As many have guessed I am building up a new project. I am looking for a nice set of wheels, I don’t want to build my own. But traditional laced wheels for rim brake bikes are getting scarce. The price is either cheap or in the $500 and up range. VO has some nice wheels but the asking price before shipping is $465. I have seen almost no reviews on them online. Anyone here use or know of someone who does?

Stand by while I contact my psychic consultant to know which wheels.

Pacenti has even cooler wheels in the $400 range. The VO pages aren't even clear whether the spokes are butted, which is something I insist on.

Build your own? $70 for good used hubs, (2) $70 rims, DB spokes for $50/wheel. $350 total + rubber.

Tools required - $7 spoke wrench. The Park Tension gauge is nice but pinging a good wheel with similar gauge spokes and lacing pattern and noting the pitch will give you the same information. Truing stand is nice but your bike will work just as well. Dishing tool is nice but flipping the wheel in your stand will get you to the same place.

Or go to shops and look for wheels on sale. (I sometimes buy sale wheels for their rims and hubs. RIde them as is for a while, then rebuild with the spokes and pattern I really want.)

Building wheels is a skill you will never regret.

Ben

Velomine sells excellent wheelsets, lots of options. I have a set of Velomine wheels with over 5,000 trouble free miles on them.

VO's wheels are also well regarded; as are their rims.

Post what you're looking for in terms of wheel size, hub type, rim width, etc. You may be surprised at what comes up.

I've had some VO wheels for 6 years. Found the front PBP rim/large flange wheel on sale for something like $125; bought the rear large flange hub, PBP rim new on eBay for $110 and $55 respectively + spokes and built it myself. My only complaint is that the Shimano cassette I put on it seems to be frozen - I absolutely cannot break that lock ring free even after soaking in PB Blaster.

I had a set of wheels from VO on my old Colnago Master, a while ago. I never had any issue with them at all. I'd buy from them again, no worries.

Well you got me there. It shouldn't make a big difference since all their hubs are the same. But here are the two I'm looking at.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...ar-wheel-135mm
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...bp-front-wheel

What are you using as a wrench on the cassette tool? If you are using a wrench, or adjustable wrench, don't. Go get a socket that fits the tool, and a breaker bar. You need leverage, and the breaker bar will give that to you.

I have some VO 650b rim brake rims that I bought used. I think I bought them here, actually.

They're great. They spin as buttery smooth as my vintage Campy hubs.

I don't rightly know if the spokes are butted or not.

My use for this particular bike has been somewhat limited -- short commutes in town (4-5 miles), mostly. My intent for this bike is to do some bikepacking with it, but that hasn't happened yet due to weather and time constraints.

Anyway I have no complaints.

I would agree about the skill. I can true a wheel but have never built it from scratch. Which is why I’m looking for a nice set of pre built wheels.

Ditto to all the above (except mine's not a Colnago).