Originally Posted by
SoSmellyAir
I don't know much about Psimet's (or any other wheel builders') pricing for a standalone rear wheel, since I always shop for a wheelset, but disagree with the premise of your question, i.e., that it is somehow unreasonable to price a standalone rear wheel at 2/3 the price of the corresponding wheelset.
Even if both wheels are built using the exact same rim, the freehub of the rear wheel is much more expensive, and the rear wheel has more spokes and require different types and lengths, plus the costs to pack and ship one wheel is not much less than that for a wheelset. So 2/3 for a rear wheel seems eminently reasonable ... and you might as well buy the whole wheelset.
I need to clarify about the pricing.
If a wheel set is offered for, let's say, 1,000, & IF just a rear wheel is offered [often times not offered separate] it might be listed at 750. Shipping is separate for both scenarios.
IMO, that's a bit high for a rear wheel if bought a la carte from the same vendor & of the same model/series.
I haven't did a deep dive into a price per part breakdown, only because most of the details to do so are not always through enough for doing such dive.
I do understand that the rear hub is going to be more than the front, but that's the only major item to throw off the parts costs.