Rear Wheel

[DrScience]

Hey,

I'm building a new rear wheel for my touring bike.  I'm looking for suggestions on the rim.  I need 700c.  So far I'm thinking of using a 36 hole LX or XT hub.

[OmahaNeb]

If cost is not a major factor, I would suggest a Phil Wood hub.  This is a very high quality, sealed hub.  My understanding is that on the cassette hubs, they only need an allen wrench to remove the cassette, not the traditional (chain whip/removal tool/ 8" wrench).  I have been riding my 30 yr old Phil Hubs with never a spoke being broken. They are 3 spoke cross with double butted spokes.  Heavy but solid.

[ATSFfan]

Check to see what Mavic has available. Last year I used a very heavy duty rim that Trek uses on it's tandems and it is absolutely bulletproof. Mavic lists the A719 on their site and it looks identical to what I used last year. After years of touring, the one thing I never want to scrimp on is wheels - I ride on 30 year old Phil Woods with these Mavic rims and 3x DT spokes. Like I said - bulletproof.

[DaveB]

I ride on 30 year old Phil Woods with these Mavic rims and 3x DT spokes. Like I said - bulletproof.

The only problem is that your Phil Wood hubs require freewheels. Quality freewheels are getting very hard to find, are available in limited cog ranges and absolutely no one makes a 9-speed freewheel.  

Phil Wood still offers freewheel rear hubs at $140 (hub only) but these have all the drawbacks I mentioned above.

Phil Wood does make freehubs splined for Shimano cassettes.  The drawback is these things cost $360 just for the hub!

LX or XT hubs will last an extremely long time if given even a slight amount of care, can be maintained by anybody, their cost is very reasonable and they take a huge range of readily available cassettes.

[JimF]

Built a Mavic A719 rim with a Chris King hub for a TransAm crossing, pulling a 70-lb Bob trailer plus my 190 weight. Stayed true thoughout, with no problem.