Anybody have experience with these? They're light...wondering about durability, ease of maintenance, etc. Thanks.

Light - yes
Durable - yes
Ease of Maintenance - Yes

The DT Swiss 240s are all that and one more thing - Expensive. They're great hubs but you pay for it. If the cost isn't a problem, I say go for it. If cost matters, there are plenty of hubs out there that are 95% of a DT Swiss for 50-60% of the cost.

The older 240 hubs badged under Hugi are also nice but not as light as the newer ones badged with the DT Swiss name.

Thanks for the quick relpy. Are they noisy like Chris Kings? Also, which hubs are you referring to?

"If cost matters, there are plenty of hubs out there that are 95% of a DT Swiss for 50-60% of the cost."

Thanks for the quick relpy. Are they noisy like Chris Kings? Also, which hubs are you referring to?

"If cost matters, there are plenty of hubs out there that are 95% of a DT Swiss for 50-60% of the cost."

Nope, they're not nearly as loud as Kings.

One sealed bearing alternative that pops to mind are SpeedCific sold by www.odddsandendos.com out of Florida. The new 2005 model hubs they're building with are super high quality, weight is pretty close and you can get a whole wheelset built and shipped for the same price as a set of DT Swiss hubs. White Industries are pretty nice also although the price is approaching the price of the 240s. Give SpeedCific a call and they'll spend some time explaining all the options out there along with prices which are some of the best around.

Good Luck

Mu only experience with Hugi is I've used their Hugi MTB hubs a few years back. They were lightweight and quiet. However, I stripped the pawls one day while climbing a short hill. I had them serviced and found that there were four small latches which engaged the drivetrain. I had rounded off the edges and it would no longer engage. So my rear wheel became a freespinner. The hubs were repaired under warranty but I never trusted them again. I'm not a big rider and I dont' consider myself a strong climber. Lesser hubs have survived my climbing style. So I sold them with a bike sale.

I still use White Industries TI racers on my cross country mtb. Ive had them for over 5 years. Very lightweight and smooth. The bearings are easy to change and I have to do this once every two years. But its one of the few that is truly user serviceable. They're the noisiest hubs I've ever owned. It sure lets people know I'm coming.

I've no experience with the Chris King hubs but I use their headsets on every bike I own. My riding partner bought a set of CK Hubs for his mountain bike at the same time I installed my White Industries hubs. He's not repaired, replaced, or serviced them since he bought them. They are still as smooth as the day he first laced the wheels. They've since outlasted two sets of rims and the mechanics inspect them and still insist no maintenance is necessary. They are noisy but not as noisy as the White Industrires.

I built my first Campy equipped bike last year and chose Hugi 240S hubs. I built the wheels 32h rear, 28h front, DT RR 1.1 rims, DT Revolution spokes 3X, and black alloy nipples. They are very light and I like them a lot. The hubs and rims came with red stickers that did not go well with the bikes's frame but they were easy to peel off, leaving all black.
For my Shimano bike I built a similar wheelset on King hubs. I think the King hubs look a little nicer but they are noisier and King hubs won't run on a Campy drive train.
BTW, Record hubs are louder than King or Hugi.

Al

240s is my favorite. Hands down. Another thing to consider is the tools it takes to overhaul. All bike shops carry stuff for Shimano, which is nice. Most road shops will carry tools for 240s, most mountain shops will carry stuff for king. If your cassette body (freehub body some call it) up and dies on you, you gotta consider how fast your bike will be up and running again. For that reason alone, shimano takes the cake, but I'll take my chances on my 240s....