I bit the bullet and ordered a new rear wheel. This one has 36 spokes; the spokes are stainless (not alloy) and the nipples (don’t laugh) are brass, so in theory this wheel should be pretty strong. By comparison, my current sh**ty wheel has 24 spokes and the original wheel had 32 spokes which seems to be the standard for 26″ wheels.

I’m still a little bit annoyed at my LBS for recommending the Mavic Crossride to me since I explicitly asked them whether it would hold up under the weight of a rack and the stress of disc brakes. “Oh sure, these spokes are beefy.” Though I guess I can’t be *too* mad since they broke up the wheelset and I was desperate for a new wheel at the time. Live and learn, though I don’t seem to be learning the “you get what you pay for” lesson very well.

Anyway, the wheel is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. I’m looking forward to it, since I noticed that my new spoke is already twisting and it’s completely bound to the nipple. I will never buy a wheel with straight-pull spokes again.

I was three quarters into this morning’s commute when I heard the all too familiar *ping* of a rear spoke giving up the ghost. It’s been only two months since my last rear spoke blew; this is getting ridiculous. At least I was only a couple miles from the bike shop where I knew they would have a replacement in stock since they had special ordered a set last time. I’d still have to wait a half hour for them to open.

So I had some time to reflect. I don’t know if I can do this anymore. People try to sell you on the idyllic aspects of bike commuting: be green, get exercise, save money on gas, blah blah. What they don’t say is that it’s a gigantic pain in the ass. Tires need replacing, the bike needs washing, and the drive train needs constant attention to stay clean and lubricated. And let’s face it, fixing a flat just downright sucks, especially on the way to work. Not to mention all the asshole drivers who are either trying to kill you or just trying to drive but suck donkey balls at both. And that’s if you can find a decently safe enough route, what with our dependence on freeways and all.

Save money on gas? That’s a riot. It takes calories to commute by bicycle, so you’re going to eat more. Did I mention fixing flats? 5 bucks for a new tube, or you can save a little by patching but at the expense of time. You’ll need some clothes, too. Sure you can get by on cotton but it’s going to wear out fast, and all that brightly colored cycling clothing is downright highway robbery, and all that clothing needs to be laundered. Don’t forget lights (and batteries) if you ride at night, and a multi tool and pump and tire levers and a spare tube, and oh yeah you’ll need something to carry all that stuff in, so at the very least a backpack for your change of clothes or a rack with trunk bag or panniers.

I’m fairly certain there’s a design flaw with my rear wheel that’s causing the spokes to break. Both have broken at the same point, where they leave the hub. I don’t feel that I can trust my equipment, and that’s a huge morale buster. Do I really want to fork over the cash for a new wheel? If I want to continue commuting, I don’t have a choice. Wheels should last longer than a year.