I've crashed a couple of times in the past 2 years - once against the corner of a parked car bumper (no joikes about dogs chasing cars please) and once off a large pothole. My front wheel remains true, but I've recently broken a spoke and am considering a new wheelset (money burning a hole in my pocket I suppose). My bike is an aluminum Scattante (old Super Go stores) with Shimano Ultegra 9 speed, 3 years old, Weyless wheelset. Does anyone have an opinion on when to start looking at replacing wheels and also anyone's experience with Shimano R550 / 560 or Bontrager race.

Thanks in advance, Rob

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket and want new wheels, go ahead, but in terms of wheel wear, I don't think about replacing the whole wheel but whatever component wears out. I replace the spokes and have the wheel rebuilt when I start to see a number of fatigue failures. Usually that's after the third broken spoke or second if it happens soon after the first. I'd say one broken spoke is too soon to rebuild. Assuming the rim hasn't been damaged in some accident, I replace it when I see a crack developing around a spoke hole or at the bottom of the breaking surface. I've never had a hub failure, though I know others have had flanges crack and other failures.

I just got a set of 550's for $120. They are perfectly adequate, semi Aero wheels, and for the price, you can't go wrong. Spokes where loose in the rear, broke a spoke, I've had to up the tension a couple of times but now that problem is sorted out. Otherwise, very good set of wheels.