Velocity Deep V Rim Brake Rim
The Velocity Deep V is one of the most recognisable rims ever made. Thirty millimeters deep, stiff enough to build a bulletproof track or fixed-gear wheel, and anodized or powder-coated in more colors than any other rim on the market, the Deep V has been the go-to rim for messengers, track racers and city riders for two decades. Velocity extrudes and finishes it in the USA.
This page covers the Velocity Deep V Rim Brake Rim in 700c. The Deep V is built to order here. Choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
Design and construction
The Deep V is a 30mm-deep double-wall aluminum V-section rim, about 14mm wide inside, with a machined brake track on the rim-brake version and a plain sidewall on the disc version. The depth is where the strength and stiffness come from: a Deep V wheel builds up very rigid, which suits track sprinting, fixed-gear skidding and pothole-strewn city streets. It takes 23 to 32mm tires with tubes.
The factory recommends 110 to 130 kgf spoke tension. The Deep V builds well with anything from 24 to 36 spokes; the depth lets a light rider get away with fewer.
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
A Deep V wheel is stiff and direct. There is no flex in a sprint, it holds up to skidding and curb hops, and the deep section has a small aero benefit at speed. It is not a comfort rim, and on rough roads with a narrow tire it can feel harsh; a 28mm tire takes the edge off.
For a fast, tough, colorful fixed-gear or track wheel, or a road wheel that has to survive city riding, the Deep V is the Velocity rim we recommend. For a lighter road wheel the Fusion or Quill is the choice.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 581 (29in) |
| Inner width | 14 mm |
| Depth | 30 mm |
| Drillings | 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h |
| Weight | 580g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black, silver, polished, custom |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the Deep V in 700c with 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h drilling, about 580g, 14mm inside, 30mm deep, rim-brake. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
The rim-brake version of the Deep V carries a machined braking surface on each sidewall, which is what a caliper or cantilever brake needs. It weighs a few grams more than the disc version and it is the one to choose for a rim-brake frame; the disc version is listed separately.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Velocity Deep V Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c and 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h drilling, in rim-brake and disc versions; check the name on this page. We build the Deep V on Velocity Race and Standard hubs, Phil Wood and White Industries track hubs, Shimano, DT Swiss 350 and Bitex hubs, usually with DT Champion or Competition and Sapim Race or Laser spokes.
Tire range on the Deep V is 23 to 32mm. Pick track, fixed-gear or road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the Velocity Deep V Rim Brake Rim — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this rim pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for road rim brake, track and road single-speed and touring builds.
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.
Velocity's testing and certifications
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
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 Deep V; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only hubs and spokes that match the Deep V drilling and color you choose, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel 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. Lace this into a wheel here and the finished wheel gets our own one-year warranty as well as the maker's. For twelve months we replace broken spokes however they broke, and the work on the wheel is on us - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild where it is needed. If the rim or hub is covered by its manufacturer we put the claim in and chase it; if it is not, we supply an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off the current retail price. Carriage both ways is the customer's, and this does not cover wheels built from parts you send in.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Deep V Rim Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 14mm 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 Deep V tubeless?
No. The Deep V is a tube-type rim. For a tubeless aero alloy rim look at the Velocity Aileron.
What colors does the Deep V come in?
More than any other rim we sell: anodized and powder-coated colors change from year to year, and the ones in stock are listed in the configurator.
What tires fit the Deep V?
23 to 32mm. A 25 or 28mm tire is the usual pairing.
Is the Deep V good for track racing?
Yes. It has been the standard alloy track rim for years; we build it on Phil Wood, White Industries and Velocity track hubs.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Velocity Deep V Rim Brake Rim?
No. Velocity makes the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Velocity lists the Deep V Rim Brake Rim as clincher. Ask us about tubeless conversion if you need it.
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.
