I have broken two spokes in the 3 months I have had my new bike. I commute 20 miles round trip each day. The shop suggests that that kind of mileage probably calls for a hand built wheel to assure proper tensioning that can't be obtained from machine built wheels.
So here is the question. Should I have a wheel built or can the existing wheel be "rebuilt" by loosening the spokes and starting over? If it is better to start fresh with new components and take the opportunity to upgrade the hub, which is unknown mfr with Shimano freewheel (not freehub). Since I am a large (but shrinking) guy and plan to do some touring later, should I consider a 40 spoke wheel like a Mavic touring rim? Does Shimano make 40-hole 9-speed freehubs? There are so many options it gets confusing.
And the final question - is this something I should try myself - either rebuilding or building anew? I have "The Bicycle Wheel" and, of course, there is Sheldon Browne's article and others referenced here. Is wheel building fairly straightforward if one follows the step by step instructions or would it be an exercise in frustration for a beginner? I would like to learn to do most of my own maintenance, primarily for the satisfaction of knowing I can do it. And I figure the best place to learn is on this relatively low end hybrid so I will have some practice when I get a better bike. But I also recognize that there are some things better left to the experts.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Regards,
Raymond