Hi all, i've gleaned a ton of knowledge from this site already but now I need some specific opinions. I'm 6 foot 3, 200 lbs and I ride my Raleigh Cadent 2 (not a FG or SS) fast and hard on the hilly, riddled streets of Seattle. The bike has held up really well, but the cheapo stock Novatec hubs and Alexrims are done.
I will be building my own set of wheels to save money, so i'll be able to spend a little more on the components themselves. So, on that note, what do you guys think would do me well with a $500 budget? As an aside, I don't intentionally go looking for things to jump on this bike, but often times I need to drop off some curbs and bunny hop over pot holes, etc. so everything needs to be strong. I've also heard that you shouldn't have the same spoke count on both wheels (more in back) If that is indeed true, would that apply in this case? Deep V rims are NOT the choice here i've been told as well. Thank you in advance for any input, I greatly appreciate it!!!