Modern road wheels are not my forte. In fact, the only wheels I’ve ever ridden have all been period-correct to my bikes. Whether it’s Campy Record to Omega rims or Dura Ace hubs to Wolber rims, I’ve always stuck to the vintage aesthetic. Maybe that’s why when I first saw the Velocity A23 wheelset, I struck a liking to it. It’s simple, lightweight (1,580g) and affordable.

Check out more of my Initial Reaction below!

Velocity describes their A23 road wheelset as:

“The A23 is the newest road wheelset from Velocity. The A23 wheelset partners our newly designed proprietary hub with our A23 rim. The rear hub has offset flanges to provide precise tension, allowing for a symmetric wheel that is stronger and stiffer than a rim laced to a ‘traditional’ flanged hub; which optimizes power transfer. Using a 23mm wide tire with the A23, you maximize the tubular ride qualities while retaining the convenience of a clincher; increased cornering abilities especially at high speeds without sacrificing rolling resistance makes the A23 wheeset THE set for crits and road races.”

There are two models, the Pro and the Comp. The Pro is lighter by 180 grams and has a lower spoke count (20f x 24 r). Since I’m 220 lbs and was planning on putting this on my Affinity 212, I went with the Comp (24f x 28r).

Right out of the box, the A23s looked really slick. With the rear wheel’s radial non-drive by 2x drive-side lacing and the front wheel’s radial lacing, this wheelset looks great on any bike. The extra width of the rim is perfect for bigger tires.

Mixed with my favorite urban tire, the Panaracer Pasela, these wheels added a touch of class to my road bike. They’re competitively priced against Rohl, Mavic and other well-know name brands. Now I haven’t exactly thrashed these yet, so it’s not a full review but in the coming months I plan on taking these off-road and onto some of the lighter trails here in Austin.

Expect a full recap in the near future and if you wanna see more photos, check out my Flickr. Thanks to Velocity for letting me try these out. You guys are the best!