Originally Posted by
big john
I'm down to 205# now. Back when I was young and strong I was around 220. I've always been hard on wheels. I used to think it was my dirt bike background, you usually loft the front wheel and let the rear slam into stuff. Those Ksyrium wheels were a real let down, though. The last one I was pretty easy on it and the spokes pulled through the rim. I was far from home so I tried to keep riding after the first spoke, then 2 more pulled out and it wouldn't even roll. Took a taxi home for the first time.
I read an article by Lennard Zinn where he studied riders who broke stuff and he said some riders have a "spike" in their power stroke and this causes more than normal flexing of parts which he thinks contributes to part failure.
This is really interesting. I've used Ksyrium Elite clinchers for quite a few years and never had any issue. I did pull a spoke out of an Easton rear once. But, generally I don't have that problem. I've hit pot holes with the clinchers and USTs at 40 mph and they never even went out of true. I always wonder what makes the experiences different for people. Maybe Zinn has it nailed.