I got myself a New Diamondback STI-8 just 3 months ago. I got it on eBay though (saving 200 hundred dollars) so I have no warranty. When I took it to my local bike shop he said the spoke design was poor and I was going to be breaking spokes regularly (i'm 300 pounds and he said the spoke design could maybe hold 200 pounds).

I asked if he could redesign the spoke pattern, but he said I couldn't. I asked if there was such a thing as stronger spokes and he said no.

The hub is "(F) 32h Alloy QR (R) 32h Shimano Nexus internal 8-spd"

Diamondbacks page for the bike is here: http://www.diamondback.com/2012-insight-sti-8

Part of me worries that this guy is doing something to get a customer every 2-3 months with the excuse that it's bad design from the bike causing it. The other part of me says that he's telling me the truth and since I'm a big guy I just need to get another bike.

Thanks in advance.