Your Guide To Buying Used FLO Wheels – Pros & Cons

The other day, I received a phone call from a customer buying a used FLO wheel. After a few questions, I found out that the original price he had been told was not accurate, and he had paid too much for this wheel. Shortly before that, I received an email from a customer who had purchased what they thought was a used FLO wheel, and asked me to take a look. This was clearly not our wheel but it had our stickers. FLO has been around since 2012, which means you can find used FLO wheels for sale in a number of locations. We often get asked questions about used wheels and we wanted to give you some pointers about buying used FLO wheels so hopefully you don’t become one of the stories above. We will also go over the pros and cons of buying used.

The best way to identify a FLO wheel is to look at the model number and the build identifier number. Those numbers are located inside the rim, under the rim strip (remove if needed), between the brake tracks. (Note there is also a serial number under the rim strip that starts with a number; we’ll go over that later under the “Wheel Production Year” section). The model number begins with a “WH” and the build identifiers are explained below. The image below shows this number.

Below is a list of FLO wheel model numbers and their corresponding wheel. Once you locate the model number you can use this list to identify the wheel.

• WH158 – FLO 60
• WH159 – FLO 90
• WH160-  FLO DISC

• WH238 – FLO 60 Aluminum + Carbon
• WH239 – FLO 90 Aluminum + Carbon
• WH250 – FLO DISC Aluminum + Carbon
• WH251 – FLO 45 Carbon Clincher
• WH252 – FLO 60 Carbon Clincher
• WH253 – FLO 90 Carbon Clincher
• WH255 – FLO DISC Carbon Clincher

• WH293 – FLO G700
• WH295 – FLO G650
• WH296 – FLO 49 AS
• WH297 – FLO 64 AS
• WH298 – FLO 77 AS

The build identifiers will tell you how many spokes the wheel has and if it is a front or rear wheel. The spokes are simply a number, and the front and rear designation are “F” and “R.” Below is a list of the build options you will see and what they mean. We’ve also listed the weight rating for each of these builds. Note: As of 2020 all 24 spoke wheels are rated up to 250 lbs for Aluminum + Carbon wheels and 270 lbs for Carbon wheels. The Clydesdale build was discontinued in 2020.

• 20F – 20 Spoke Front Wheel – Rated up to 242 lbs
• 24F – 24 Spoke Front Wheel – Rated up to 242 lbs
• 24R – 24 Spoke Rear Wheel – Rated up to 198 lbs
• 28R – 28 Spoke Rear Clydesdale Wheel – Rated up to 242 lbs

The FLO 30 is the only all aluminum wheel that we’ve made. There is no model number on this wheel. If the wheel is all aluminum it is a FLO 30. The original FLO 30 wheels were in production from 2012-2017. In 2020, we offered a FLO 30 LIMITED edition that has an upgraded freehub and black spokes, and are only sold in sets. Those start shipping in late October/early November 2020.

In 2016, we offered an option to buy rims only, which are listed below. Please note that you may find FLO rims with other components that are not made by FLO. You can identify a rim the same way you do a wheel. There will be the same WH number, but the build identification number will have an “H” rather than an “R” or “F”.

• FLO 45 Carbon Clincher
• FLO 60 Carbon Clincher
• FLO 90 Carbon Clincher

These wheels came in the following drillings.

• 20H
• 24H
• 28H
• 32H

The wheel identifier number is a generic number that does not identify the type of hub that was used to build the wheel.  FLO has sold rim brake, centerlock disc brake, 6-bolt disc brake, and track wheels. The best way to know what type of wheel it is is to look at the hub. Below is a break down of the hub types and how to identify what the wheel-use type is.

• Rim Brake: A hub with no centerlock fitting, 6-bolt fitting, or track bolts are rim-brake wheels.
• Centerlock Disc Brake: A hub with a centerlock fitting.
• 6-Bolt Disc Brake: A hub with a 6-bolt fitting.
• Track: A hub with bolts instead of QR or thru-axle attachment.

Below are images of each hub except the track wheel. While I do not have a picture they are easily identifiable by the large bolt to mount it to the frame.

In the same place you found the wheel model number and build identifier, you will find another number that starts with two digits that identify the year it was built. For example a “12” indicates the wheel was manufactured in 2012. We’ve made wheels every year since 2012. The image below shows an example of the wheel production year identifier.

FLO wheels ship with a standard freehub–Shimano/SRAM. In 2014, we upgraded the standard to an 11-speed from a 10-speed. This change is listed below. All wheels however, (with one exception) have the option to change the freehub. We offer Shimano/SRAM, Campy, and XRD freehub types. This change can happen at checkout or after the fact.  The freehubs can be found on our accessories page. The only wheels that have compatibility issues are the FLO DISC wheels made before 2014 which do not accept 11-speed Shimano/SRAM freehubs.

• 2012-2013 – Shimano/SRAM 10 Speed
• 2014-Current – Shimano/SRAM 11 Speed

With each new model release, we updated the stickers. We are currently producing our third generation of wheels. The information below will help you identify the wheel by the stickers.

• The 2012-2015 wheels all had two FLO stickers per side for a total of four stickers per wheel; the FLO 30 was the exception.
• The 2016-current FLO wheels all have three FLO stickers per side, for a total of six stickers per wheel.
• From 2016-2019, the stickers are a single solid piece.
• The 2020 wheels have die-cut stickers and have seven pieces per sticker.

While this can often be a quick way to identify a wheel, be careful. Stickers can be purchased separately on our accessories page, and you will sometimes find an updated sticker on an older wheel. We encourage you to look at the wheel model number and the production year to verify the wheel you are working with. Regardless, below are pictures of each model year and the stickers.

FLO wheels have historically had a high resale value. Our pricing has changed over the years though, so you might think you are getting a deal when you may not be. We think it is helpful to know what someone originally paid for a set of wheels so you can assess the value of buying new or used.

• Front – $424
• Rear – $474
• DISC – $599

Starting Prices – Aluminum + Carbon

• Front – $449
• Rear – $499
• DISC – $649

Starting Prices – Carbon Clincher

• Front – $574
• Rear – $624
• DISC – $949

Ending Prices – Aluminum + Carbon

• Front – $599
• Rear – $649
• DISC – $849

Ending Prices – Carbon Clincher

• Front – $674
• Rear – $724
• DISC – $1199

Please refer to our current wheel pricing in our shop.

There are two pros to buying used wheels.

1. The price is lower. Make sure you check the wheel pricing by year above to make sure you are actually getting a deal.
2. You need a model that we no longer make.

There is a considerable list of potential cons when buying used FLO wheels. 

1. The wheels may have been crashed.
2. The spokes may have been overtightened causing spoke bed damage.
3. The wheels have not been properly maintained which may require the hubs to be rebuilt.
4. The wheel may be a fake. Yes, we have seen several fake FLO wheels over the years.
5. Warranty does not extend to a second owner.
6. The number of miles will be unknown.
7. If it is a rim-brake wheel, the brake track may be worn and the wheel may need to be replaced.
8. Damage to the spokes is possible with a dropped chain or impact.
9. Used wheel pricing may be higher than you’d expect.

If you are planning to buy used FLO wheels and have questions, reach out to us. We are happy to take a look at the wheels you intend to buy and will give you our honest assessment of the wheels and what is best for you.