I'm increasingly realising that hubs are a point of great concern for touring cyclists. My current wheels have hubs which are, by most standards, cheap and absolute rubbish (Shimano Altus I think - mainly specced for children's bikes). However, they are very simple, serviceable and have got me this far. So again, I won't replace them until they fail (or until I'm planning a big tour).

I discussed wheels with my LBS. They strongly recommended rims from Stan's Notubes together with Novatec hubs, machine made and tension adjusted at the shop. They are also fond of Alexrim rims for value. How does this sound? I've never even heard of Stan's.