ericjlima

I have a Bianchi Pista Chrome Lite that is 21.5" Inches and I am 6 feet tall.

One of the spokes on the back wheel fell off and now it wobbles a bit. Also, the chain makes this weird noise during peddling. I've also been buying these tubes which keep getting flat here is a link to them.

I have two questions:

1.) Can someone link me to where I can buy a new bike rim and better tubes for it?

2.) Would you recommend staying with this bike or switching to a new bike if you're looking to commute a lot?

Thanks.

davidad

It seems small for you. If your leg length is 32" it will work.

no1mad 

You don't need to replace the wheel- just replace the spoke and re-tension.

The flats could be happening because too low of pressure ("pinch flat" or "snake bite"), you have debris in the tire that is making contact with the tube(s), or your rim strip is faulty, which is letting one (or more) spokes come into contact with the tube.

FBinNY 

It's impossible to talk about suitability without knowing much more. Normally this wouldn't be suitable for a long commute, but it could be perfect for a shorter urban commute (I rode fixed gear only when I lived in Manhattan, decades before it became trendy).

As for fit, it seems like it's probably small or smallish for you, but you know how it fits better than we could ever guess. You might flip the stem to raise the bars if you feel you need to, but that's your call, not mine. As a rule, I don't set out to fix things or make adjustments until I identify a problem that I want to correct. If the bike fits right and you're enjoying it, there's no reason to change anything.

As for the flats, that could be anything from bad luck, to a sharp edge or burr in the rim. Again, start by identifying where the punctures are, then using that to narrow down possible causes before you try to correct them by throwing stuff against the all to see what sticks.

Your situation and possible problems are a perfect example of why I say "an ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure".

cny-bikeman

Tubes don't just go flat, even "cheap" ones. If you keep getting flats it's because you have not found and corrected the problem - underinflation, road hazard still in the tire, poor rim strip, etc. etc.

Spokes don't fall out, they break, often due to poor maintenance, but it's not a reason to buy a new wheel immediately. You can have it trued - if they continue to break then a new wheel would be the next option to consider.

Chains make noise when they are not lubricated properly or when they are very worn.

See sheldonbrown.com and parktool.com/blog for help on the above, or just take it to a shop for evaluation if you are not willing to spend a lot of time and some money for tools to do it yourself.

That being said, given the things you have listed and the fact the bike is probably too small a replacement bike is probably the best opotion.

wrk101

New bike or old bike, if you are going to commute on it, it will need maintenance. Bike sure sounds way too small for you, that size typically goes to riders around 5-6 t0 5-7. At 6-0, I would expect you to be closer to a 24 inch frame size.

Google frame sizing, endless info out there. Be sure to measure bicycle inseam, which is not the same as you pant inseam.