I'll start by confessing that I'm no expert on wheels, but have been trying to get up to speed (so to speak) this week, thanks to a broken spoke.

My road bike wheels for the past three years have been a pair of Velocity Aeroheads with an Ultegra hub that a cycling-savvy buddy snagged for me at a bike swap. They were much lighter than the stock wheels on my bike. (My drivetrain is a Shimano 9-speed triple.)

No problems with the wheels until last week when a spoke snapped off the back wheel while on a ride. Didn't just come loose---broke. I took the whole bike into a local shop where the wrench discovered---while trying to replace the broken spoke---that other spokes on both wheels were also in lousy shape. (In fact, another snapped while he was trying to replace the first one.) He thinks the rims date from the 1990s.

I've been researching wheels this week, as I ponder good replacements. In the process, I found that several TE'ers are fans of Aeroheads. I also discovered that the Aerohead seems to be one of the lighter rims out there (for those with a limited budget). So I'm now wondering if I should consider keeping the rim and hub and just have new spokes put on?

My questions/concerns are these:

1) If the rim dates from the 1990s, would I be wasting my time and money?

2) If I can find a model number or something else on the rim, could I find out online how old the rim really is? (Versus the guesstimate of the mechanic?)

3) I really want to stick with a light wheelset (even lighter, if possible) but I also regularly ride a couple of local roads with rough wooden bridges or paving. (The kind that set your teeth a'clatterin'....) The spoke that broke did NOT break while I was crossing one of the bridges, but it wouldn't be a stretch to think that riding over rough surfaces for three years contributed to the spoke issue. My cycling BF thinks I might want to stick with 32 spokes to handle the potholes, bridges, rough surfaces we encounter on rides.

4) I *need* a fairly light wheel because I live in the Blue Ridge where it's impossible to ride without encountering hills. (I'm 115 lbs and not a strong climber or fast rider.) I've been trying to lighten my bike in general and understand that the wheelset is a good place to lose (or at least not add) weight. So, I figure this is an opportunity to either improve--or maintain--the status quo.

5) At the moment I have no idea what shape the rim or hub are in---I wouldn't know what to look for or how to judge. They could be just fine, with plenty of good miles left in them...or they could be worn.

6) If the rims are fine, what kind of lightweight but sturdy spokes should I use? And should I consider upgrading the Ultegra hub even if it's deemed just "fine"?

Sorry for soooooo many questions! Thoughts? Thanks so much!!