My SA XL-FDD has 22,000 miles, including 4,200 on SE Asia tour at 290 lbs. I would say it is fabulous for sure and I wouldn't be using anything else. It never was much at locking the wheel, mostly an ABS brake, but it does still make the rear brake moot. You may as well get the dyno while you are at it. Only needed a bearing change at 17,000, but the cam interface is now getting grooved. They certainly are set and forget, but soupy mud can creep inside. I now also have a 70 mm RD3 on a 584 rim, that does lock the wheel no problem. I actually found them to be gripier when new. Roller brakes are a total farce IMO. A mud caked rim brake is USELESS.
As for the very very BEST build, mine has Dyad rims, Wheelsmith 2.3/2.0 spokes and DT locking nipples. Absolutely NO need for washers or thread lube or stupid eyelet crap rims by Mavic. Pffft
My supposedly tour weight fork was very wobbly and did break 3 times, but it did also have brazeons that likely stressed it poorly 3" from the top. I now have a tandem fork from R + E bikes. I put a 3" CF band where the clamp goes, so it is impossible to crease or crush there.
I actually thought I should have wrapped that first fork entirely in CF to start with, not sure if it would then stress the steer tube though. It certainly does make it hammer proof.
Last edited by GamblerGORD53; 08-01-17 at 04:07 PM.