PDKL45

I'm looking for a wheelset for touring/commuting/adventure, all of it quite heavily loaded. I need sealed (cartridge) bearing QR 135 & 100 compatible hubs, disc with as many spokes as possible. I am fairly sold on the DT Swiss H 1950 Classic wheelset with the DT Swiss Hybrid componentry (it's designed for eBikes, but handles Clydes and their loads as well), but does anyone have any other suggestions?

HillRider

Just one comment. If you are using qr front hubs with disc brakes, be sure the qr skewer is kept very tight and the "lawyer lips" on the fork dropouts are in good condition. Most newer disc forks use thru-axles for good reason.

csport

Some people say that having 40 or more spokes weakens the rim because of the extra spoke holes. I have Velocity rims with 36 spokes. Ryde Andra is even stronger and heavier -- probably the strongest.

PDKL45

I'm currently running 36 spoke wheels, just getting tired of cup and cone hubs. When you're a bigger guy carrying big loads, they just get pitted and rough too easily.

veganbikes

I would look at getting something handbuilt. I would recommend White Industries hubs either XMR or CLDs laced with Sapim Strong spokes and Secure Lock brass nipples (or DT Swiss Alpine IIIs with their locking brass nipples) to Velocity rims probably Dyad or Atlas with 36h laced 3x. I wouldn't feel the need to go to 40 these days.

Talk to your local wheelubilder and see what they recommend as well

Russ Roth

Don't know what qualifies has heavy but for my use I've got XT hubs with Velocity Dyad rims, Wheelsmith HD spokes and, going completely against the grain, alloy nipples since I like the color. These are 32h and have carried all 275-280lb of me with fully loaded panniers while towing a trailer filled with camping gear since the 3 kids couldn't carry their stuff. Haven't had to true anything yet.
If I wanted truly bombproof I'd go Chris King Classics with stainless steel freehub body, 36h with Dyad rims, wheelsmith HD spokes and brass nipples. I'm still on my first set of kings (20+year old hubs) with original bearings and I can say they've been actually submerged at least twice and the bearings still run amazingly smooth. They do need occasional adjustments but not often and easy to do with an allen wrench.
Currently testing out XMR hubs on my cross bike, so far they're impressing me but they don't feel faster and I don't know how well they hold up over the decades compared to King, but they get very good reviews and are a good savings over king. Besides the Velocity which is the brand I tend towards I've also built real heavy duty builds using Sun Rhyno Lites but they're a heavy rim so unless you're easily clearing 300lbs I'd stick with the velocity.

csport

I do not know about the hubs (I run Deore M6000 36H), but this review:
https://www.cyclingabout.com/the-bes...cycle-touring/
lists all rims, Ryde Andra is the strongest/heaviest.

I am 300# and I have Velocity Chukkers (and Alex DH19 on a spare wheel).
Pobably Andra > Velocity Atlas > Velocity Chukkers > DT 540 if you want something bombproof.

PDKL45

Kinda surprised that Alee left DT Swiss 545d rims out of that list, but eBike oriented stuff that also works for touring/trekking often gets overlooked. I have a DT Swiss 545d, DT Swiss Champion spoke and XT hub rear wheel and an Alex En24, DT Swiss Champion spoke and XT hub front wheel. They're basically bombproof wheels, handmade with 36 spokes, but I have been through one rear hub with them and to avoid the same happening again, I have been changing the bearings and grease every few thousand kms.

As a commuter you just rack up the kms, and that's become really apparent in the era of COVID, as I've been doing a 60km round trip almost daily. I really want a wheelset with cartridge bearings to make the bearing change easier and less frequent, so I can just get on the bike and go, without worrying about constant hub maintenance issues. Commuting really chews up components, but it's probably most noticeable in the hubs right now.

The DT Swiss H 1950 Classic is basically what I've decided to go with, an eBike specific wheelset with 350/370 hubs, Alpine III spokes and model specific rims. 32 spokes, but it will handle a system weight of 150 kgs. I was posting here out of due diligence, really. I can't find another easily available wheelset (I'm in South Korea, so getting things can be a challenge at times; the bike shops here just aren't aimed at utility riding). I could have a wheelset built, but it would cost me about the same as, or more than, the DT Swiss wheelset and would have a system weight limit about the same.

Really I was just wondering if there was any obvious wheelset candidate fitting the cartridge bearing/QR & disc compatible requirements that I'd managed to overlook.