Quote Originally Posted by earthgirl View Post

but it's interesting to know that your friend needed stronger tires ...

thanks:-)
Wheels Wheels are the metal parts (rims, hub, spokes), tires are the rubber you see, and tubes are inside the tire, so you don't see them (but the valve where you pump the air is part of the tube).

I give you this info so you can call the bike shop and ask the right question and (hopefully) get the right answer.

I wouldn't bother with changing out the wheels unless you have a problem, like a spoke breaks. It happens--I had one break in the last 1/4 mile of an 80-mile ride last year--lucky (and I'm 125 lbs, so sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with weight).

You might want to ask the bike shop to check your wheels to see if they are true; that is, that the spokes are properly tightened to keep the rim straight.

Bikes can be overwhelming, but no one will give you a test, it's just fun!