Originally Posted by
Nightshade
Stick with new 36 or 40 spoke count wheels to hold over 200 lbs safely.
Spoke count is critical for those of us that weigh more than average.
You may be right. I just know that I purchased a set of Dura-Ace wheels off ebay with a 16 front/20 rear spoke count that I've been riding since the early Spring and into the Summer. No problems at all. They seem to hold my weight just fine. Then again, I've been hovering between 205 and 210 during this time. I suspect how long wheels hold up is more a function of how we ride than the spoke count. I know that I try to avoid potholes, unevenness in the pavement, (such as rail road tracks), and debris scattered here and about. Still, I ride pretty intensely, just not roughly. The wheelset on my other bike, Vuelta XRP Team Super Light, are also holding up quite well. Both the Dura-Ace and Vuelta sets are still straight and true as the day I snapped them into the forks.