Velocity Quill Rim Brake Rim
The Velocity Quill is the all-rounder in the Velocity road range: 21mm wide inside, 24mm deep, welded, tubeless-ready and light. The Quill takes the tire support of the A23 and adds a little depth and a welded joint, which makes a stiffer, rounder rim that still builds into a comfortable everyday road wheel on 25 to 35mm tires. Velocity extrudes and finishes it in the USA in a range of colors.
This page covers the Velocity Quill Rim Brake Rim in 700c, 650b, 26in. The Quill is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The Quill is a welded double-wall aluminum rim with a 21mm inner bed, a 24mm-deep section and a tubeless-ready bead. The welded joint keeps the brake track continuous and the rim round, and the extra depth over the A23 gives the wheel more lateral stiffness. The rim-brake version has a machined sidewall.
The factory recommends 110 to 130 kgf spoke tension. The Quill builds well with 24 to 32 spokes.
Velocity USA makes its rims in Jacksonville, Florida, from extrusion through drilling to anodising, and backs them with the kind of support a small American manufacturer can give: replacement rims years later, matching colors, and straight answers about what a rim is for. The published spoke-tension range of 110 to 130 kgf is on the high side for alloy, and it is part of why these rims build into wheels that stay true.
How it rides
A Quill wheel is the road wheel most riders actually want: light enough to climb, stiff enough to sprint, wide enough to run a 28mm tire at comfortable pressure, and tubeless if you want it. It is a step up in stiffness from the A23 without the depth or weight of the Aileron, and it comes in colors.
For a dedicated aero wheel the Aileron is deeper; for a pure climbing wheel the Fusion is a touch lighter. For one alloy road rim that does everything, the Quill is the Velocity rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c, 650b, 26in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 589 (29in), 551 (27.5in), 527 (26in) |
| Inner width | 21 mm |
| Depth | 25.5 mm |
| Drillings | 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h |
| Weight | 465g (700c/29in), 440g (650b/27.5in), 413g (26in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Rim brake-brake |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black, silver, polished, custom |
This listing
This is the 700c, 650b, 26in listing of the Quill, 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h, about 465g, 21mm inside, 25.5mm deep, rim-brake. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The rim-brake version of the Quill 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 Quill Rim Brake Rim comes in 700c, 650b, 26in and 16h, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, 40h, 48h drilling. We build the Quill on Velocity Race hubs, DT Swiss 350 and 240, Shimano, White Industries T11, Bitex and Chris King R45 hubs, usually with Sapim Laser, Race or CX-Ray spokes or DT Competition and Aerolite.
Tire range on the Quill is 25 to 35mm. Pick road as your bike type 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 road rim brake, track and road single-speed, touring and tandem and e-bike builds. Start a build with the Velocity Quill Rim 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.
What Velocity says about testing
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 Quill; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every Quill wheel we build gets spokes cut from the rim's measured ERD, is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
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. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Quill Rim Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
21mm inside is the all-road and gravel width. Think 32 to 45mm tires: wide enough to support a gravel casing properly so it holds its shape at low pressure, narrow enough that a 30mm road tire still sits right if you swap wheels between bikes.
Is the Quill tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready; Velocity tape, a valve and sealant are fitted on request.
Quill or A23?
The Quill is welded, a little deeper and stiffer; the A23 is lighter and comes in an off-center version for rear wheels. Both are excellent everyday road rims.
What tires fit the Quill?
25 to 35mm. A 28mm tire is the usual pairing.
What spoke count suits the Quill?
24 to 28 for a light rider, 32 for everyday riding; the configurator recommends from your weight.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Velocity lists the Quill Rim 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.
