This is the rear wheel of my 2008 Trek 69er mountain bike. I bought that brake rotor new two weeks ago. I bought the rims and spokes new five years ago.
And I bought the hub new fourteen years ago, back in 1997. It's still going strong.
At the time, I was a student, had just broken two Shimano rear hubs and was left grumbling about the repair and replacement costs. So I decided to ignore my budget life and find a hub that would last me for life. I ended up with an insanely expensive Chris King rear hub - bought by mail order from a store in California.
This hub has been a trusty companion through several different bikes and wheels over the years. The internals has been cleaned and lubed by a mechanic a few times. That's all.
I don't remember the original price tag from way back when, but lots of people would buy a complete bike for the same amount of money. On the other hand; I knew I would be riding a mountain bike for the rest of my life - and assumed that the Chris King would last me longer than any other hub on the market. My theory: It would probably end up as a sweet deal in the long run.
I'm now 14 years into the long run. It seems I was right.
I made this phone snapshot this morning while taking the wheel downtown to the mechanic for a hub checkup. If anything should wear out inside, I know that every single spare part is still readily available - because the main design hasn't been changed since 1997.
This is the most expensive bike part I've ever bought - and the best deal I've ever made. 
