Originally Posted by
paulbi
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.
OP PaulBi; Before you jump fully into being a victim and rant on blaming the LBS for trying to rip you off... You frankly have probably found a good LBS with personnel not afraid to tell you the facts; You have the wrong wheel and more that likely the wrong bike also. Nothing he can do to fix or rebuild you current hub/rim/spoke combo to do the job you need done...
What the LBS failed in is to not explain wheels to you and then to quote you a set of wheels that fit your total riding weight and type of riding you plan to do.
Another poster suggested a tandem wheel and that is the extreme end point of wheel strength, but an expensive item to pony up to. A decent rear tandem wheel on ebay is $300 today just for the 40 spoke version and those are there today (26" and 700C in liquidation sales at the cost of parts only). A 48 spoke one is more, when they are for sale there. Building a new one is in the $450-460 for rear and about $1,000 for both in a matching wheelset.
But there are a lot of strong wheels you could do with the appropriate tires for a good bit less cash. As a conservative builder and rider, that is my view on your quandary. Until you get the right rolling stock under you, you are going to keep breaking thing and likely suffer an injury.
Hope it helps. /K