So here's the thing about hubs, there are good designs and then there are the rest.
Pawl hubs are very common, some are better than others, but taken as a whole they have a faulty design. I would avoid pawl hubs if you can, which is hard to do with a complete bike as most bikes are specd with pawl hubs cuz they're common and inexpensive.
If you're going to build a new set of wheels, the best hubs are DT Swiss 240/350, Chris King, and Onyx. The DT are the best buy, reliable, strong, less expensive, and easy to maintain. Onyx are the bomb, but they're heavy and $$$, CK are expensive and durable.
Rims are rims, not sure I'd blow the cash on carbon. Aluminum is less expensive, not heavy, and easy to fix. For a custom build, expect to pay $100-150 per rim, spokes $100, plus build $100-150, rim strips and valves, tires if you need them. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with good used wheels, though I'd avoid carbon as they will not be under warranty with a second owner. Pinkbike has tons of wheels for sale.
Not trying to razz you, but wheels are so expensive and a very integral part of a bike, I kinda question why someone would buy a bike with plans to upgrade wheels.
Look for bikes that are specd with good hubs before you pull the trigger. Pivot, Fezzari.
For good custom wheels at a fair price, contact Mike Curiak and lacemine29.
