Commuting - Spokes A'Poppin'

Hello, The spokes on my Trek 7100 (2002) rear wheel keep popping from their mooring, compelling me to return routinely (every other weeks, it seems) to the dealer to replace them. It's always one spoke at a time, and the event occurs exclusively when I am going uphill. It happens even when the incline is modest but seems to occur when I am using a higher gear than may be appropriate. I weigh about 240 pounds and carry a few more pounds of stuff (i.e., lock, towel, tools and small radio) on my rack. I commute about 20 miles RT per day but also ride to the beach (about 12 miles RT) and routinely take other trips up to 40 miles RT. Am I too big for the Trek 7100? I routinely go over hills and on bike paths. Of course, this could be a design or manufacturing flaw in the wheel itself but I think it more likely that my size and riding traits may have more to do with this. Any advice and insight as to how to solve this persistent issue would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I'm 255 lbs and routinely ride lighter wheels (some with fewer spokes) than the ones on your 7100. Even so, I've got a pair of Surly hubs laced to to MA3s that take a good deal of beating, as they're my main commuter set; they're none the worse for wear after 2 years and 250 miles a week.

I really doubt it's your riding habits that are doing it, unless they include getting off the bike every once in a while to kick the wheel.

If it were you, I'd take the wheel to the best shop in town (which may or may not be the dealer) and have them re-true and re-tension the entire wheel.

Oh, and do it soon, so that you don't end up face first on the ground when the next one breaks.

I would recommend a wheel rebuild. After 3 spokes going your LBS should of recommended the same. The basically cut out all the spokes, double check the rim is in ok condition, and rebuild the rim/hub up with new spokes.

After 3 spokes going the tension that was placed on the others can't be taken off, unless everytime they replaced spokes for you the detensioned all the others, than tensioning them up evenly. That hardly happens on a quick spoke change.

Hope that helps!

Get the wheel trued by a proper bike shop mechanic (preferably not the "dealer"). It's clear from your story that the spokes are unevenly tensioned throughout the wheel. This is what causes spokes to break one at a time as yours have been doing.

Hello, The spokes on my Trek 7100 (2002) rear wheel keep popping from their mooring, compelling me to return routinely (every other weeks, it seems) to the dealer to replace them. It's always one spoke at a time, and the event occurs exclusively when I am going uphill. It happens even when the incline is modest but seems to occur when I am using a higher gear than may be appropriate. I weigh about 240 pounds and carry a few more pounds of stuff (i.e., lock, towel, tools and small radio) on my rack. I commute about 20 miles RT per day but also ride to the beach (about 12 miles RT) and routinely take other trips up to 40 miles RT. Am I too big for the Trek 7100? I routinely go over hills and on bike paths. Of course, this could be a design or manufacturing flaw in the wheel itself but I think it more likely that my size and riding traits may have more to do with this. Any advice and insight as to how to solve this persistent issue would be much appreciated. Thanks!
What brand of wheels are you riding on?Iv got alex rims DA 22's {700x23's**and was {every couple of weeks **always breaking spokes {front and rear** as the bike is still under warranty the bike shop rebuilt the wheels with slightly bigger diameter spokes. The orriginal factory spokes are just crap. Great after sales service and no more broken spokes :)

how old are the wheels- you are quite heavy and the spokes may be fatigued and need replacing- if this is the case then just swapping the ones that break is no good as you will be forever swapping spokes- it might be better to replace all the spokes at once

I had this problem on my Diamondback awhile back. The only thing that cured it was to have the wheel re-built by the dealer. For me it was a warrentied repair, if you bike is new it should be for you also.

Same problem on My old diamondback. Constantly broke spokes even after they relaced the wheels.

Find a GOOD LBS and have them hand build you a wheel with double butted spokes. I had the same problem, got a hand-built wheel on Mavic open pro rims, no problems.