Originally Posted by
fietsbob
A 29er wheel is a 700c rim with disc hubs , maybe there is one of those in the shops wholesale catalogs ?
Nope. Don't buy those. They have 135mm hubs. The Portland is 130mm between the dropouts.
I had a set built last year for my Portland using Velocity's rear disk road hub, Shimano Alfine dynamo hub in front, Velocity VXC disk-specific hoops and 32 DT Competition spokes. Including labor, the pair was $615 at my LBS.
I also recommend upgrading the rotors. The stock Avid Roundagons are prone to warping. When I did the new wheels I used Avid G3 rotors, front (centerlock) and rear (ISO six-bolt). They have 12 "spokes" instead of the usual six, and they're stainless so they stay sparkly.
Pics and specs here.
BTW, I have three years and over 11,000 miles on my Portland, and still love every ride on it. I use it daily for the same sorts of things you're planning. My favorite thing about the bike is that it still hauls when it hauls--your motor may vary.