I see some 700c available online for like $47 but it’s difficult for me to trust HuiFanXiaoGenHeyu again after last time and the cheapest recognizable brand I can find seems to be Mavic with some ~$130 wheels (each (before shipping)).

I’m not averse to installing the spokes to the rim myself (lace it up!) but that just adds to the equation “which spoke brand” and “which rim brand” and “which tire brand?” But I would absolutely love to hear some input on exactly those questions.

Something to add to that is that I respect the importance of reducing weight for extended use and performance, but I personally don’t care about weight, I could carry you up the mountain and a heavier bike can cruise farther. What I really care about is something solid that it won’t be destroyed easily and that isn’t poorly manufactured punctured tube machines.