Advice required about wheels.

[Ajax Bay]

I am only able to look at the budget end of the market, (we are both OAPs)

@vickster has suggested Spa (and they're great). But 'budget end' - I think not and their cheapest wheelsets are built with cartridge hubs (surprise) - these ones, I think: https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/products/zenith-freewheel-hubs

 

[midlife]

Cycle clinic posts as Cycleclinic on LFGSS and is active and helpful in their wheelbuilding threads, I know it's another forum but ........

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/128002/?offset=7300#comment14181111

 

[the snail]

the problem with the wheels I am using at the moment is that they have sealed bearings and during the last 5 or six years or so, I have had three of them collapse on me and I would hate that to happen with a fully loaded bike miles from anywhere..

Cheapest option might be to swap the bearings for some good quality ones before you go. If the rims are good and you haven't been snapping spokes, then you at least know your current wheels are well-built, which new cheap ones might not be?

 

[taximan]

Cheapest option might be to swap the bearings for some good quality ones before you go. If the rims are good and you haven't been snapping spokes, then you at least know your current wheels are well-built, which new cheap ones might not be?

The problem is that I can't get at the bearings to change them because they are sealed in

 

[Ajax Bay]

I also would like hubs in which I can access the bearings for service etc rather that the type with sealed bearings that are press fitted.

The problem is that I can't get at the bearings to change them because they are sealed in

Cartridge bearings can be replaced without difficulty. Youtube is your friend.
But entirely agree that cup and cone is better, provided one services them.
My main wheelset cup and cone hubs going strong and smooth in excess of 30km riding (from new).
Useful post on cartridge bearings here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/f...-bearings-made-of-butter.217201/#post-4768715

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Chances of getting what the OP is after "a pair of 700c wheels with double wall rims, I also would like hubs in which I can access the bearings for service etc rather that the type with sealed bearings that are press fitted." from a donor bike is, imo. low, and you'd need to be able to recognise such rims/hubs by merely looking

Most cheaper hybrids will come with fairly sturdy 36 spoke alloy rims which will have traditional cup & cone bearings. Wall construction may or may not be double, but the important thing to remember is that the cheaper end of the Hybrid market is not obsessed by weight reduction, unlike the drop bar road market, so the wheels will be designed to take tyres around 35mm wide, not built as narrow as possible and maybe only designed for 25 or 28mm tyres at most.
Wheel construction is a trade-off between rim strength and spoke count. The more spokes the rim is supported by, the stronger it will be for a given overall rim weight. The less spokes you fit, the weaker the rim, unless the rim is built extra heavy to compensate, and then the spokes would need to be thicker to make up for the reduced numbers. As a general rule, low spoke count rims should be regarded as weekend warrior fare, and avoided by anyone who expects to be able to load up a bike and subject it to hard use without suffering spoke breakages & out of true problems. Wheels don't have to be super-expensive to be strong, but they do need to be built to a decent cross section width and contain a decent number of spokes.