Originally Posted by
Amesja
C. Rear wheels wear out faster because they are exposed to a greater load. The weight bias of bicycles puts more weight on the rear wheel and many people put more load on the rear wheel by loading cargo or kids out back. Plus there is also drive stress on the rear wheel. To make matters worse most modern derailleur bikes have dished wheels putting even more stress on the drive side due to all those silly gears in the way of proper even spoke angles. Having properly tensioned spokes in the rear wheel is even more important.
Precisely the reason that I just built up an upgraded wheel for my mainstay commuting bike, the 89 Peugeot Versailles. The standard wheel is a 36 spoke narrow 700C rim. I used a nearly matching Maillard 40 hole low flange hub, and a new Weinmann tandem rim. To keep costs down, I used the SAPIM 14 gauge spokes from Dan's.
Though the standard wheel may never have failed me if I kept it in commuting service, I at least have more peace of mind now. There is no doubt that the new wheel is much stronger than the original.
Amesja also made the point that a wheel that is never used will never wear out. I entirely agree; corrosion and high temperatures aside, finished metal products do not "age", except with use.
So
Sixty Fiver is wrong on this one, a 40 year old wheel with low miles and that is not unduly corroded has a long life ahead of it, assuming it is correctly built in the first place.