Originally Posted by Coyote2
1) Check to ensure that the hubs are adjusted properly. If you don't know how to do it, just go to a shop (or back to your Performance store). It's pretty simple. Many hubs come from the mfr with less-than-optimal adjustment.
2) Your test of hub "smoothness" is a poor test. Your wheels must turn easily under load, not in a workstand. And really, whether a wheel turns for several minutes in your garage is not very important. Ultegra hubs are of very high quality.
I think that is most likely the problem. It feels as if the hub is too tight causing excess friction in the bearings. Also, they're pinging like crazy which I understand means they just weren't built well. I knew ordering the set from Colorado Cyclist would have been better but I was too impatient to wait two weeks.
I'll just return them for the time being. To be quite honest, I really don't have enough time on my new bike to justify this wheel upgrade. I need to try and find weakness in them first instead of just going by an opinion of wheel quality.
Thanks for the advice.