Hi all! After completing my 200 mile goal for July I am moving to 250 for August. I just popped my third spoke and it's driving me nuts. The wheel is the original from my 2003 diamondback Topanga. Is there a heavier wheel I could put on it (more spokes)? Other than this everything is going great!

Is it the front or rear that is causing problems? How heavy are you?

So that is a basic 26" MTB wheel, but with a 9s cassette?

Replacement wheels are cheap, and you could find one with 36holes. Finding a good 48h wheel is harder, but not impossible.

However, one option would be to simply rebuild the wheel that is having problems, assuming the rim and hub are both good.

There is some debate about straight vs butted. The butted spokes have a bit of spring which might be good. BUY BRAND NAME SPOKES LIKE DT, SAPIM, OR OTHERS. You can try 2.3/2.0/2.3 spokes for a very heavy duty wheel.

Thanks.....I'm 320 working my way down. Kind of hit a plateau here. I don't do my own spokes.....I have my lbs do them. I will be sure to find out what he is replacing them with. It may be a mix of the wheel just being old.....bikes a 2003...... and my big butt aggressively riding it?

Replacing spokes, or even building a wheel is something you can learn to do. If on the drive side of the rear, you'll need both a spoke wrench and a cassette tool + chain whip. A truing stand is nice, but you can work around not having one.

When replacing spokes, use as close of a match as you can to what is in the wheel.

If rebuilding the wheel from scratch, you can use any spoke of your choice.

Oh, also, be careful of what you run over.

2003 diamondback Topanga - BikePedia

A set of the same wheels left here no so long ago...I remember them as a double walled rim... good quality albeit 32H which is at it's limit range for your weight. I do believe with the right spokes their fine but rebuilding that wheel means no mileage while down and again pushing the limits of 32H... not a good route to pursue.

Best.. to get 36H well made double walled rim and have it built by someone who knows/understands the rear for the heavier wt rider. While I'm always very appreciative of bike shop wrenches... the time involved to build a wheel isn't cost effective via them. And frankly nowdays few of them do it real well... again the time factor and the lower cost machine built wheels-- which are NOT suitable for you.

Hobby wheel builders... some are very good. Too many frankly do not understand the nuisances of building a bullet proof wheel. You need a specific combination seldom if ever detailed on this internet... one made for above 3 bills..

I am running it into my lbs to have the spoke replaced just to keep me turning miles. With that said are there any good wheel builders on here?! I would like to do somthing for this bike but next year by start of the riding season I plan on being on a brand new caddx. At 280 I'm unsure what I would need for wheels on that.....

Sent PM.

I've had good luck with prowheelbuilder.com go to their custom tab and you plug in your weight, cycling style and bike style and choose your wheels. Go with their "Recommended" rather than "Approved" spoke counts and use Shimano 105 hubs and you can save a bit of money. Velocity rims are well built for clydesdales. If you want to spend the $$$$$$, White Industries hubs are terrific! But they'll push a wheel build into the $750 range. With 105s you can be done for around $300.

Velocity is fine.. but not the best/only choice. OP does not need a front.. a waste of $$ build a set... unless cost isn't a factor.

The only real difference between 105's and some of the lesser cost Shimano's is the logo attached. Their all loose ball bearing systems which last well... if serviced.

Are you moving the bike side to side a lot while peddling ? It stresses the rim and causes flex. I had that issue since we are heavier and no longer ride the bike like I did when i was a kid

Don't bother with the 105s, those are horrible and won't last. I also wouldn't recommend White Industries hubs either. If you want something that's going to last forever and that you can use now and in the future if you decide to get into touring go with a Phil Wood 40h or 48h and a Velocity Chukkar rim. I run a 48h Phil Wood - Velocity Chukkar rear (~$700) and other than the MSW getting too thin after 6,000+ miles I haven't had a single problem with it. ZERO broken spokes and ZERO truing issues and I've ridden that thing at a high of 420lbs and at a low of 360lbs over everything from smooth pavement to snow and ice to gravel and even on dirt. You don't need a beefed up front wheel (I run the stock 32h on my road bike) but a seriously strong rear wheel will last you forever.

Buy it right the first time so you don't have to buy it again.

Just took my CAAD9 with 5 year old Deep V/White Industries 36H wheels in for a tuneup. Both wheels are still true and tensioned to spec... and I started riding at 420 lbs. They make good stuff. Phil Woods are great too though, but expensive, even more than the White Industries. We have lots of members here on 105s with thousands of trouble free miles as well.

One uses aluminum axles and the other doesn't, that's more than just a small difference.

True, but it's not one that seems to have affected the longevity of mine... IJS

It's maybe a $40 price difference but if it fails you're out at least $400, for me that was an easy decision to make.

Likely, all your spokes have reached their fatigue life IF they are breaking in the elbows. They will continue popping like popcorn, slowly at first and then faster.
IF I were to build a lower cost wheel that I would expect to hold up, I'd use-
A Deore level hub with 36 spokes. (I don't know if you have disc brakes or not)
Sun Rims CR-18. (or Rhino Lite)
Butted spokes.
Sapin Strong 13/14 ga. for the drive side.
A name brand 14/15 ga. double butted for the non drive side.
Brass nipples

Sapim Strong Single Butted Spoke - Wheelbuilder.com
Sapim Race Double Butted Spoke - Wheelbuilder.com

With rim tape, the parts should cost about $120ish and with a proper build, be a long lasting wheel.

I disagree (and plenty of other recos here for 105 also disagree). Yes Phil Wood is better than 105, but 105 is plenty sufficient quality at a fraction of the price.

MUCH better pricing.. BEST service anywhere.. over a dozen orders and NO miscues... HIGHLY recommended. While their a BMX focused they carry all our spokes and sizes.

Bmx Spokes at Danscomp