I have a 2013 Specialized 9-spd Sirrus Elite Disc. It has almost 5K on it. Worth around $450 now. I'm 215lbs, 67 and ride hills a lot in Seattle area. I've swapped out the RD to a long cage and changed the cassette to 11-36 for easier climbing. At one time the chain came off to the inside of the rear cassette and gouged some spokes. The limit screw wasn't adjusted properly. I've replaced 4 spokes from that. The LBS says to replace the wheelset. The rear hub has a grinding noise and they said the sealed bearings aren't replaceable because of availability. So, I need to determine the best course of action. Should I replace both front and rear wheelsets or just the rear? Any recommendations you have for wheelsets that fit my application would be appreciated. I don't have a lot of money but I want to be safe riding on a reliable and serviceable wheelset.

In your area you could pick up this set of Mavic Aksium Disc's for 220 USD:
Mavic Aksium disc road gravel wheels 2015
220 aint bad, you can probably talk him down to 180 or 200.

Going to call BS on that, hub bearing (cartridge) are almost always an industry standard 6000 series, and generics can be used (or Enduro which are nice), just get the old ones pressed out, either check the numbers on the seal, or measure them, and replace with new of the same spec.

"Bearings aren't replaceable because of availability"? According to the Specialized web site, your wheels' hubs use loose ball bearings. Balls are DEFINITELY available. And cheap.

On the other hand, if your hub's cups or cones are damaged and that's what's causing the roughness, that could be a bigger problem. Cones are likely available, whether it's from Specialized, the company that made the hubs, or from a third-party manufacturer like Wheels Mfg. Pitted cups might mean the hub's a goner. The hub needs to be opened up to inspect the cups & cones, following a process like this walkthrough on Park Tool's web site.

So, if it was my bike... Start with the hub & bearings. If it can be serviced, do so, and then I'd probably replace the drive side spokes on the rear wheel. If it can't be serviced, it might be time to replace the hub or even the whole wheel or wheelset. It's just a question of which is the most cost-effective option. (And whether you mind mismatched wheels.)

If they are ball bearing, for the home mechanic, they are even easier to service than cartridge, and just require cone wrenches.

I need 32 spoke wheels for my weight. The OEM are 32 as well. The Craigslist wheels are 11-speed hubs and wouldn't work on a 9-speed drivetrain. I think this Park Tool instruction was what the mechanic was saying. "Hubs using cartridge type bearings are not serviceable in the sense that they can be dismantled and adjusted. As cartridge bearings wear and develop play, the entire cartridge unit is replaced. Cartridge hub service is not covered in this article." This is why they said replacements aren't available.

Think you need to find a new LBS, as the info they are giving you is bad.

For the hub, all 11 speed hubs are backwards compatible (to 8/9/10), just use a 1.85mm spacer (available from any good LBS)

If your hubs are cartridge bearings, not cup and cone, then as described in my post above, you just press/hit the old ones out, and replace (press in) new ones of the same spec. The info that they can not be user serviced is correct, as in they are replaced as a complete unit, but bikes use industry standard bearing, all you need to do is find the part number (will be like 6001 2RS) and have a new one pushed in; no further adjustment needed.

That's not what it says.

Right-o. A simple spacer will allow you to use that 11-speed wheelset.

Yes, if you were buying a current Shimano 11 speed hub, these have this included, a lot of wheelsets also ship with these, so a good LBS may have some unused from these.

68+ I'm still fine with traditional spoked wheels 32, 3 cross is nicely durable 36 More so.

Shimano drive train get Shimano Hubbed wheels .. SRAM.~ SRAM.. K.I.S. S...

8/9/10 speed cassettes will work on 11 speed hubs, just need to use a spacer on the inside 1.85 mm iirc.

11 speed cassettes will not work on 8/9/10 speed hubs

check these out for 219
H Plus Son Archetype Shimano RS505 Road Disc Brake Hubs Wheelset [740813] - $219.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

That's where I was. But my new BMC came with 16/20 RS11s and I'm liking them/the lower spoke count. Just ordered a set of Ultegra 6800s...they're going on the BMC and the RS11s will be transferred to my Cannondale Synapse that came with Maddux RS 3.0s.

If this is your hub it has sealed radial (cartridge) bearings. DH82SB - Novatec

As mentioned above, the Specialized web site says the hubs use loose balls, not cartridge bearings.

You know, if you're so darn close that 4 more spokes on each wheel would put you over the limit, maybe you should just lose a couple ounces and get some complete wheels.

+1 on Jim's points.

Ah, but I replied before I saw the "loose balls" comment. If the balls are bad, you can replace 'em. If the races are trashed, you should be able to replace the races and cones. That requires new races and cones, and these may not be standards. Still, I have to think one should be able to find replacement cones.

Are you sure tha this isn't dirt and broken spoke material in the freehub? That should be cleanable.

I recently replaced my stock 24 spoke, cartridge bearing wheels with Mavic Open Sport 32 spoke, ball-and-cone wheels and love them: Mavic Open Sport / Shimano 105 5800 Road Wheelset

I call BS, for sure, as many others have.