproduce the problem, and after consulting with Rolf Prima he believes it is easily fixed by replacing the adjustable side end cap of the hub. I'm awaiting the return of my fixed wheel, and time will tell if the fix is durable. By the way, I notice there are very few posts in this forum about Rolf Prima wheels. Maybe that in itself says something?


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## Lectron (May 29, 2005)

You have a light pair of wheels there and I assume you due to your technique add a lot of lateral forces to the bike/wheel.

Simple physics...Doesn't make it a bad wheel..........


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

I have some 2003 Prima Elans. They have been great, even for a bigger guy.


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

Thanks for the inputs, I'm mainly trying to get comments from other owners of these wheels. 

My wheelset by the way is the heavier-duty RS version of the Vigor. I weigh about 150, don't race, but the roads in the Santa Rosa area do have their share of potholes, some chip & seal. My wheels have remained as true as the day I got them, but the rear did develop the free play I described above. Rolf Prima and the local dealer believe it to be from an out-of-spec or marginally-in-spec end cap.


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## audibmi (Jan 2, 2006)

i have both the elan aero with sapim cx-ray bladed spokes, and the newer elans with the double butted laser spokes. both have been extremely reliable, butter smooth and never needed truing. mind you, i'm only 135, but i do a lot of hill climbs and sprints and they have held up fine. only issue is the front rim pulsing when braking, but i guess that's a function of the light rim and paired spokes spaced further apart.


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

Update - Rolf Prima and authorized dealer's original diagnosis and solution failed: new end cap did not eliminate free play problem. Wheel has been sent to factory for further investigation (at my cost). They estimate to get it back to me not before mid-June at earliest. Being June, I need to be out riding so it's time to buy another wheelset. Seriously considering Mavic Cosmic Carbone.


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## veloci1 (Nov 29, 2005)

jkk,
get your money back and get a pair of Boyd wheels, or Williams.
i know there are some people that have not had any issues with Rolf Prima wheels, but, most people i know have had issues with the Vigor and Vigor RS.


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## mazdatech10 (May 8, 2007)

they use a white ind, hub internals , you need to adjust the preload. have had 4 sets of rolfs in the past


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## buddhaonbelay (Dec 24, 2010)

I own a nearly unused pair of Rolf Sestriere's. 
They are a great set of mountain wheels for a lighter rider.
The (9) cassette is: (13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26).
I live in Cape Coral, FL.
I am asking $300.00

Michael
239.829.0638 (H)
215.756.3628 (Cell)


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

Got the wheel back from the factory service and have test ridden it - it works great. According to Rolf Prima, the hub shell became deformed preventing proper adjustment, caused by a botched free-play adjustment which could have been my fault. I was charged a nominal amount to get the hub perfectly round and for shipping. Overall I'm happy with the results, and hope the fix will be reliable and long-lasting.


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## dc503 (Mar 15, 2011)

jkk said:


> Got the wheel back from the factory service and have test ridden it - it works great. According to Rolf Prima, the hub shell became deformed preventing proper adjustment, caused by a botched free-play adjustment which could have been my fault. I was charged a nominal amount to get the hub perfectly round and for shipping. Overall I'm happy with the results, and hope the fix will be reliable and long-lasting.


Any updates after a few more months and hopefully good mileage?


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## taki5 (Mar 7, 2011)

i have recently experienced the same thing, with a pair (rear wheel issue) of Rolf Prima Vigors with 500 miles on them. looks like i need to contact them.

EDIT: i performed the hub adjustment, and everything seems fine again.


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## dc503 (Mar 15, 2011)

Interesting, well I will have to keep an eye on this. Thanks for your input.


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## jhat (Mar 7, 2009)

Good to know, thanks for the post


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## MC19 (Jun 28, 2011)

Any updates on the Rolf's? I just ordered a set of the Vigor SL's. At 175lbs I thought I'd be too heavy for them, but the guys at Rolf said I would be fine on them. Fingers crossed.


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## taki5 (Mar 7, 2011)

I have about 1500 miles on my Rolf Vigors, and I seem to have to perform the hub adjustment every 400 miles. I also crank down the QRs more than I probably should. The hubs are made by White Industries, and IMO, I dont really like the hub adjustment method. I am considering sending the rear wheel in so they can look at it, because there is no local service shop in the KC area. I feel like I shouldnt have to perform the hub adjustment every 400 miles.


