If your bike chain breaks and you aren't hammering your bike on mountain bike trails, you've seriously neglected that bike for a long long time. Doesn't matter if it's 12 speed, 11 speed, whatever, bike chains are durable and last for years. Generally they are more likely to freeze up from rust and neglect than break. Clean the chain every few weeks and change it ~yearly (or every 2000 miles or so) and unless you are doing some burly stuff with your bike, it's not going to give you trouble.
Likewise wheels, even lightweight wheels aren't likely to fail on a commuter bike unless it's left in the weather.
The bigger danger to bikes is crappy builds and cheap-ass parts. A well made lightweight wheel is going to last 10 times longer than a cheap wheel. If you bought your bike at Walmart, if your chain breaks it's because it's more likely it's because the bike was badly out of tune when you bought it.
Wheel rims are aluminum, and spokes are stainless. They don't rust. Low spoke-count wheels are weaker and will go out of true faster, especially on potholed roads and with panniers.
Likewise wheels, even lightweight wheels aren't likely to fail on a commuter bike unless it's left in the weather.
The bigger danger to bikes is crappy builds and cheap-ass parts. A well made lightweight wheel is going to last 10 times longer than a cheap wheel. If you bought your bike at Walmart, if your chain breaks it's because it's more likely it's because the bike was badly out of tune when you bought it.