Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Proud member of the broken spoke club

This weekend my wife and I were 30 miles into a 40 mile ride when I heard that lovely "twang". I stopped and saw the dangling spoke.....My wife being the trooper she is rode the rest of the ride by herself and retreived the truck. I only ended up walking about 2 miles. I can fix the bike but what made me mad was not finishing the 40 miles, it would have been our longest ride this year. Anyway I am taking my wheel to get it re-laced today at the LBS. I also purchased a set of 36 spoke Vuelta Touring wheels as back-ups and was wandering if anyone has tried them.

I've felt your pain. Ten miles into a nice 30 miler I'm going down a super
steep hill, sittin back and feathering the brakes as there is a stop at the
bottom and I hear the ping. I'm hoping it was a rock ping but no. Had to
walk back up that hill and was able to limp it back. I'd kept the wheels
tuned but 1500 miles on stock rims and the spoke thing starts. I'd been
on the fence for some new rims so went directly to the LBS.
Mavic CXP33 wheels with ultegra hubs and I'm lovin it.

I'm 250lb and with gear the bike and I weigh 305lb, most of it on the back wheel. I've blown as many as three spokes at once and not had the wheel feel squirly. Enough to limp 10 miles home. If 32 is normal for a bike, I figure I've got one extra even with three blown ;) For what it's worth: Mavic A319, 36h Deore hubs and whatever Giant had laying around.

ps. After the ride with three broken spokes I had the LBS rebuild the wheel with dt 14/15 spokes. Its been a few hundred miles of terrible pavement and they ride great.

-john