Originally Posted by
intransit1217
Is ultegra able to handle loads? They strike me as a lightweight go fast hub vs a load bearing tool.
It's the axle that carries the load. From the standpoint of load carrying, just about any hub will work.
Originally Posted by
intransit1217
Specifically, the Shimano Deore line.
After doing some research I've decided to not go King/ Wood/ White, high for serviceability reasons.
While there's nothing
wrong with Shimano hubs of just about any flavor, there's nothing exciting about them either. They are inexpensive but very, very vanilla (i.e. hokum). Frankly, if you are having a wheel built or you are building one yourself, Shimano hubs are so plain, that you should just buy a prebuilt wheel. Building a wheel is expensive and really should only be done to get something that you can't buy off the shelf.
I'm not sure what you find as a problem with the serviceability of King, Phil Wood or White Industries. First, none of them need much in the way of service. I have (many) Phil Wood hubs and a few White Industries hubs. Several of the Phils have over 10,000 miles on them...one set almost 20,000 miles... and have never been serviced nor do they need service. They use a similar bearing to a cartridge bearing bottom bracket with better seals. If the bearings ever fail, you take out the old bearing and replace it. With the Phils, the procedure can be done with a 5mm allen wrench and the bearings are a standard size that you can buy anywhere.
The White hubs aren't as easy but they aren't terribly difficult to replace the bearing either. I would suggest you reconsider boutique hubs. They are worth the extra cost, especially if you are building your own or paying someone to build them.