12x142 centerlock hub with steel freehub for touring - recommendations please
 

Shimano freehub can be 10 or 11 spd, planning on 32h. ~300-320# 650b rig all suited up. Will be paired with a SON dyno front.

XT (FH-M8010), Ultegra (FH-RS770)? Bitex? DT comes with aluminum freehub, correct? Have to buy steel separate ($50+)?

Chris King and WI are not on my list, I have experience.

More money typically means lighter weight (Onyx excepted), maybe ceramic bearings and blingier, but not necessarily better, right?

If cost is not a factor, I would get a Phil hub.

Wow, hadn't even thought of PW and had no idea they made TA hubs (although it appears no centerlock). This bike will have a PW BB.

Hope
 

I've switched over to just using Hope hubs on my mountain bikes after terrible experiences with SLX hubs (freehubs made of cheese) and middling at best experiences with DT, WI, and the Taiwanese stuff. I'm pretty big/strong and I'm not a particularly elegant trail rider, so my rear hubs see hard use and the Hopes have held up amazingly well. Like never once needed service well.

For on-road I continue to use and to be very happy with DT and White Industries stuff.

Website doesn't show CL, but pretty sure they make it now...

https://www.avt.bike/phil-wood-cente...-11-speed.html

My experience is almost exclusively Campy & WI on the road and XT, XTR off. Friends have had horrid experience off road with CK and WI. Good to hear about your experience with Hope.

Very nice, thanks for this.

You could do an RS770 hub.

Ultegra level goodness w TAs

M

DT 350 hybrid with oversized hubshell sounds perfect. I've heard bad things about the XT free hubs.

I would avoid aluminum freehub bodies.

DT 350/240 with a steel freehub body. I think the older 18 point star ratchet is more durable than the smaller teeth on the higher count ones. I had some DT flanges crack on some customer bikes a long time ago and they would not take care of them so I do not run them anymore however many people seem to like them.

Hope Pro 4 with a steel freehub. I just recently got a hope with a steel freehub and it looks really nice, I have no long term experience with these though.

Phil with steel freehub. Phil hubs seem to be the most durable and if weight or price is not a consideration than go with Phil.

I do have the RS770 on a light weight TA wheelset for the same bike, but haven't ridden them yet (frameset still in fab).

I've also heard and read stories re. XT and XTR issues, wonder if RS770 shares these.

DT350 Hybrid appears to be Boost only, no 142 that I can find.

Hope is promising and yes, steel freehub body (regardless of hub brand) is a very good idea. What about the Bitex Anti-Bite system?

PW is likely the proper hub for this wheelset, unless the dollar commitment required has me opting for an Onyx.

I have DT240 hubs from 2010, run on a MTB that I am not gentle on. The thing still spins like day 1. I clean it every other year, which is super easy to do. I should probably clean it more often.

I also have a Hope Evo rear hub that I've had for 5 years. Somehow, broke the axle, but now replaced with a steel axle and it's been solid. Not as easy to service as the DT, though.

I would go DT240 or DT350, personally.

Also in favor of the DT 350/240!
Swiss quality and the maintenance is so easy! And you can have 36T if you want. Swap is also super easy.

I like Hopes as well, but I can’t say much bad about DT 350 - they’re my commuter hubs and they’re bombproof

Can one buy a new DT 350 (12x142 CL) with steel freehub body or is it only a swap after purchase deal?

looking around before I could not find any for sale in that configuration. It might be possible to special order it through. A large online dealer might swap one out for you.