New wheel or rebuild?
 

I bought a Fuji Touring bike a few years ago and on my last tour it popped spoke after spoke. I'm debating whether to have the wheel rebuilt ($100 bucks labor plus new spokes) or buying a new wheel altogether.

I can't afford a whole lot, as I'm on a budget and saving for my next tour. Any suggestions as to which to do?

it would probably depend on how old your wheels are... a lot of the time a pro wheel builder will do a rebuild but won't guarentee it because the rims and hubs may have some flaws in them so that should be a deciding factor if there is damage to the rim or the hubs the replace them or just rebuild them. cost me about 400 the last time i had a set built but that was a set of road wheels with mavic rims and ultegra hubs.. and a streight 11-18 cassette and several years ago. i wanted to go fast... LOL check with your wheel builder and get his opinion on the hubs and rims and then find a second and get his opinion. the bike school i attended never recommended a rebuild using the same hubs.. but if they are in good shape go for it

I can't tell you the right answer because I can't see your wheel...but Tuffwolf gives you really good advice. Check if the hubs are good, (pull the cones out and look at them). repack with new grease and berings, buy a better quality rim, (Sun Rinolight isn't too spendy, Mavic 719 better yet) and have it rebuilt with quality spokes.

Talk to a couple shops...start with the one that sold you the bike. I bet they'll help you for a reasonable price....

If the hub is good which it should be if the brand was good in the first place, then you need a new rim (they wear quickly) and spokes, install them yourself, all you need is a spoke wrench and to follow some generally available instructions. Building wheels is not rocket science. you need to find some online instruction that teach you how to pre-load the spokes.

New wheels would probably solve your problem, but they can also be just as badly built as your Fujis. If you bought your bike from the same store offering to build your wheels, they are already implicated. On a touring bike they should have checked the spokes going out the door, or they aren't for real.

While you have the wheels off the bike, re-grease and bearing the hubs. Another few dollar repair that gives you a new bike.

make sure the eyelets where the spokes go through the hub are good too if they are cracked or elongated you will have to replace the hubs

See this thread

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=301689

Take your bike (the whole bike, as just the wheel could come off of anything) to a Fuji dealer and explain the issue. Fuji has excellent customer service, and I'll bet they pony up for a rebuild or a new OEM wheel.

04/05 were bad years for spokes. Lots of problems from China.