Best rear cassette touring hub? 26" Velocity Dyad 36-spoke rims, rim brakes

[Jonathan Hanson]

Everyone,

In anticipation of a tour on rough roads, I'm building a new set of wheels for my Thorn Nomad, which presently has Mavic XC717 rims and a Shimano XT rear hub. I've been perfectly happy with my XT rear hub, but heard the newer XT hubs are built more for light weight than strength. I cannot afford anything in the realm of Phil Wood. I bought Velocity Dyad rims. I have a SON dynamo front hub. 

Any suggestions? Thanks . . . Jonathan

[Pat Lamb]

While I don't know about XT hubs being lightened, my older hubs have been remarkably problem-free.  I've had a lot more problems with spokes, FWIW.  I have a feeling you're past the point where you'll spend more time, money, and effort preventing potential problems with an XT hub than dealing with real problems that do pop up.

[Jonathan Hanson]

Thanks . . . more research revealed that the latest generation of "Microspline" XT hub apparently has a tendency to fail at low mileage. I'd just swap my current XT hub to the new wheels but I want to keep the Mavic wheels for lighter duty. I'm looking into a Velocity hub, but still searching too.

[driftlessregion]

My Velocity Dyad rims and Velocity hubs on my touring bike have been trouble free over several loaded tours.

[Jonathan Hanson]

Thank you . . . as it happens I ordered a set of Dyad rims and I'm about to order their rear hub too. Your post reinforced the choice.

[natethegreat]

I second the Velocity rims. I have had the Velocity Chukkers 36H 700C on older Deore LX hubs on my now deceased Trek 520.
They were bomb proof.

Never a problem with true or broken spokes.