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## carbonconvert (Apr 12, 2009)

I have 4 season old elans. A little bit lighter, but essentially the same wheel. I had a hard time accepting
the lateral play/brake rub during certain situations. Its just something that's ignored now. Building a wheel that's light and cool looking AND with no lateral deflection would be impossible.(at least something you could afford). Considering I bunny hop curves/roll into potholes I didn't see and they stay true, they are great wheels for what they are. I have ceramic bearings in mine and they still amaze me.


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## Gal220 (Aug 23, 2013)

I have the sl vigor wheelset which have required three re builds in a short period of time. Twice the rim gives out and the spoke pulls through and one broken spoke. Few bike shop work on these wheels, so shipping to OR is required. Customer service at Rolf is an oxymoron as they are experts at saying no. I believe this is because their wheels fail so often they'd go broke fixing previous sales. Buyer beware, it's not if these wheels are going fail, it's when!


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## MC19 (Jun 28, 2011)

Gal220 said:


> I have the sl vigor wheelset which have required three re builds in a short period of time. Twice the rim gives out and the spoke pulls through and one broken spoke. Few bike shop work on these wheels, so shipping to OR is required. Customer service at Rolf is an oxymoron as they are experts at saying no. I believe this is because their wheels fail so often they'd go broke fixing previous sales. Buyer beware, it's not if these wheels are going fail, it's when!


Same exact thing happened to my Vigor SL's. I had them for just over a year and during a race a few months ago one of the rear spokes blew through the rim and exploded like I had just ran over a glass bottle. My tube popped and tire shredded. Good thing I wasn't going downhill! I purchased my wheel set through my bike shop (Mike's Bike's in San Francisco). They shipped the wheel back to Rolf for me, and Rolf basically sent me a new one for free within two weeks. I'm not happy about how the wheel broke, but I have to say the way Rolf handled the customer service afterwards was pretty great. Not sure if going through my bike shop helped...I'm sure it didn't hurt since Mike's is such a well known chain.


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## hoehler (Aug 6, 2004)

*vigor play*



Gal220 said:


> I have the sl vigor wheelset which have required three re builds in a short period of time. Twice the rim gives out and the spoke pulls through and one broken spoke. Few bike shop work on these wheels, so shipping to OR is required. Customer service at Rolf is an oxymoron as they are experts at saying no. I believe this is because their wheels fail so often they'd go broke fixing previous sales. Buyer beware, it's not if these wheels are going fail, it's when!


I wish I had read all this before I just bought some Vigor's! The rim rubs the brake when out of the saddle also. The hub is not that loose, but I will check that out more carefully. This all said, I have 2 sets of Elan's and they have been great. Never had any brake rubbing, and in fact the older set is a 2003 and has always had a little 'play' in the hub, but still doesn't rub the brakes. One guy mentioned the Vigor's are essentially the same as the Elan's, and I originally thought that may be true also, but actually the Elan's have a lot more spokes than the Vigor's. I think this lower spoke count may be the problem with the Vigor's. I also have some TDF 38's, they have the lower spoke count but have not had problems with them, but they are a totally different rim. Both of my Elan' have been great, and the TDF's have lasted a long time as well.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Been looking into getting a pair of Rolf Prima. Was looking at Elan and Vigor RS. I'm thinking that the Vigor's benefit will be lost on me as I mostly climb and my straight aways' are not above 20 mph on average.


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## hoehler (Aug 6, 2004)

Trek_5200 said:


> Been looking into getting a pair of Rolf Prima. Was looking at Elan and Vigor RS. I'm thinking that the Vigor's benefit will be lost on me as I mostly climb and my straight aways' are not above 20 mph on average.


I 'adjusted' (tightened) the hub on the Vigor today and it did not rub the brake! One of the little set screws was not tight, too, so maybe that contributed. If I were you, I would get the Elan's, though. Be sure and get the wider rims (22mm) as the older 19mm ones can only take a 20mm wide tire or else they are unstable and twitchy on the descent.


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