Spokes snapping? WTF

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I bought a 2005 Kona Cindercone 1.5 years ago to replace my old school Tech that got ripped off. I've only ridden it a handful of times due to the fact I've got 2 kids under 4 and I've got very little time.

It spends most of the time suspended in my garage with no weight on the wheels. This Spring, I noticed that 5 of my spokes had snapped over the winter. It happened on both wheels. I think I recall noticing one had snapped in the Fall.
I know we have bad winters here in Ottawa, Canada, but it's not that cold. They were stored in an unheated garage.

Any ideas about what caused this? Should I expect more of the same? I'm worried about constantly having to bring in the bike to get spokes replaced as they pop like knee joints on old weekend warriors. :eek:

Any ideas about what caused this? Should I expect more of the same?
My first guess as a cause would simply be poor quality generic spokes. And with 5 breaking while the bike was simply hanging, I would expect more to break.

My first guess as a cause would simply be poor quality generic spokes. And with 5 breaking while the bike was simply hanging, I would expect more to break.
Great. I simply don't have to bucks to respoke both rims. This bites big time.

KONA! YOU VEX ME.

[QUOTE=Mudnyereye]Great. I simply don't have to bucks to respoke both rims. This bites big time.

Well if the spokes are snapping without being ridden,and you havn't been over tightning and you have a purchase verification ,i would think the dealer should be approached.
AS A POINT OF INTEREST
it works out more reasnable to buy a new set of wheels than to respoke,you get a rim,hub plus bearings,free wheel and spokes at as close to the price the BS charges to respoke.

I remember my local bike shop saying there was a recall on a certain brand of spoke last year due to a metallurgical problem making a number of batches of stainless spokes not so stainless. Corrosion spots would pit the spokes, leading to failure.

Given that most cycling product around the world originates from Taiwan, it's entirely possible you might have some from this same batch despite us being half a world apart.

My LBS was replacing the spokes FOC and charging the labour back to the importer.

By the way, I would not be leaving my bike out in the open in an unheated garage without some kind of wrapping or cover around the bare metal parts. The changes in temperature during the course of the day will see metal parts attract condensation out of the air to form ever-deepening surface rust. It is a quick way to destroy your chain and any other unprotected metal parts.

Wrap 'em up, or coat them in a removable anti-rust compound (eg, sticky motorbike chain grease) to keep the moisture away until it's time to bring 'em out of hibernation. Preferably, do both.