First post! I figured this would be a good place to start since I can definitely relate...

I bought a Trek 6000 in 2008 and was about 270lbs at the time, and went through something like 10 spokes in the first 200 miles of riding. I knew the rims themselves were okay, but I had a feeling the wheel was not built right from the factory. So I took the wheel to a different shop that was more willing to do what I wanted rather than just sell me another set of crummy wheels. I got the wheel rebuilt, and the builder actually chamfered the hub where the spokes go thru it so that there wouldn't be as high a stress concentration. He also replaced the cheap spokes with some good DT Swiss spokes.

I now have 1,100 miles on the bike and have not even had to re-tension them yet. I have to admit I don't ride it QUITE as hard as I did before in terms of curbs, but it has been on a decent XC trail 6 times on the new spokes and build, but never on the original set.

I always thought it was because I was a big dude, but it turns out it was more the crappy stock spokes combined with my riding style.

-Eric