bikenh

I will admit with the past two wheels I don't have the old wheels to be able to take a look at. The first one got left behind up in MN where I replaced it during my bike trip last summer.

What are you suggesting as the light/heavy when it comes to the rim. You referring to the thickness of the rim itself? I can completely understand what you suggesting here.

The first wheel came with the new bike so it was whatever the manufacture put on the bike at the factory. I will agree they get by and that is all they do to get the bike out of the factory and onto the store shelf. I can vouch they put the crappiest tires on a bike that they can find. On both of the Specialized bike have have bought in the past 4+ years, I've barely been able to get 1500 miles on even the front tire and not that many on the rear. The Bontragers I normally use I get 6000+ miles on the rear and 8K+ on the front(even while on a bike trip like last summer).

Both of the two most recent wheels have been factory/manufacture built wheels and not any custom built wheels. I would tend to agree given what you have pointed out that at a bike shop you could run into the trouble of having shop techs not knowing what to watch out for but I would tend to think(maybe like an idiot) that the factories would know better.

I will fess other than the current wheel I don't know the make or model of the wheel/spokes so I can't provide that information.

curby

Do you have gravel roads on your regular routes? I would think with the mileage you are getting from tires that you have mostly smooth roads. Lets forget about your wheel failures (clearly they were not up to the task) and get the right tool for the job and see how it holds up. As mentioned already that would be a medium/wide double wall rim with eyelets. spokes very often break at the j-bend/head so get 14g double butted good quality spokes, and lace it to a Shimano 105 hub (ask on the forums about rear hub failures and you will hear about most names in the industry with very few cases of Shimano 105 failures).

one other idea that comes to mind is tire size/pressure. if you run 700x23 at 130psi all the time, with a loaded rear rack, I could imagine that contributing to extra stresses on a rear wheel. so lets put 700x28 or 32c tires on your bike if they fit and run them around 90psi.

best of luck.

Darth Lefty 

In one of the current wheel threads, someone posted a link to a wheel building book they liked, and someone else agreed. It wasn't the Brandt book. I can't find it again now. It's not this thread and it's not the other one where Mr. IGH insults Velocity rims. Does anyone else remember this or just what the book was? It's driving me nuts, I'm trying to plan my first build and wanted to check it out.

gsa103

Factory wheels are typically built to hit a specifics like price and weight. Durability is a concern, but can be secondary depending on reputation etc. Some factory wheels are hand-built, others are solely machine built, etc. Buying a wheel from a manufacturer with a reputation for reliable wheels (as opposed to light or cheap) can help some.

Does your bike happen to have disc brakes so that you could use a 700c mountain bike wheel? Those will be built to a considerably higher standard than a wheel for a road bike (at any particular price/quality level).

3alarmer 

...there's a fairly well written book you can print out online by the Wheelpro guy, Roger Musson in the UK, here.

There are a couple of wheel building books I've read and would not recommend. I try to stay out of the wheel threads here, having learned that people have very strong opinions, often supported by other strong opinions.

Actually, Karl at the Sac Bike Kitchen in Midtown here teaches it occasionally. You'd have to check with him as to when and if. I don't teach it any more as it was too much work for the numbers of serious students in this area who want to learn the craft. The machines have taken over in terms of price, and you can teach someone to tweak a machine built package that they can buy cheaper than individual parts in much less time.

Darth Lefty 

Thank you!

FBinNY 

Strong opinions??? Here on BF???

C'mon, quit pulling our legs.

3alarmer 

...not to go all political on you here, but whenever the topic of wheels comes up it's like all reason flies out the window. I used to be entertained by this, but now I just find it all very confusing.

I still remember that guy who was incensed that someone had built him a wheel where yoiu couildn't see the rim label through the valve hole. I think I kinda stayed out of most of the wheel stuff after that one.

jyl

This thread is going in many different directions. I'll just say I doubt your frame is misaligned to the point that it is causing rim or hub failure. That would be extreme and I think you'd notice it. I think you have simply been in the habit of buying cheap wheels and riding them hard. You should try getting good wheels next time. Have someone knowledgeable build you wheels with quality components and plenty of spokes.

FBinNY 

I guess you know I was being facetious, but I'm 100% with you about the label nonsense.

Tunnelrat81

It's also important to realize that riding in the lowest gears puts significantly more stress on the wheel system than does riding in taller gears. You have much greater mechanical advantage over the drive system when in 1st gear in the car than you do in 5th. Same reason why it's harder to spin the wheels in 2nd and 3rd gear than it is in 1st gear. Ground friction is the same, but you're able to sent significantly more power (and more quickly) to that rear wheel from 1st gear.

I agree with the above advice though. If you think about how much you've spent on the last three cheap wheelsets, and the hassle it has caused for you it will help with perspective. Calling up a respected wheel builder to spec and build you a touring wheelset that you can trust will be game-changing for your riding experience and peace of mind while touring. Wheels can be built for 300 lb guys, so touring wheels at combined 225-250 lbs should be very possible. You've just been getting your wheels from the wrong source, that's all. It sounds like cycling is an important part of your life and livelihood. Go ahead and treat yourself to some customs. =)

-Jeremy