700C wheels will also lower your bottom bracket by about 1cm, so make sure you have sufficient pedal clearance on cornering.

I use those long-drop Shimano dual pivot brakes, they used to be a part of the 105 groupset. They have plenty of stopping power, even with loaded panniers on steep hills.

My LBS built up some commuting wheels for me, with Mavic MA3 light-touring rims, DT butted spokes, and a Shimano Altus hub. Most people associate low-end Shimano hubs with crappy wheels, but they can be just as strong as Ultegra, if not so sweet and light.