Velocity Aileron Disc Brake Rim
The Velocity Aileron is the modern aero alloy rim: 20mm wide inside, 28mm deep, tubeless-ready and shaped so a 25 to 32mm tire flows into the rim instead of ballooning over it. The Aileron is the rim we build when a customer wants an alloy road or gravel wheel that is fast on the flat and does not give up comfort or tubeless convenience. Velocity extrudes and finishes it in the USA in a wide range of colors.
This page covers the Velocity Aileron Disc Brake Rim in 29in, 27.5in, 26in. The Aileron comes from us only as a finished wheel: pick the hub, spokes and nipples, and we lace, tension and true it by hand in Georgia before it ships.
Design and construction
The Aileron is a welded double-wall aluminum rim with a 30mm semi-toroidal profile that is wider than it is at the bead, which is what makes a modern tire aerodynamic on it. The 20mm inner width supports 25 to 35mm tires with a good sidewall shape and the tubeless-ready bed seals with Velocity tape and a valve. The depth gives the wheel lateral stiffness and lets it build well with lower spoke counts.
The factory recommends 110 to 130 kgf spoke tension. The disc version has a plain sidewall; a machined-sidewall rim-brake version exists as well.
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
An Aileron wheel is quick. The depth makes a noticeable difference on a fast group ride or a flat time trial, and the width keeps a 28mm tire comfortable and confident in corners. On a gravel bike with a 35 to 38mm tire it is one of the faster alloy options, and the stiff section tracks straight on washboard.
For a light climbing wheel the A23 or Quill is lighter; for an aero alloy wheel that does everything from road racing to fast gravel, the Aileron is the Velocity rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in, 26in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 584 (29in), 546 (27.5in), 521 (26in) |
| Inner width | 20 mm |
| Depth | 28 mm |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h |
| Weight | 480g (700c/29in), 450g (650b/27.5in), 405g (26in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black, silver, polished, custom |
About this listing
Version notes. 29in, 27.5in, 26in, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, about 480g, 20mm inside, 28mm deep, disc. The other sizes and brake versions of the Aileron have their own listings; this page is for this one.
The disc version of the Aileron has no brake track, so the sidewall is a plain extrusion that saves a little weight and never wears; it is the one to choose for any disc-brake frame. The rim-brake version, listed separately, has a machined sidewall.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Velocity Aileron Disc Brake Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in, 26in and 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the Aileron on Velocity Race and Standard hubs, DT Swiss 350 and 240, Bitex BX 106, White Industries CLD, Hope RS4 and Chris King R45 hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray, Laser or Race spokes or DT Aerolite and Competition.
Tire range on the Aileron is 25 to 38mm. Pick your bike type and weight in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it into a wheel
This rim is live in our Custom Wheel Program for gravel and road disc, track and road single-speed and touring builds. Start a build with the Velocity Aileron Disc Brake Rim and the configurator opens with this exact rim pinned at the top of the Velocity list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
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.
Testing, standards and warranty at Velocity
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 states that "Rims and wheels are checked for quality at every step of our process" and that it tests rims on an in-house load machine it calls the "Killdozer" "so that we can simulate a larger rider and calculate how many spokes result in a sturdy, quality wheel." Its spoke-count guidance by total rider-plus-gear weight is 200-229 lb: 32 spokes; 230-259 lb: 36; 260-300 lb: 36 front / 40 rear. Velocity recommends building to between 110 kgf and 130 kgf spoke tension and builds its Clydesdale wheels to 120 kgf.
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
The figures, certificates and media above are Velocity's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Velocity USA makes the Aileron; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. We measure the rim before we cut a spoke, bring the wheel up in three or four rounds with a gauge, stress-relieve it between rounds and true it last, then tape it and fit a valve if you want it tubeless.
Only compatible hubs and spokes appear in the configurator, impossible combinations are struck through rather than hidden, and the price is live.
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. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Aileron Disc Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 20mm 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.
Is the Aileron tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with a modern bead profile; Velocity tape, a valve and sealant are fitted on request.
Is the Aileron good for gravel?
Yes. With a 35 to 38mm tire it is a fast, stiff gravel wheel; for rougher gravel and bigger tires the Velocity Blunt SS or Cliffhanger is a better bed.
What tires fit the Aileron?
25 to 38mm. A 28mm road tire or a 35mm gravel tire is the usual pairing.
How does the Aileron compare with the DT Swiss RR 521?
Very similar rims: both 28 to 32mm deep, around 20mm inside, welded and tubeless. The Aileron comes in colors and is made in the USA.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Velocity lists the Aileron Disc Brake Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Which spoke count should I choose?
It depends on your weight, terrain and the hub, not the rim alone. The configurator recommends a count from your bike type and rider weight, within the drillings this rim is made in.
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.
