Originally Posted by
dr_lha
Your equipment is inadequate. Why don't you tell us what you're riding and we can help you out.
88 Specialized Rockhopper comp, bb un 55 cartridge, old biopace crankset, rhyno lite/xt 32h, sram 850 chain....26X1.5 spc nimbus. I don't break spokes on this wheelset, but I've had to true the rear wheel constantly. The deore XT pedals are the ones I have to service every few months.
89 DB Apex...everything is the same except the wheels are 36h bontrager corvairs and I can't identify the hub. 26X2.0 panaracer tourguards. These are the wheels I've been breaking rear spokes on.
I ride in the dark a lot, it's either to work at 4am or home from work at 8pm. Either way the combination of really bad roads (upper michigan), traffic, and darkness means the bike takes a lot of hits. It's mostly hill, so lots of grinding up hills and carrying speed down. I carry tools, groceries, work clothes, spare tube/pump..etc. front/rear racks and fenders on both bikes so everything is heavy.
I have tried so many different lubrication strategies trying not to accumulate sand and the best I've found is the paraffin wax dip and keeping everything clean/dry.
Anyway I don't think any of my parts are junk but I may have to spend some money on a wheelset. It's a bummer, money isn't abundant.