There seems to be quit a few people who want to tell us about the great used wheel deals they have gotten. But IMO, buying used wheels is a real crap shoot. Unless you buy from a seller that will let you break down the hubs to examine the cups and ones, you really don't know what problems you are buying. Small cracks in the eyelets are hard to see as well. Don't get me wrong, I haven't bought a new wheelset in years. Some have been lifetime keepers, some have been headaches. Sometimes your the bug, sometimes your the windshield.

What a deal! I need to check these out.

Yep, I buy pretty much anything used, and all bicycle stuff except consumables. Buying stuff used is all about weighing the risk and the reward. The risk is that you buy something that has some undetected flaw, and the reward is that you get something really good at a low price. I manage the risk a couple of ways. First, I inspect carefully for the common defects. Secondly, I pay a low price, so that if I end up missing some problem with my inspection I am still OK.

Typical used wheelset deals I pick up will include two good to decent tires, two tubes, a good cassette, two skewers, and the two wheels of course. Most of the time, the value of the tires, tubes and cassette equal or exceed what I pay for the wheels. I have bought dozens of used wheels over the years, so far only one was bad (it had a bad rim (I ended up reusing the hub).

I no longer call most of my wheel deals great, as they are really the norm. I see too many of them out there. But I am looking for bike stuff all of the time. And sometimes my wheel purchases come in the form of a complete bike.

Back when I was a starving college student, I didn't understand/know about buying stuff used. (OK, I bought textbooks used, but that was about it.) For the price I paid for a brand new Peugeot UO8 (1975), I probably could have picked up a PX10, or something else really good. Took me a long time to appreciate the value of buying used.

It seems like the hubs on the M13 wheelset are noname, but I have those rims and they've stayed true for the year I've had them. I might not even have 1000 miles on them, but they take the abuse of Austin potholes.

Good spoke wrench, $5
Butted spokes at $1 each (more or less), $36
Rim Strip, $5
Sun CR18 $40 (this is a touring bike, right?)
Hub - your choice, up to about $60
Sheldon Brown guide to wheel building, or perhaps your library has Jobst's book

Or, http://www.rei.com/product/770555/de...00c-rear-wheel from REI for $80, and pay your local shop to retension it.

If you're going from 27" wheels to 700c, you will need to check that the brake pads will reach the rim; diameter is different.

I bought the same Sun M13 set you linked above from the same vendor. 2000 miles on them so far. Other than having to file down a ridge that developed at the seam on the front wheel, they are working fine. Keep in mind those are for a freewheel, not a cassette.