Velocity A23 Rim Brake Rim
The Velocity A23 is the rim that taught a lot of road riders what a wider rim does for a tire. It is based on the race-proven Aerohead and widened it to 23mm across, so a 25 or 28mm tire sits with a consistent, rounder profile instead of being pinched at the beads. The result is a wheel that corners with more confidence, rides more comfortably at lower pressure and, with a 23 to 25mm tire, is more aerodynamic than the same tire on a narrow rim. It is extruded and finished in the USA, in a range of colors nobody else offers.
This page covers the Velocity A23 Rim Brake Rim in 700c, 650b, 650c, 26in, 24in, 20in. The A23 is sold here only inside a wheel we build: choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator and the finished wheel ships from Georgia, laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The A23 is an 18mm-inner, 19.5mm-deep double-wall aluminum rim with a low, wide profile that keeps weight down and gives the tire the widest possible footprint. It is tubeless-ready, and with the factory's own tape and a valve it seals reliably with 25 to 35mm tubeless tires. The rim-brake version has a machined sidewall; the disc version has a plain one and saves a few grams.
The factory recommends building the A23 to a spoke tension between 110 and 130 kgf, which is high for an alloy road rim and part of why the wheels stay true. There is also an off-center A23 OC for rear and disc wheels, which we describe on its own page.
Velocity USA runs its own extrusion, drilling and anodising in Jacksonville, Florida, which is rare in an industry where most alloy rims come out of the same handful of Asian factories. It means the profile, the alloy and the finish are all Velocity's own, the color range changes when the company decides it should, and a rim ordered this year matches one ordered five years ago. For a wheel builder it also means consistent ERDs and clean spoke holes, and for a rider it means a rim that can be replaced or matched later.
How it rides
The wheel rides like a modern alloy road wheel should: quick, comfortable, and predictable in corners because the tire is properly supported. It is light enough for climbing and stiff enough that a 32-spoke rear holds up under a bigger rider. On a cyclocross bike with a 33mm tire it is a classic race wheel.
The A23 is not deep and not trying to be aero beyond what the width does; for a deeper alloy rim there are the Aileron and Deep V. For an everyday road or cross wheel with a huge color choice, it is the rim we build most. Cyclocross racers were among the first to adopt the A23 for exactly that reason: a 33mm tire on a 23mm rim runs at low pressure without folding over in a corner.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c, 650b, 650c, 26in, 24in, 20in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 601 (29in), 562 (27.5in), 550 (650c), 537 (26in), 500 (24in), 428 (20in), 383 (20in) |
| Inner width | 18 mm |
| Depth | 19.5 mm |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h |
| Weight | 450g (700c/29in), 425g (650b/27.5in), 420g (571), 415g (26in), 390g (520), 340g (451), 290g (20in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black, silver, polished, custom |
This version
This version is the A23 in 700c, 650b, 650c, 26in, 24in, 20in, drilled 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, about 450g, 18mm inside, 19.5mm deep, rim-brake. Where the same rim is sold in another size or brake type, that is a separate listing with its own page.
This is the rim-brake A23, with machined sidewalls for caliper, cantilever or V-brakes. Choose it for a rim-brake frame; for a disc-brake bike the disc version, listed separately, drops the brake track and a few grams.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Velocity A23 Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c, 650b, 650c, 26in, 24in, 20in and 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h drilling, in rim-brake and disc versions; check the name on this page. We build the A23 on Velocity Race and Standard hubs, DT Swiss 350 and 240, Shimano, White Industries T11 and CLD, Bitex and Chris King R45 hubs, usually with Sapim Laser, Race or CX-Ray spokes or DT Competition and Aerolite.
Tire range on the A23 is 23 to 35mm. The configurator recommends spoke count and lacing from your bike type and weight.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for road rim brake, track and road single-speed and touring builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Velocity A23 Rim Brake Rim and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
Spoke head is decided by the hub, not the rim: this rim builds equally well with J-bend or straight-pull spokes, and the configurator only offers the spokes that match the hub you pick.
How Velocity tests its rims
Velocity USA rolls, drills, anodizes and builds its aluminum rims at its own factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Velocity states the extrusion comes from Profile Precision Extrusions in Arizona. Production moved there from Jacksonville, Florida beginning December 2016. Rims are sleeve-joined: a piece of extrusion shaped to the rim's inner cavity is bonded in and the join heat-treated to set the bonding agent, then the rim is drilled, cleaned of swarf and anodized in Velocity's own tanks. Spoke holes are drilled at an exit angle of around 4 degrees, alternating flange bias at every other hole.
Velocity publishes no impact-energy, fatigue-cycle, ISO 4210 or third-party lab figures and no per-rim maximum tire pressure; its tubeless guidance uses 45 psi (3.1 bar) as the threshold between one and two layers of Velotape. Warranty: all Velocity products are warranted against defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product, excluding normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse, improper assembly or maintenance; repair or replacement is at Velocity's discretion.
Velocity's videos
From Velocity
Certifications
- Made in USA claim — Velocity states it rolls, drills, anodizes and builds rims and wheels by hand in Grand Rapids, MI using locally sourced materials (all production consolidated there December 2016) (source)
Sources on Velocity's site:
- Tech - Velocity USA
- About - Velocity USA
- About Us - Velocity USA
- Go Big And Get Home: Clydesdale Wheels And YOU! - Velocity USA
- Manufacturing with Passion: Velocity USA's Grand Rapids Wheel Factory - The Radavist
Everything in this section is published by Velocity. ProWheelBuilder is the wheel builder, not the tester, and the rim reaches us as the maker ships it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Velocity USA makes the A23; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Spokes are cut from the ERD we measure on the actual rim, the wheel comes up in stages on a tensiometer, and it is stress-relieved and trued before it goes in the box; tape and a valve go on if you ask.
The configurator filters to what fits, crosses out what is not made, and prices the build as you go.
Warranty
Velocity's warranty. Velocity warrants its rims against defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product, repairing or replacing at its option. Normal wear, accidents, misuse, improper assembly and poor maintenance are excluded.
ProWheelBuilder. Wheels we build around this part are covered by our own one-year warranty alongside the maker's. Within the year: broken spokes replaced regardless of cause, and the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning or a complete rebuild - included. A manufacturer-covered rim or hub failure is a claim we make and manage for you; one they will not cover is answered with an eligible replacement at 25% off retail. Shipping each way is yours. Parts you supply yourself fall outside it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
A23 Rim Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 18mm inside this is a road width. It suits roughly 25 to 32mm tires, which is where most road bikes now sit, and it will run a 23 if you still want one. Go much wider than 32 on this rim and the tire starts to balloon above the sidewalls and squirm when you lean on it.
What is the difference between the A23 and the A23 OC?
The OC has its spoke bed offset to one side, which evens out spoke tension on a rear or disc wheel. Use the OC for those; the standard A23 for a rim-brake front.
Is the A23 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready; with Velocity tape, a valve and sealant it seals reliably with tubeless tires from 25mm up.
What tires fit the A23?
23 to 35mm. A 25 to 28mm road tire or a 33mm cross tire is where the 23mm width works best.
What colors does the A23 come in?
The factory anodises and powder-coats it in a wide range; the colors in stock are listed in the configurator.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Velocity A23 Rim Brake Rim?
No. The rim is made by Velocity; we are the wheel builder in Georgia who laces it into a finished wheel to your spec and stands behind the build.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Velocity lists the A23 Rim Brake Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
