Originally Posted by
laura_bugg
I was hoping around $500. So you think Velocity are good? I've seen some reviews that say they've cracked. Do you think the Dyads are the best?
Velocity rims have definitely cracked - at the spoke holes, or brake track / sidewall. This can happen to
any rim if enough load applied over enough miles. You can increase likelihood of this type of failure by adding load, riding rough surfaces and/or using large tires at high pressure. I've built several wheelsets with Velocity rims and had generally good results. Velocity rim quality (consistency) has improved since ~2014 after they moved rim manufacturing plant from Australia to JAX, FL.
Dyads are probably no more likely to fail than any other rim; however, Dyads are typically used for heavy bicyclists and/or loaded touring, so their usage increases likelihood of failure.
You can find decent touring-capable wheels for less then $500. Before you begin search you must define brake type and mount type. My guess is you need rim-brake wheels with 135mm QR rear and 100mm QR front.
Most bike shops have a QBP account (Quality Bike is large distributor) and can order 700c 36 hole wheels sold by QBP - here are some examples:
https://www.modernbike.com/s?search=700c+36h+wheel