I have the same Scwinn hybrid as the OP (w/ 24 spoke wheels), and I just had a spoke break a couple weeks ago. I had been commuting 14 miles round trip on smooth roads and MUPs four days a week on it for about a month. Throw in a couple short weekend rides and some random errands, that's still only about 200 miles total. My spoke broke on the rear wheel, drive side. Just came right out of the hub.
I was overseas for a couple weeks, so I didn't have time to get it fixed until now. I was going to take the rear wheel to the LBS and have them replace at least the broken spoke and retrue the wheel. I was also going to take in the front wheel and have them check the condition and tension of those spokes as well.
I'm 6'1" and close to 300 lbs. I'm on a very tight budget, and now having read this thread, I'm worried that:
1. The LBS will recommend new wheels with more spokes (which I really probably can't afford right now... just scraping together the funds for this big-box-store bike was a chore) or
2. The LBS will fix them up properly but that problems will continue given my weight (which although it is coming down, will probably always remain firmly in the "Clyde" territory) and the low cost (and quality?) of this wheel.
Any advice anyone can offer, short of rehashing the discussion that's already taken place in this thread?
Thanks!