Problem bike is an 1989 Specialized Rock Hopper Comp (with a hilarious Pinarello repaint).


I use this bike mainly for casual on road/groomed trail rides and it does not see hard trail riding. I am 145lbs, soaking wet, so I am not overloading the bike. Bought the bike used a few years ago, did minimal maintenance as everything was smooth. So, I am riding on flat paved road and I hear a "ping", stop, and realize I have a broken spoke. I took it to my local shop watched the owner and lead mechanic replace the spoke and true the wheel, good shop, long history, seem competent and knowledgeable. They did comment that it was strange that the broken spoke was on the front wheel and in the middle of the spoke (not at hub or ferrule). Fast forward a few month's I come back from traveling and grab my trusty Rockhopper to go for a ride and hear something "off", check the wheels and there is another spoke broken on the front wheel, right in the middle? I have never broken a spoke on a MTN bike before. Not when I was younger and beating on them? why now? I could understand the first break, if the wheel was not in proper tension. The break after having the wheel trued? Would the spokes have fatigued when ridden not trued? More importantly, how do I proactively address this going forward? New wheel? replace spokes? have re-re-trued?
I am digging for a picture now, of bike and rim, I believe it is a Parallax hub? - found some from when I 1st bought the bike, I can take more if needed