If it was me, I'd get ahold of PSIMET! Rob gets really rave reviews with his wheels - and gives excellent advice, even if you don't buy from him.

@richjac: Check out Williams Wheels and call and talk with Jim, the owner. http://www.williamscycling.com/sys30x/sys30x.html

These wheels are rated at 225 pounds. I have the System 30s and they are bomb proof. Also, it is not just spoke count that determines the strength of the wheel but also rim depth and strength.

Thanks everyone for the good advice - the Williams 30X wheelset looks great for the money, but I'm trying to stay under $300, which I realize will not get me a great set of wheels. So, what I did yesterday was visit a local shop which does a lot of wheel building - I trust their reputation. I bought the cheapest set they had built, which are on Sun rims and hubs... similar profile and weight to the Mavic CXP33, 32 spokes front and rear. They have one of their team's cyclocross riders using these wheels, so they should be strong enough. For the price paid, if it doesn't work out, I haven't lost much. Plus, I can take the wheels back to the shop when they need touching up.

Since one of my goals is to get below 200 lbs, I'll set up a reward for myself to buy a nice set of wheels when I reach that goal. Heck, why not a new bike?