A lot of tourers are older and don't want to give up what they know. Sorry, but it had to be said..

As to repair parts, go mechanical, like Avid BB7. You can carry a spare caliper in your pocket if need be. Cables, levers, etc are all the same as V-Brakes and I've not seen a rotor fail. All my bikes are disc. 2 are mechanical and one is hydro.

-R

Which wheelset is recommended?
 

I recently purchased the Sojourn and have been pleased with its performance. The weight is a bit excessive, but not too discouraging. I paid $850 at my local bike shop and have not been disappointed. The Tubus Tara fits just fine on the front despite some comments about disc brakes/rack mounting problems.

However, I did express some concern about the spokes or lack thereof to the owner of the shop who was fairly experienced as a touring cyclist. He indicated that fully loaded it would probably not have any problem doing a x-country tour. And recent articles I have read have indicated that 36 spokes are usually the minimum recommended, however there have been some 32 spoke models up to the challenge.

I'm sure more experience on this bike will tell if the wheelset is adequate, however, I would like some suggestions about which wheels are recommended? I do enjoy the 35c's and the Vittoria's that come with it look pretty sturdy. Thanks for your help.